A8000.10 Social Media and Digital Engagement

1.0 Statement

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Shawnee Community College affirms that digital engagement is an extension of its mission to provide equitable access, foster student success, and strengthen community trust. Social media is not only a tool for communication but also a reflection of the College’s values: integrity, transparency, inclusivity, and accountability. Every post, message, or campaign represents an opportunity to honor the College’s role in advancing the public good, celebrating diverse voices, and supporting lifelong learning across the region.

Social media effectiveness contributes directly to institutional outcomes within the College’s SCCES framework, particularly in the areas of Strategic Communication, communication transparency and integrity, and contribution and voice. It also provides evidence for Board Monitoring Reports demonstrating Strategic Outcomes in institutional reputation, public trust, and ethical communication.

 

2.0 Purpose and Scope

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This standard governs official SCC presence on social media and digital platforms to ensure professional, ethical, and strategic engagement. It applies to all departments, employees, student organizations, and partners who manage or post to College-affiliated channels.

 

3.0 Platforms Covered

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Official SCC accounts include, but are not limited to: Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube. These platforms are maintained under the oversight of the Office of Public Information & Marketing (PIM) to ensure aligned messaging and consistent branding.

 

4.0 Ethical and Strategic Guidance

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4.1 AMA Ethical Principles

All digital engagement must reflect the AMA’s ethical norms of honesty, integrity, transparency, responsibility, equity, and not harm.

 

4.2 Content Standards

• Truthful & Transparent: Avoid misleading claims or manipulation.
• Inclusive & Respectful: Use accessible language; respect diversity.
• Privacy-Compliant: Adhere to FERPA and safeguard personal data.
• Accessibility-Compliant: Ensure compliance with ADA and Section 508 by including captions, alt text, and screen-reader-friendly content.
• Responsive & Accountable: Monitor comments and messages; engage respectfully and timely.
• Copyright & Trademark Compliance: Only use media, logos, and music with proper rights, licenses, or institutional approval.
• FTC Compliance: All paid or partnered campaigns must follow Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines for advertising disclosures, including proper use of “sponsored” or “ad” tags when applicable
• Prohibited Content: SCC reserves the right to remove posts, comments, or replies that contain harassment, threats, discriminatory remarks, or hate speech in violation of College policy or the Illinois Human Rights Act. Any content removed under this provision must still be archived in accordance with Section 15.0 to ensure compliance with FOIA and applicable records retention requirements.
• Political Activity: SCC-affiliated accounts must not be used for partisan political purposes, endorsements, or campaign activities, in accordance with Illinois law and IRS restrictions on public institutions.
• Equity in Representation: Content should strive to reflect the diversity of SCC’s students, employees, and community, promoting equitable representation across platforms.
• Adult Events: By attending SCC public events, individuals consent to photography/video use unless they opt out in writing.
• AI-Generated Content: Any AI-assisted content (text, image, video) must be reviewed for accuracy, accessibility, copyright compliance, and brand alignment before posting.
• Third-Party Media: Use of reposted, embedded, or third-party content (including memes, licensed music, or viral videos) must comply with copyright law and platform terms of service.

 

4.3 Strategic Alignment

• Define SMART goals for each platform.
• Use analytics to measure performance, adjust tactics, and demonstrate value.

 

5.0 Request Types and Definitions

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Digital Engagement Content Includes: Social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube), video content (TikTok clips, YouTube), graphics and campaigns, and live-streamed events.

Social Media Post – 3 to 5 business days
Paid Digital Campaigns – Minimum 6 weeks lead time

 

6.0 Submission Process

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All social media content must be submitted through the Help Desk portal on mySCC, including department and contact information, goals and target audience, desired post or launch date, and supporting assets.

 

7.0 Approval Process and Workflow

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The PIM Office reviews submissions based on strategic alignment, institution-wide scheduling, and coordination with other departments.

• Record of Approvals: Departments must retain Help Desk tickets and approval confirmations as part of the institutional record.
• Edited Content: If a post is edited after publication, the original version must be archived before changes are made to ensure FOIA compliance and legal defensibility.

 

8.0 Timelines and Turnaround Expectations

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• Social Media Post – 3 to 5 business days
• Paid Digital Campaign – Minimum 6 weeks lead time
• Rush requests (<3 business days) are accommodated on a limited basis, depending on strategic impact.

 

9.0 Roles and Responsibilities

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• PIM Executive Director: Ensures strategic fit, brand adherence, and final approval.
• Content Requestor: Delivers assets (if necessary), goals, and timely feedback.
• Comment & Message Monitoring: The Office of PIM is responsible for monitoring official accounts daily. Departments submitting content are responsible for responding to technical or service-related inquiries escalated by PIM.
• Responsiveness Standards: Direct messages and public inquiries should commonly be acknowledged within 24 business hours. Complex inquiries that require more time should be referred to the appropriate department with a timely follow-up.
• Annual Account Audit: The Office of PIM will maintain an official inventory of SCC-affiliated accounts and conduct annual audits to identify and close unauthorized or duplicate pages.
• Brand Consistency: All content must comply with SCC’s official Brand Guide, including use of approved logos, colors, fonts, and templates.
• Scheduling Tools: Only College-approved scheduling platforms (with secure logins and MFA) may be used for social content.
• Account Deactivation: Official accounts inactive for 12 months may be archived or closed by PIM to preserve brand integrity.
• Employee Departure Protocol: When staff managing accounts depart, PIM will ensure access transfer, continuity, and communicate changes to affected stakeholders. Upon an employee’s departure, passwords for any associated social media accounts must be changed immediately to protect account security and integrity.
• Student/Org/Athletics Accounts: All student clubs, athletic teams, and affiliated organizations operating SCC-branded accounts must register with PIM, follow this OS, and ensure at least one College employee advisor has shared administrative access.

 

10.0 Monitoring, Metrics & Evaluation

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Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, reach—target: ≥ 10% year-over-year increase.

• Follower Growth: Monitored across all platforms.
• Content Impact: Views, watch time, conversions (e.g., event registrations).
• Feedback Quality: Audience sentiment, relevance, clarity.
• Performance Review: The Office of PIM will create, at least twice annually, summary reports and share them with the Cabinet and Executive Council.
• Accessibility Review: The Office of PIM will conduct annual accessibility checks of priority content (e.g., videos, graphics, high-traffic posts) to ensure compliance with ADA/Section 508 requirements.
• Metrics Transparency: Aggregate KPI results may be included in institutional reports and shared publicly to demonstrate accountability and impact.
• Data Collection: Any collection of personal data through contests, surveys, or social platforms must be minimized and comply with Illinois SOPPA and PIPA.
• Social media metrics will feed institutional dashboards managed by OIE and selected Monitoring Reports, providing Board-level evidence of Strategic Outcomes in transparency, trust, and communication effectiveness.

 

11.0 Crisis and Emergency Posting

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During emergencies or urgent alerts, the Office of PIM manages all digital messaging in coordination with Campus Security and the Office of the President.

• Official SCC emergency messaging must take priority over routine posts. Retention of emergency communications must comply with FOIA and institutional recordkeeping practices.
• Chain of Command: If the Executive Director of PIM is unavailable, responsibility defaults to the VP of Administrative Services, then to the President, ensuring continuity of emergency messaging.
• Off-Hours Coverage: PIM will maintain protocols for posting during evenings, weekends, and holidays for urgent safety, weather, or operational alerts.

 

12.0 Exceptions and Escalation

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Exception requests may be submitted to the Executive Director and evaluated based on urgency and strategic significance. High-impact matters may escalate to the President’s Cabinet.

• In cases where external vendors or advertising agencies are used, contracts must include provisions for compliance with SCC standards, FERPA, and copyright law.
• Vendor Data Handling: When third parties collect or analyze data (e.g., digital ads, contests, analytics), SCC must ensure compliance with Illinois SOPPA and Personal Information Protection Act. Data storage and transfer expectations must be documented in vendor agreements.

 

13.0 Oversight and Review

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This standard undergoes an annual review by PIM with oversight from the Executive Council. Updates reflect emerging platforms and ethical considerations.

• Review will also consider evolving legal standards (FERPA, ADA, FOIA, intellectual property) and ensure account security protocols (e.g., password management, multi-factor authentication) are in place.
• Annual employee training: All staff who request or manage content must complete annual training on FERPA, digital accessibility, copyright, and appropriate engagement standards.
• Oversight includes alignment with the SCCES framework and integration into Monitoring Reports, ensuring social media practices support Strategic Outcomes and evidence of institutional effectiveness.

 

14.0 Employee Personal Use of Social Media

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SCC recognizes employees’ rights to personal expression on social media. However, when employees identify themselves as affiliated with SCC, or when their conduct reasonably reflects on the College, they must uphold SCC’s values. Employees should: 

• Clarify that views expressed are personal.
• Refrain from disclosing confidential or student information (FERPA).
• Avoid using SCC logos without authorization.
• Comply with A8000 Public Communications and Employee Conduct standards.
• Faculty and staff should exercise sound judgment when engaging with students through personal accounts. Misuse of individual social media that violates SCC policy or harms the College may be addressed under existing employee disciplinary procedures.
• Faculty and staff should not initiate social media contact with students through personal accounts. Communication with students should occur through official College channels to protect privacy and avoid concerns related to Title IX or boundaries.
• Misuse of individual social media that violates SCC policy or harms the College may be addressed under existing employee disciplinary procedures.

 

15.0 Records Retention & Security

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• All SCC-affiliated social media content and direct messages are subject to FOIA and institutional record retention standards.
• SCC will utilize digital archiving solutions or approved institutional processes to ensure compliance with FOIA requests and long-term recordkeeping.
• Account credentials must be stored securely, with multi-factor authentication required for administrative access.
• Passwords must be rotated at least every ninety (90) days, with at least two administrators assigned per account to ensure continuity.
• If a platform breach or data leak occurs (e.g., TikTok, Meta), the PIM Office must immediately coordinate with IT and Legal to mitigate risks, notify affected users, and ensure continuity of operations.
• Public Engagement Archiving: Not only official posts, but also comments, replies, and direct messages must be archived in compliance with FOIA and state record retention laws
• FERPA Records: If social media content contains information directly related to an identifiable student (such as academic status, disciplinary status, or similar student-specific information), a copy of that content must be retained in the student’s educational record, as appropriate, to ensure compliance with FERPA.
• When employees with account access separate from the College, their access must be terminated immediately and transferred to another designated staff member.
• Content Lifecycle: Event promotions, time-sensitive campaigns, and outdated posts should be reviewed and retired promptly. Archived content should be retained according to College retention schedules (e.g., 3–5 years unless legal requirements dictate longer). 
• Integration: This section aligns with the College’s Records Retention Operating Standard and IT Security Operating Standards.
• Cybersecurity Escalation: In the event of a suspected account breach, PIM will immediately notify IT Security, which will lead incident response under the College’s Cybersecurity Operating Standard.
• Legal Hold: In cases of litigation or investigation, PIM will coordinate with Legal Counsel to preserve relevant digital content beyond regular retention schedules.
• Platform Sunset: SCC reserves the right to retire or discontinue use of any platform that becomes obsolete, noncompliant with law, or poses security/reputation risks. Prior to deactivation, all content associated with the discontinued platform must be archived and retained for the applicable records retention period and remain subject to FOIA and other legal retention requirements.

 

16.0 Content Rights & Minors

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• Any photos, videos, or likenesses of minors (under age 18) used on SCC-affiliated channels must have documented parental/guardian consent, consistent with COPPA and College policy. The requesting department must store consent forms and make them available for audit.
• Ownership of Student/Employee Work: Content (photos, videos, designs) submitted by students, staff, or partners for posting to SCC channels is considered licensed to SCC for institutional use. The College will respect copyright ownership, but requires a release or license before posting.

 

17.0 Enforcement & Consequences

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• Unauthorized accounts or content posted outside this Operating Standard may be subject to removal. Repeat violations, or conduct that risks legal or reputational harm, may be addressed under existing HR disciplinary procedures or applicable student codes of conduct
• Comment Moderation Protocol: Before removing any user-generated content (e.g., hateful or harassing comments), PIM must archive a record of the content for FOIA compliance and legal documentation
• Employee Advocacy: Employees engaging in personal advocacy/lobbying should avoid implying SCC endorsement or representation.
• Engagement Standards: SCC responses should maintain a professional, supportive, and student-centered tone, and should avoid arguments or prolonged back-and-forth with users.
• Cross-Channel Consistency: Critical institutional announcements must be posted simultaneously across all official platforms unless PIM approves strategic sequencing.

 

18.0 Disclaimers & Jurisdiction

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• Public comments on SCC channels do not necessarily reflect the views of the College.
• SCC is not responsible for user-generated content but reserves the right to moderate in accordance with College policy and law.
• SCC follows U.S. and Illinois law; international users are responsible for compliance with their own jurisdictions.

 

Change Log	Governance Unit: Executive Council
Date	Description of Change
08-03-25	First Read
09-30-25	Legal Review
08-17-26	Second Legal Review
08-27-26	First Read, Executive Leadership, Council
09-24-26	Approved, Executive Council