Social Media

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of social media efforts at BYU–Hawaii will be to:

Continue to build and market the BYU–Hawaii brand
Build and maintain our online campus community:
- Reach out to new and potential students to help them decide to enroll and transition to campus life, and to answer their questions in a responsive manner using an environment in which they are comfortable.
- Maintain relationships with alumni and friends and encourage the support of the university through job/internship placement, mentoring and philanthropy.
- Provide information to current students, create resources to assist with their academic needs, and provide a forum for appropriate discussion of relevant issues.
Increase the amount of high quality, university-related content available online.
Receive and respond to feedback received through social media channels.

Additionally, we hope our efforts will assist the Church as a whole in building the kingdom of God and bringing people to Christ.

2. POLICY

University departments, programs and offices may use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media tools as a communication channel with approval from University Communications. While this policy principally reflects the use and administration of Facebook, other social media tools are included.

Facebook has established itself as one of the premier communication tools for the millennial generation. It can be a strategic tool when used properly. Facebook was adopted as an approved communication channel in April 2010. Use of Facebook (pages, groups, or profiles) by any group or department using the BYU–Hawaii name or brand is to be approved by University Communications and managed based on a tiered structure of messages (just as print communications) as follows:

• Tier 1 - Official messages (see Definitions below)
• Tier 2 – Non-essential messages (see Definitions below)

Use of templated visual identity elements, the approval to create an account, and proper monitoring of content are necessary facets of the management process and are to be coordinated through University Communications.

Once a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Facebook/Social Media presence is approved, a member of the University Communications staff (media specialist) must be an administrator on the Page, Group, or site.

3. IMPLEMENTATION

Definitions

Facebook Page: public profile specifically created for businesses, brands, celebrities, causes, and other organizations

Facebook Group: a page that users create within Facebook that is usually based around an interest, group, affiliation or association with people and things. Facebook Group gathers users together and creates a community of friends who have a mutual interest to promote, share and discuss a specific topic. Facebook group pages allow group members to send out invitations to all their friends to join the group.

Facebook Profile: a page that consists of a “wall” where users and friends can post content and several tabs for photos, applications and personal profile. Users then add “friends” so that they can view, comment, share and post content on each other’s Facebook pages and have access to their friend’s friends as well.

Official Pages: Official pages will be maintained by departments, programs, or offices, which convey official information. These pages become a supplement to the BYU–Hawaii website and will be monitored using processes similar to those used for monitoring content on the website. For the purposes of this policy at the current time, all requests for official Facebook usage must be reviewed and approved by University Communications.

Non-essential Pages: Non-essential pages will be created and maintained primarily by student-led groups (mainly Activities, Student Associations and Societies). These pages communicate optional information to students and other selected target audiences. The information is generally event specific (date, time, place, cost, etc.). These requests must be approved by University Communications after reviewing that policy standards are met. (see Social Media Procedures document)

4. RELATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Social Media Procedures October 2010