Updated January 2024
When communicating on UNH-affiliated Social Media accounts, certain guidelines need to be followed. Below is some guidance specifically for those running official UNH social media accounts.
- University of New Hampshire employees and representatives who post on behalf of the university and its offices and departments must be mindful at all times of protecting the university’s reputation and promoting the university’s educational mission. This includes liking, sharing, commenting on or otherwise engaging on posts, or following other accounts, from a UNH social media account.
- Keep personal views separate from the University of New Hampshire’s posts. When posting on behalf of UNH, ensure that the contents of your post will further the university’s mission and reflect positively on your department and the university as a whole.
- As a public university, UNH is prohibited from participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. University social media accounts may not be used for such purposes or to participate in (directly or indirectly) any political campaign.
- Do not post confidential information about the university, its employees or students.
Social Media Strategy
Social media can be a highly effective marketing tool, but there are right and wrong ways to use it. Poorly executed social media can actually harm how the university is viewed. To ensure success on social media, a strategy needs to be in place. Answering the following five questions will help get you started. If you need help with your social media strategy, please contact the central UNH social media team at: social.media@999lsm.net
Why:
Why are you posting this and what are your goals?
Who:
Who is your target audience and what do they need?
What:
What type of content are you posting, and does it speak to your target audience?
Where:
Where online is your target audience spending time?
How:
How can you solve a problem for or help your target audience?
Social Media Comments
As a public institution, the University of New Hampshire welcomes conversation and civil discourse within the comments section on certain UNH social media platforms. These sites provide forums for thoughtful discussion of potentially opposing ideas.
However, the university expects such comments to be respectful, aimed at fostering understanding and communicated constructively. The university reserves the right to hide or delete comments that include:
- Harassment of specific individuals or groups
- Profanity or vulgar language
- Threats of physical or bodily harm
- Disclosure of sensitive information (for example, information that could compromise public safety or intellectual property)
- Obscene or sexually explicit language or images
- Vendor/commercial promotions that are not officially sanctioned by the University of New Hampshire
Social Media Account Management
- It is strongly suggested that you work with central marketing before creating a new social media account. We can help you determine the best course of action to meet your specific needs.
- All social media accounts created on behalf of the University must be linked to a UNH email account, and more than one University employee must have administrative access to the account.
- University social media accounts are the sole property of UNH, and creators and administrators do not have ownership or other rights in the account or its contents.
- Do not publish any significant non-public information that you have learned through your job (such as emergencies, closings, cancellations, or major university events) until it has been officially announced through UNH Central Marketing, Public Affairs or other authorized persons.
Intellectual Property Rights and Laws
The use of third-party copyrighted or trademarked material or use of a person’s likeness without permission in digital content may be illegal and may expose UNH to significant financial liability and reputational risk. Units are responsible for obtaining the necessary clearance for its use of intellectual property rights (including music and photos) and a person’s likeness. Units are responsible for bearing all costs associated with such rights clearances, including any costs that may arise if it fails to obtain the necessary clearance (e.g. legal and settlement costs). If you need more information on this, please contact UNH Innovations at (603) 862-4125 or the Office of the General Counsel at 603-862-0960.
