About Centenary University’s Social Media Presence

Centenary University supports the use of social media to connect with students, employees, colleagues, alumni, volunteers, and friends. Social media allows Centenary University followers to stay up to date on important news, exciting events, and accomplishments of our students, staff, and alumni. Currently, Centenary University has a presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Vimeo.

Because Centenary has so much going on, both on our home campus and at the School of Professional Studies in Parsippany, it is important that we have numerous social media accounts for audiences to follow including clubs, sports, academic departments, as well as the main University accounts. Followers expect timely, creative, consistent, and engaging content to follow regardless of what accounts they choose to follow. Centenary University is proud to have multiple accounts serve as a voice for Centenary University students, staff, alumni, and followers.

If you would like to set up a Centenary University-affiliated social media account, please contact Marketing

The Marketing Department

The Marketing Department of Centenary University is responsible for the promotion of the University and enhancing its reputation. All social media accounts that are affiliated with Centenary University represent the entire University and it is the Marketing Department’s duty to oversee all accounts to ensure that they align with the University’s values, prestige and brand as an institution of higher learning.

For guidance, assistance, or questions, please reach out to Marketing.

Social Media Policy

Centenary University supports the use of social media to connect with students, colleagues, alumni, volunteers, and friends. This social media policy explains how to do so effectively and safely within the guidelines established by Centenary University. Social media is dynamic and will continue to constantly evolve.

What is Social Media? 

Social media refers to online tools, services, and mobile applications that allow anyone to easily create and publish content. Many of these sites utilize individual profiles, where users post personal information. The “social” in social media becomes apparent as the user finds and interacts with others with similar interests. It is within these online communities that users are offered the chance to share information and knowledge, as well as offer support and, are given the opportunity to network. Popular social media services include but are not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Snapchat.

Social media has fundamentally changed the way we communicate as individuals and as an institution. With sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and blogs, virtually anyone can develop a dynamic web presence and share content instantly with family, friends, and followers. Centenary University recognizes and embraces the power of social media, and the opportunity to participate and engage in the ongoing “conversations” with our employees, students, alumni, and friends.

How Centenary University is Using Social Media 

Social media tools enable Centenary University to share what is happening at our various University locations with the world but more importantly let us hear directly and immediately from students, employees, parents, and fans about what is important to them. This “conversation” is what makes Social Media so different from traditional forms of institutional communication.

Account Management

Creating a New Account for your Department

Are you thinking about setting up a social media account that is affiliated with Centenary University? Your first step is to register the account with the Marketing Department at Centenary University. You may contact Marketing for guidance. We will then set up a meeting with you to walk you through any issues or questions you may have.

Responsibilities of a Social Media Admin/Account Manager

Once a Centenary University affiliated account is created, there are rules and expectations to follow. As stated earlier, all affiliated accounts represent Centenary University so it is imperative that the rules and expectations are followed. A brief list is included below but a full version of the Social Media Manual can be found here for download.

• The account posts new content at least twice a week
• Access must be granted to at least one other employee within the marketing department as administrator for accounts
• Posts are appropriate and are not copyrighted
• Be conscious of mixing business with personal lives: Students and employees should never post in reference to other students, rumors, allegations or their own personal views and opinions.
• Social Media accounts for events are not permitted.

Branding Information

Centenary University’s social media properties are an online extension of the University’s presence. What we say about our University must be in accordance with established brand guidelines. Our brand guidelines are intended to create consistency in our communications, and not to stifle the creativity of those who wish to share positive messages about Centenary University through social networking.

Our logo is the most important symbol of our brand. Only Centenary accounts may use Centenary’s branding. Centenary University reserves the right to close accounts, pages or other social media presences that use Centenary University’s branding.

Let’s be consistent: Your account name, profile pictures, avatars, and cover photos should be the same across all platforms you wish to use. For example, your profile picture on Facebook should always match your profile picture on Instagram. Your audience will come to recognize your account by your profile picture, so it should rarely, if ever, change. We want to help our followers to easily recognize us on social media. Cover photos can be changed on a regular basis according to current events, new photos/videos to grab your audience’s attention and bring traction to your pages. If you need a logo created, please contact Marketing.

Visually appealing: Profile pictures and cover photos should consist of images. Save your text for the content of your posts. Text becomes difficult to read on smaller devices. Considering cover photos show differently across all platforms, keep in mind the image will be cut off depending on the device a user is using. When creating your content think about what you find visually appealing when scrolling through different devices. Use videos/images that are high quality, not blurry or pixelated.

Distinctive: We are all unique one way or another. Keep your accounts unique too! This will allow your viewers to easily differentiate between accounts.

Best Practices

This section applies to those posting on behalf of Centenary University, though the guidelines may be helpful for anyone posting on social media in any capacity.

Think twice before posting. Privacy does not exist in the world of social media. Consider what could happen if a post becomes widely known and how that may reflect both on the poster and the University. Search engines can turn up posts years after they are created, and comments can be forwarded or copied. If you wouldn’t say it at a conference or to a member of the media, consider whether you should post it online. If you are unsure about posting something or responding to a comment, ask your supervisor for input.

• Strive for accuracy. Get the facts straight before posting them on social media. Review content for grammatical and spelling errors. This is especially important if posting on behalf of the University in any capacity.
• Be respectful. Understand that content contributed to a social media site could encourage comments or discussion of opposing ideas. Responses should be considered carefully in light of how they would reflect on the poster and/or the University and its institutional voice.
• Remember your audience. Be aware that a presence in the social media world is or easily can be made available to the public at large. This includes prospective students, current students, current employers and colleagues, and peers. Consider this before publishing to ensure the post will not alienate, harm, or provoke any of these groups.
• On personal sites, identify your views as your own. If you identify yourself as a Centenary University employee online, it should be clear that the views expressed are not necessarily those of the institution.
• Photography: Please contact Marketing for your photography needs. Photographs are a great way to engage visitors and draw interest to a social media post.
• Whenever possible, photographs should be included in social media posts. However, photographs posted on social media sites easily can be appropriated by any visitors, without your permission. You should always take time to consider a photograph before posting on official and personal accounts. If the picture is not something that you would want to be distributed by media across the world you may want to reconsider posting this picture.
• Linking. Social media represents a great opportunity for Centenary University to drive traffic to its website(s). Special care should be paid to posting content with links to Centenary’s own website whenever possible. If a link being posted does not link directly to Centenary University’s website(s), there should be a clear indication that a link is not associated with Centenary University.

Consistent Branding Standards: The standards below correspond to any type of social media site:

• The Centenary University Official Seal is reserved for use only by the Advancement Department.
• The Centenary Athletics Cyclone Logo is reserved for use only at the discretion of the Athletics department.
• A department with their own approved logo may utilize that logo only with the approval of their department head.
• Terms of service: Centenary University employees and students must obey the Terms of Service of any social media platform employed.
• The Centenary University Official Logo is reserved for use only with the Marketing Department’s approval: Marketing

Let’s do it right…. If we do it right social media can create and nurture relationships, share information, raise awareness, grow support, build brand reorganization, and lead to collaboration on ideas by participating in conversations. If we follow the guidelines and best practices, we can effectively tell our story about our people, environment, and programs to support the mission of the University. Social media can be a simple, fun, creative way to interact with people.

Make sure to mention our main accounts:

Facebook: Centenary University

Instagram: centenaryuniversity

Twitter: centenary_nj

LinkedIn: Centenary University

Pinterest: centenary_university

Please contact Marketing (Social Media and Digital Marketing Specialist)
at marketing@centenaryuniversity.edu if you would like to have content posted on the main University accounts.

Policies for all Social Media Profiles, including Personal Profiles

• Protect confidential and proprietary information: Do not post confidential or proprietary information about Centenary University, students, employees, or alumni. Employees must still follow the applicable federal requirements such as FERPA and HIPAA regulations and adhere to all applicable institution privacy and confidentiality policies. Employees who share confidential information do so at the risk of disciplinary up to and including termination.
• Do not use Centenary University logos for endorsements: Do not use the Centenary University logo or any other institution images or iconography on personal social media sites.
• Do not use Centenary University’s name to promote a product, cause, or political party or candidate.

Student & Employee Social Media Usage 

Centenary University strives to create a warm, safe, and inviting environment for students and employees. The following represents community-based standards that all Centenary students and employees should follow on social media.

Social Media Usage Guidelines 

• Harassment, Intimidation & Bullying: Language, photos, communication, and information that is offensive, illegal, obscene, defamatory, threatening, infringing on intellectual property rights, invasive of privacy, profane, libelous, harassing, abusive, hateful, embarrassing to any person or entity or injurious are considered unacceptable.
• Be conscious of mixing business with personal lives: Students and employees should never post in reference to other students, rumors or allegations.
• Posting rights for Centenary accounts: Students and employees are not permitted to post to Centenary University accounts without express consent from a department director. Access to Centenary University accounts may be revoked at any time.

Proscriptions on Use 

Use that impedes, interferes with or otherwise causes harm to others. – Harassing or threatening use.

• Attempts to defeat system security.
• Unauthorized access or use Modification or removal of data or equipment.
• Use of unauthorized devices.
• Disguised use.
• Deliberately distributing or launching computer viruses, worms, or other rogue programs.
• Use in violation of the law.
• Use in violation of Centenary University policy.
  *This list is not limited to the above listed “Proscriptions on Use” and may include other areas not mentioned above.* 

Enforcement 

When a student or employee violation of this policy occurs, Centenary University may enforce one or more of the following:

• Temporarily suspend or block access.
• Permanently suspend or block access.
• When appropriate, refer suspected violators to the appropriate law enforcement agencies – Disciplinary action up to and including termination or expulsion.