Because of social media’s potential to impact perceptions of the University and its reputation, these guidelines were developed for all social media sites, accounts, interactions and posts on behalf of UT System administration entities or officials in connection with their professional capacity or relationship to the University.
These broad guidelines are intended to accommodate differences in social media platforms while maintaining a universal code of conduct. These guidelines will be adjusted as needed to adapt to changes in the communication landscape.
Content & Comment Guidelines
Social media is interactive. You should expect and encourage feedback and discussion!
What should be posted?
Your social media account’s content should directly relate to your department or organization and engage your audience directly. Feel free to pose questions or solicit feedback. No matter what you post, your content should be aimed at starting or continuing conversations with your audience.
Can I/Should I Post This?
Remember, activity on your social media accounts represents the UT System as a whole to a large audience. Make sure your posts carry out the spirit of our mission. Be sensitive to topics that may be incendiary or that may reflect poorly on the University. Do not post any copyrighted or questionably legal content.
What about negative comments?
Comments that include profanity or similarly inappropriate language, or are threatening should be deleted. Otherwise, comments that are merely negative should either be ignored or should receive a polite, constructive response. If you’re unsure how to handle a negative comment, contact Kasey Funderburg at kasey@tennessee.edu.