Social Media Policy

The communication office, part of the Office of the Dean at Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (SPHTM) manages the school's social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest. You may also read the Global Health magazine online. 

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University & SPHTM Social Media Policies

TUSPHTM students, staff, and faculty are expected to follow these guidelines and best practices when participating in our social media outlets. 

  • Protect confidential and proprietary information: Do not post confidential or proprietary information about SPHTM or its students, employees, or alumni. Employees must follow the applicable federal requirements such as FERPA, HIPAA and NCAA regulations.  Adhere to all applicable university privacy and confidentiality policies.
  • Respect copyright and fair use: Be mindful of the copyright and intellectual property rights of others and of the university. (Tulane University Copyright notice).
  • Comply with the trademark, logo and use policy: TSPHTM’s trademarks are intended to present a positive image of the school and may not be altered in any way. Nor can SPHTM’s trademarks be used in the name of a business, logo, in promoting services or on a product in a way that could state or imply an endorsement by the university. (Tulane University trademark/logo use policy).
  • Terms of service: Obey the Terms of Service of any social media platform employed. List links to sm terms of service here:

Best Practices for Posting on SPHTM Social Media Outlets

  • Be transparent. If you post to or maintain a social media site on behalf of SPHTM, clearly state your role and goals. Discuss with the Communications Unit when you are empowered to respond directly to users and when you may need approval.
  • Be respectful. As a SPHTM employee, student, or alumni you understand the university's commitment to respect the dignity of others and to the civil and thoughtful discussion of opposing ideas. Some online communities can be volatile, tempting users to communicate in ways they otherwise wouldn't. Both your reputation and SPHTM’s are best served when you remain above the fray. When disagreeing with other opinions or someone disagrees with your post, keep it appropriate and polite. Feel free to contact the SPHTM Communications Office for advice and /or to disengage from the dialogue in a polite manner that reflects well on Tulane SPHTM.
  • Be thoughtful. If you have any questions about whether it is appropriate to write about certain kinds of material in your role as an SPHTM student, employee, or alumni , ask the Communications Unit before you post. Remember that policies such as FERPA Compliance and Privacy Statement policy apply to social media.
  • Think twice before posting. There is no such thing as “privacy” in the world of social media. It is a public forum, and posts can be accessed for years to come. They can turn up in search engine results attached to your name or the post’s subject matter. If you wouldn’t say it in class, 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, contact the SPHTM Communications Unit.
  • Strive for accuracy. Know the facts 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. If you make a mistake, admit it — and be upfront and quick with your correction. Give credit to sources of written content, images, and ideas you reference or use.
  • Consider your audience. The SPHTM audience includes prospective students, current students, current employers and colleagues, faculty, and alumni. Consider this before publishing to ensure the post will not alienate, offend, or provoke any of these groups.
  • Be a valued member of the community. Avoid posting information about topics unless you are sure it will be of interest to readers. Avoid self-promotion unless you are sure that what you’re promoting will be of interest to the audience. Self-promoting behavior can be viewed negatively and may lead to you being banned from one or more of our social outlets.
  • Photography. Photographs posted on social media sites easily can be accessed and/or downloaded by visitors. If you want to protect your intellectual property, consider adding a watermark and/or posting images at 72 dpi and approximately 800x600 resolution. Images at that size and resolution are sufficient for viewing on the Web, but not suitable for printing.
  • Link back to the university. Whenever possible, link back to the SPHTM website. We love posts that take our audience back to the site to learn more. 

Email tbrown19@tulane.edu if you have questions about these policies.