Social Media

Hashtags Our most frequently used hashtags for prospective students are #ocu, #ocustars and #oklahomacityuniversity, which you are welcome to use.

Royalty-free Photos

Do not pull photos from Google search to use unless you have confirmed that they are royalty-free, have paid the licensing fee in order to use them, or have gotten permission to use them. Royalty-free photos can be found here:

Unsplash — limited but very modern-looking, hip collection

Pexels — great selection

Smithsonian — The Smithsonian museums have opened their digital collection for free use by anybody—it’s all public domain!

Morgue File — sounds much more ominous than it is

Flickr — make sure to search in the lower search box labeled “search the commons”—not the top search box, which will give you copyrighted photos

Loc.gov/pictures — look for photos with “no known restrictions” or those in the public domain.

 http://thestocks.im/— has a bunch of different resources all in one place!

StockSnap.io — 40,000+ free stock photos released under Creative Commons CC0

Canva — a combination of free and paid photos

Maintain Confidentiality

Do not post confidential or proprietary information about the university, its students, its alumni, or its employees.

Reposting on Instagram

As a general rule, we recommend requesting permission from individuals before reposting their images on your account.

Do No Harm

Let your Internet social networking do no harm to Oklahoma City University or other individuals.

Log-in Info

Please share the login information for your OCU-related accounts with us so that we can keep this on file in the case of turnover or problems with accessing the account. We will never post on your behalf, but if there are things you’d like us to share from the main account as well, email them to [email protected].

Be Accurate

Make sure that you have all the facts before you post. It’s better to verify information with a source first than to have to post a correction or retraction later. Cite and link to your sources whenever possible—that’s how you build community. (On Instagram, users often include a link in the profile if necessary, since links are not active in each specific post.)

Correct Mistakes

If you make a mistake, admit it. Be upfront and be quick with your correction.

Be Transparent

If you participate in or maintain a social media site on behalf of the university, clearly state your role and goals. Keep in mind that if you are posting with a university username, other users do not know you personally. They view what you post as coming from the university. Be careful and be respectful. What you say directly reflects on the university.

Be Timely

Assign an administrator who can regularly monitor postings and content. Aim for standard times for postings and updates. The recommended minimum frequency is once to twice a week on Facebook and more often on Twitter (4-5x/week) and Instagram (2-3/week). Be sure not to overload your updates. Followers will stop paying attention if you overload them with information.

Be Responsible

What you write is ultimately your responsibility. Participation in social computing on behalf of Oklahoma City University is not a right but an opportunity, so please treat it seriously and with respect. If you want to participate on behalf of the university, be sure to abide by its standard practice guidelines. Please note, if you are contacted by a member of the accredited media about a posting or comment on a social or new media site, please contact the Communications Dept. (Nick Trougakos or Rod Jones)

Respect Others

Users are free to discuss topics and disagree with one another, but please be respectful of others’ opinions. Don’t use ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, profanity or engage in any conduct that would not be acceptable in Oklahoma City University's community. Do not ridicule, exploit, or demean persons on the basis of their age, color, creed, handicap, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

Use of OCU Trademarks

If you create a social media site on behalf of the university, you may use simple graphics that represent the Oklahoma City University brand. The Communications Dept. can provide a logo for you to use if needed by submitting an online request. You can also read more about our visual identity here.

OCU reserves the right to remove messaging not representing the core values at OCU. Messages created our of hate will be removed immediately. If you have concerns regarding your messaging and need additional assistance, please contact us.

The usage of OCU photo or video may not be reposted without first gaining permission by emailing us.

To make requests for social media designs from the Communications Dept., please fill out this online form.

Nearly all university employees (faculty, staff, administration) are considered mandatory reporters for known or suspected sex discrimination. This means you must report all details you are aware of regarding allegations of sex discrimination to the Title IX Coordinator within 24 hours. Reports to the Title IX Coordinator can be made via e-mail, over the phone, or in-person during business hours. Below is the name and contact information for the Title IX Coordinator.

Amy Ayres

Interim Title IX Coordinator

(405) 208-7900

[email protected]

For the purposes of university policy, sex discrimination includes:

• Discrimination based on actual or perceived sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation
• Sexual or gender-based harassment
• Sexual assault
• Intimate partner violence
• Stalking
• Other forms of sexual misconduct such as sexual exploitation
• Other forms of sex or gender-based violence such as hate crimes
• Discrimination, harassment, or violence based on pregnancy or parental status
• Retaliation

Disclosures of any of these issues involving students, faculty, staff, administrators, and guests or visitors on social media are subject to this policy. If such discrimination is alleged on an account you follow, if a member of our community discloses to you in a direct or group message via social media, or if you otherwise become aware of a social media disclosure, you would be required to make a report.

Employees and community members who have a license granting them confidentiality under the law and that are hired by the university to work under their license are exempt from this policy. Confidential service providers generally do not engage in confidential communications via social media, but it is important to be aware of the confidential support options on and off campus.

On-campus Confidential Resource

• University Counseling
• Campus Health Clinic
• Clergy (in their capacity as pastoral counselors)

Off-campus Confidential Resources

• Licensed professional counselors
• YWCA
• Local and state assistance agencies
• Clergy/Chaplains

To ensure the reporting party understands this responsibility, you are encouraged to follow these steps if you learn of possible sex discrimination via social media.

1. Screen-cap the post(s) in question. You can do this with the Snipping Tool program on the Start menu or through the “Print Screen” button on your keyboard.
2. If possible, contact the reporting party to let them know you became aware of the disclosure and must make a report. You can let them know in a direct message over social media, over e-mail, or through a combination of both.
3. Contact the Title IX Coordinator and provide all relevant information you know of, including names and identifying information, as well as the screen-cap(s).

If you are unsure if a particular post may constitute an allegation or instance of sex discrimination, please contact a Title IX administrator to discuss the issue. Contact information for Title IX administrators is available on the university’s Title IX website.

An individual’s private information is an important priority of Oklahoma City University. This Online Statement of Privacy applies to private information and data collected online through the University’s student recruitment process.

Through the use of Oklahoma City University’s website and social media platforms, you consent to the terms and conditions of the data procedures of Oklahoma City University. If you do not consent, you should refrain from further use of Oklahoma City University’s website and social media platforms.

Use of Information

• Oklahoma City University may collect and make use of personal information to assist in the operation of the University’s website and social media platforms, in order to ensure delivery of the services you need and request. Oklahoma City University may use personally identifiable information as a means to keep you informed of other possible services that may be available to you from Oklahoma City University. Oklahoma City University may also be in contact with you with regards to completing optional surveys and/or research questionnaires related to your opinion of current or potential services that may be offered.
• Oklahoma City University may disclose your personal information, without prior notice to you, only if required to do so in accordance with applicable laws and/or in a good faith belief that such action is deemed necessary or is required in an effort to:
  • Remain in conformance with any decrees, laws and/or statutes or in an effort to comply with any process which may be served upon Oklahoma City University and/or our website or social media platforms.
  • Maintain, safeguard and/or preserve all the rights and property of Oklahoma City University.
  • Perform under demanding conditions in an effort to safeguard the personal safety of our users, of Oklahoma City University, and/or the general public.

Unsubscribe or Opt-Out

• All users and/or visitors to our website and social media platforms have the option to discontinue receiving communication from us. To discontinue or unsubscribe from our website or social media platforms, please send an email notifying Oklahoma City University of your wish to unsubscribe, to [email protected].
• Our website and social media platforms may affiliate with and contain links to other websites. Oklahoma City University does not claim nor accept responsibility for any privacy policies, practices, and/or procedures of any other such websites. If you wish to unsubscribe or opt out from any third party websites, you must go to that specific website to learn its applicable privacy policy and opt-out procedures.

Links to Other Websites

• Our website and social media platforms may affiliate with and contain links to other websites. Oklahoma City University does not claim nor accept responsibility for any privacy policies, practices, and/or procedures of any other such websites. If you wish to unsubscribe or opt out from any third party websites, you must go to that specific website to learn its applicable privacy policy and opt-out procedures.

Security

• Oklahoma City University shall take every precaution to maintain adequate physical, procedural and technical security with respect to our office and information storage so as to prevent any loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification of the user’s personal information under our control.

Changes to Online Statement of Privacy

• Oklahoma City University reserves the right to update and/or change the terms of the Statement of Privacy. The most current, applicable Online Statement of Privacy will be posted to our website so that our users and visitors are always aware of the privacy measures in place to protect individual private information.

Contact Information

• If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Online Statement of Privacy, please feel free to contact us at the following email, telephone number, or mailing address:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 405-208-5348

Mailing Address: 2501 N. Blackwelder, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73106