VCOM Administrative and Classified Staff Handbook

VCOM reserves the right to consider how a prospective student, faculty or staff candidate, current faculty or staff member, or current student presents themselves via social media. This information can be used to determine whether that person has the appropriate characteristics (ethical and professional) necessary to be a successful VCOM employee or student (candidate), continue their employment with VCOM (current employee) or to continue enrollment as a VCOM student and future physician based on the ethical and professional nature of the social media content. This information can also be used to determine whether that person represents a threat to self or other faculty, staff, or students and to whether HIPAA or FERPA standards are being followed. These policies apply to all types of use of social media on behalf of VCOM, including departmental use and use by individual employees whose job duties entail such use, or when using social media for personal use. Students and employees should use good judgment when using social media and be mindful that their actions and statements have the ability not only to affect themselves, but also others at VCOM and the college. Social media is “real life.” Behavior in social media is no different from behaviors expected on campus, including expectations for speaking in the classroom, hall, in conversation with friends, or public postings on a wall. Please bear in mind that posts on social media may be replicated quickly, be taken out of context, and will remain public for an indeterminate amount of time. • In all forms of communication, students and employees are expected to be professional, use good judgment, and be accurate and honest. • Students and physician faculty are expected to follow the Osteopathic Oath and the AOA Code of Ethics, which includes the affirmation to never cast imputations upon themselves, their peers, or the college. • Students must adhere to VCOM’s Honor Code of Conduct and employees must adhere to their respective professional code of conduct. Any verbal comments or actions that would be considered inappropriate or unprofessional offline are also considered inappropriate online and may result in referral to the Honor Code Committee for students or disciplinary action for employees. • If a student or employee communicates inaccurate or unprofessional information, they will be asked to correct it immediately. Depending on the nature of the information, further disciplinary action may be required. • Unless pre-approved, your social media name, handle and URL should not include VCOM or VCOM’s logo. • You must never endorse people, products, services, and organizations using the VCOM name. • Do not use VCOM’s logos or any other VCOM image on personal media sites. • Students and employees must consider that they are in an academic environment and the implications of utilizing the VCOM name or VCOM email address automatically identifies them in their role at VCOM; therefore, such communications must be professional in nature. • Do not create or develop social media accounts, profiles, URLs, or initiatives bearing VCOM’s name, acronym, or logo without prior approval from Division of Communications, Marketing, Website and Publications. • Do not share the VCOM logo with other organizations or individuals to be placed on their websites or social media. Contact the Division of Communications, Marketing, Website and Publications to evaluate the request. • A student or employee wishing to use the name or image of another student, faculty, or staff member on personal social media must have pre-approved permission by that person. Additionally, students and employees should always write in the first person and not speak for others in their personal social media. • As a member of the VCOM community, but acting in social media as an individual, students and employees must make it clear that they are expressing their own opinion and not that of VCOM or the student body. Where the connection to VCOM is apparent, you will need to add the following disclaimer when not officially acting on behalf of VCOM, “The views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of

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