CAS OPERATIONS
Services Model
Communications
Social Media
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) encourages the official use of the following social media platforms: Facebook and Instagram. Department YouTube channels are not permitted; however, departments/centers may request for videos to be published on the official University of Delaware YouTube channel at the discretion of CAS and the Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM). UD Capture can also be used as an alternative. LinkedIn requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. All social media activity must comply with the University’s Use of Digital and Multimedia policy and the Social Media Guidelines and Standards.
New Accounts
All new social media accounts must be requested and approved by the CAS Digital Communications team. Accounts not approved through the proper channels may be pulled down due to failure to comply with University branding, copyright laws or CAS procedures. Social media account requests must be sent via the CAS project request form. Following a department/center’s initial request, the Digital team will require the following:
- A brief description of the department/center’s purpose and target audience for the account
- A one-month social media content plan
- Commitments of two staff/faculty members to run the account (students are not permitted to run official accounts full-time and may not be given passwords)
The CAS Digital Communications team will review each request and inform the department/center of approval or denial in a timely manner. If a department’s request for a social media account is denied, the Digital team will assist with developing a social media strategy using established platforms, such as the CAS Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn accounts, or suggest other effective marketing methods.
Independently Managed Department/Center Accounts
Once a department/center receives approval, it can proceed with creating the social media account(s). Each UD-affiliated social media account must include the following:
Once an account is set up, its URL must be sent to CAS for final review before posting begins. The department must also submit passwords to CAS once the account(s) are approved.
Accessibility
To comply with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990, all social media posts must be accessible to everyone, including those with visual and hearing impairments. To ensure content is screen reader friendly, each published photo must have alternative (alt) text, or text that describes the image. Adding alternative text is different for each social media platform. Below are how-to resources for each:
Images should also contain little to no text. If minimal text is added to a graphic, be sure to restate all of the information in the copy of the post.
Do not post event flyers, screenshots of webpages, or QR codes to any social media platform.
Accounts that make these types of posts are ranked lower on followers’ feeds and may not reach the intended audience.
Additionally, videos featuring speakers must always contain closed captions. UD Capture can be used to auto-generate captions. Be sure to review and edit the captions for accuracy before downloading the video and uploading to social media. The following tutorials are available on UD Capture:
Please note that each video should also contain the proper UD branding elements. Contact CAS Communications for more information and materials.
Closing Accounts
Before closing social media accounts, please consult the CAS Digital Communications team. If social media analytics confirm that the account no longer benefits the department or center, a plan must be developed to shut down the account. The plan should include a timeline for notifying followers, archiving content and deactivating the account. Departments/centers should provide at least a month's notice to followers, noting alternative methods of communication with the department and linking CAS social media. Pin this post to the top of the account if possible. Also, ensure that the CAS Digital Communications team has the most recent password and username for each deleted account.