General Employment and Workplace Issues

Scope

This policy applies to College employees, departments, programs, student organizations and students producing content with College resources or for official College distribution. It applies to print and electronic publications, marketing and recruitment materials, websites, social media, video and audio productions, streaming content, advertisements, signage, promotional materials and other public-facing content that represents or could reasonably be understood to represent the College.

College media equipment and production resources may be used only for projects directly related to institutional academic programs, students, events, institutional marketing, or recruitment, unless designated College personnel approve another use in advance.

Content Standards

Public-facing College content should:

• Accurately represent the College, its programs, services, students and activities.
• Use clear, professional language appropriate for the intended audience and communication channel.
• Comply with applicable College policies, student conduct requirements, privacy requirements and other legal or regulatory obligations.
• Use approved institutional branding and visual identity standards.
• Be reviewed for factual accuracy, spelling, grammar, dates, names, titles, contact information, links and calls to action before submission for final approval.
• Use accessible formats and practices appropriate to the medium, including captions, alternative text, readable contrast and accessible documents when applicable.

Logo and Branding Standards

The College's goal is to maintain a unified institutional identity consistent with its Mission and Vision. Only logos and brand elements approved in the institutional style guide may be used on College documents, publications and electronic media.

Materials that do not comply with institutional branding standards should not be published.

Branding in Video and Media Productions

Aside from social media or other platforms where Colby Community College is clearly identified and branded, productions created for public dissemination should contain an approved visual representation identifying the content with the College, such as an approved CCC logo opener, College color treatment or another approved representation.

Planning and Production

1. Departments should plan publications and public-facing content before production begins. For significant, new or externally produced projects, early consultation with the Public Relations Office is recommended.
2. Planning should consider the intended audience, purpose, distribution channel, quantity, format, accessibility, graphics, color, printing or production method, page or display size, binding when applicable, timeline and overall cost.
3. All jobs requiring off-campus printing or external production must receive supervisory approval and comply with College purchasing procedures. This requirement includes grant-funded projects and student organization materials.
4. The requesting department is responsible for reviewing the content for subject-matter accuracy before submitting it to the Public Relations Office.

Content Review and Approval Procedure

Routine Departmental Content

Posts on an approved departmental social media or other platform do not need to include a College logo, colors, or other branding elements when the account is clearly identified and branded as an official Colby Community College account.

The originating department remains responsible for verifying all subject-matter facts. Departments should contact the Public Relations Office when they are unsure whether content requires approval.

Archiving and Records

After publication or production, a final electronic copy of significant College publications and public-facing materials should be provided to or retained by the Public Relations Office in accordance with applicable College records-retention requirements. When practical, the retained record should include the final approved version, publication date and documentation of approval.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence may be used as a production or editing tool when its use supports College communication and does not compromise the accuracy, authenticity or integrity of the content. AI should not be used to add, remove or materially alter people, objects or circumstances in photographs or video presented as documentation of an actual College event, activity or newsworthy occurrence.

Responsibility and Enforcement

Employees, departments, programs and student organizations are responsible for complying with this policy. Failure to comply with applicable production, publication, branding or content approval requirements may result in corrective action appropriate to the circumstances, including removal or correction of content, revocation of access to College media equipment or official communication channels, referral to Student Affairs or Human Resources, financial responsibility for damaged or missing equipment when applicable, or other action authorized by College policy.