This document covers policy, procedures and standards relating to the digital estate, meaning the digital platforms or digital spaces through which we provide non-academic information about the university online, including:

1. The ucc.ie domain and all subdomains and sub sites (excluding those sites whose primary purpose is the provision of digital assets for teaching and learning or research purposes)
2. Any externally hosted university website that has been developed on behalf of the university for any of its organisational units engaged in promotional activities
3. Official social media sites created by the university (including repositories of material for Staff and Students)
4. University profile pages created on third party sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.
5. Users of personal accounts on third party social media sites
6. UCC YouTube and UCC iTunesU platforms
7. UCC digital signage

This policy governs the digital estate as outlined above, and applies to heads, staff of all UCC organisational units, UCC students and/or external parties (collectively referred to as “users”). Nothing in this policy shall be construed as a limitation of the academic function of the university, particularly in relation to the provision of digital assets for teaching and learning or research purposes.

For the purposes of this policy:

• Where digital spaces have been created that serve a dual role for both academic material and promotional material, primary consideration will be given to academic nature of the material within those spaces.
• Non-academic content means content that is generally of a promotional nature and does not include digital assets for teaching and learning or research purposes.

The following groups are responsible for the governance of the university’s digital estate:

1. IT Policy Emergency Management Team
2. The Digital Estate Working Group
3. Content Information Providers

3.1  IT Policy Emergency Management Team

The IT Policy Emergency Management Team includes representation from IT Services and OCLA who in turn will invite appropriate data owners or stakeholders to attend meetings as required. Further details are available in Figure 1 of the IT Policy.  

The responsibilities of the IT Policy Emergency Management Team include:

1. To act as steering group for the digital estate working group
2. Executive responsibility for the policy and governance of the digital estate.
3. Executive responsibility for the strategic direction for the university’s digital estate.
4. Approving policies, procedures and standards to govern the university’s digital estate.
5. Ensure that the governance of the digital estate and its content are functioning correctly.
6. Manage escalations from DEWG with respect to breach of IT policy in line with the university Emergency Response Plan. 

3.2 The Digital Estate Working Group (DEWG, dewg@ucc.ie)

The DEWG provide guidance and direction for the university’s websites and social media presence. The group sets strategy, implements policy, defines standards and agrees content for the UCC homepage and other web pages with a promotional function, on a weekly basis. The digital estate working group is comprised of the web content strategist (marketing and communications) who will normally chair the group and a member of the Office of Marketing and Communications, representing VP for external relations; UCC webmasters and a representative from Audio Visual and Media Services team, representing Information Services; a representative of the Deputy President and Registrar; and an officer of the Students’ Union as nominated by the Students’ Union executive. This group is divided into technical and content groups who will consider improvements to the digital estate’s technical infrastructure and improvement to the provision of non-academic content across the digital estate. Associate membership may be given to other members of the university community whose input to the management of the digital estate may be necessary from time to time such as, but not limited to:

The responsibilities of the Digital Estate Working Group include:

1. Setting the strategic direction for the university’s digital estate.
2. To make decisions regarding the funding, resourcing and strategic priorities of the university digital estate.
3. To effect the implementation of the university’s official branding guidelines and communications plans on the UCC digital estate.
4. To meet on a weekly basis.
5. To review requests for new websites; new official university social media accounts and new university organisational unit social media accounts and to make a decision on those requests
6. To devise policies and procedures for the management of the university’s digital estate, specifically relating to marketing and promotional material.
7. To evaluate effectiveness, standards and policies for technology and content components.
8. To escalate compliance issues with respect to legal and regulatory standards including accessibility, security, data protection and freedom of information.
9. To recommend and manage the development of additional design templates, features, and functionality for UCC’s digital platforms, or changes to existing design templates, features, and functionality.
10. To provide editorial guidance to information providers and ensure website and social media quality and non-academic content integrity.
11. To facilitate, resolve and forward issues of non-compliance with UCC IT policies (Social Media Policy, etc.).
12. To convene sub groups to discuss the improvement of the provision of non-academic information across all aspects of the digital estate.
13. To take direction from the Governance Board through bi-monthly progress meetings.
14. To report on project plans and developments to the steering group at least once a semester.

3.3 Content Providers

Managers of UCC organisational units are considered to be the content providers for their organisational units. They may delegate day-to-day responsibility to a member or members of their organisational unit (or an external party), to create and maintain the digital estate of that organisational unit. They have responsibility for the state of their portion of the overall UCC digital estate.  

The responsibilities of the content providers include:

1. To inform the DEWG when responsibility for the day-to-day maintenance of their portion of the university’s digital estate has been delegated to a named individual or individuals.
2. To undertake to create a digital communications plan for their portion of the digital estate, a part of which will be a content review plan for their website(s) and social media presences whereby they will outline how often they will review their non-academic content.
3. To keep their websites and other aspects of the digital estate up-to-date.
4. To create non-academic content that is extensible and reusable across the UCC digital estate where relevant.
5. To create non-academic content that adheres to best practices for accessibility.
6. To create non-academic content that adheres to the branding guidelines.
7. To create non-academic content that adheres to the agreed language style guide of the University.
8. To adhere to the procedure for the establishment and use of UCC organisational unit social media accounts.
9. To adhere to the procedures for the establishment and use of UCC organisational unit websites.
10. To consult with the DEWG in good time before commissioning any bespoke website design work or audio visual media services.
11. To only use approved website designers and developers and approved suppliers of Audio Visual Media Services (contact dewg@ucc.ie for a list of currently approved designers and developers). 

Guidance on creating communications plans can be sought from the Digital Estate Working Group. Guidance on creating content that is extensible and reusable; adheres to best practices for accessibility; adheres to branding guidelines and adheres to the agreed language style guide of the University can also be sought from the Digital Estate Working Group through the DEWG website at http://www.ucc.ie/en/dewg/ or by email to dewg@ucc.ie.

4.1 The University Website Policy

The university website (*.ucc.ie) is the sole property of UCC; while certain staff will have access to edit certain portions of the site, create new content, and remove old content, the site and all its sub-sites remain the property of the university.

The university website homepage is ultimately the responsibility of the Vice President for External Relations (or their nominee). Any requests for changes to the university homepage must be made through the DEWG and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

4.2 Social Media Policy

Users must at all times use social media sites in a responsible manner, having due regard to the rights and reputation of the university and of others. In particular, Users are required to comply with the following rules:

1. Do not use social media sites for any purpose which is prohibited under the terms of the Acceptable Usage Policy.
2. Do not use social media so as to contravene or breach the laws of Ireland, specifically in relation to: privacy rights, defamation law and data protection law.
3. Do not use social media sites to engage in any form of bullying or behaviour which is illegal or likely to cause harassment to others (e.g. stalking, grooming of minors, etc.).
4. Do not excessively duplicate previously posted communications (other Users may consider this as spam).
5. Do not impersonate any other person nor engage in trolling (i.e. intentionally insulting and harassing people via the Internet).
6. Do not post any material which breaches the intellectual property rights of third parties (e.g. logos, written works, diagrams, pictures, music, video/film clips, etc.); where necessary the express permission of the rights holder should be obtained.
7. When posting as individuals, Users are asked to consider that it may be appropriate for them to identify any personal views expressed by them, on third party websites, as their own and not representing the University (for example the following disclaimer is often stated on twitter accounts: “all views expressed here are my own and don’t reflect the views of my employer”). Please refer to the Acceptable Usage Policy, Personal Websites Section for further clarification.
8. While recognising the importance of academic freedom, Users must ensure that they adhere to this Policy for any official university accounts and any university organisational unit accounts.
9. Do not post material which is confidential and proprietary to the university or which could have the effect of damaging the reputation of the university or the privacy or reputation of any third party. 
10. Do not post material which would identify a third party (e.g. comments, photographs, video clips etc.) without the express permission of the third party concerned.
11. Ensure that information posted is accurate and not misleading.
12. Do not post material for the purpose of embarrassing people or which will bring that person or the university into disrepute.
13. Do not use the name of the university, including any emblems or logos, to promote their own commercial objectives or activities.
14. Do not use the name of the university, including any emblems or logos to imply that the university endorses an activity without its prior written consent.
15. Respect university time and property: university IT Resources are reserved for the use of Staff and Students for university related business, research and study.  

4.3 Official University Social Media Accounts

The Office of Media and Public Relations and the Office of Marketing and Communications shall maintain the official university social media account on any given social media platform. The following is a link to a list of official University social media accounts:  http://www.ucc.ie/en/connect/

1. Only the President, the Vice-President for External Relations (or their nominee) may set up an official social media account on behalf of the university.
2. The operation of some official university social media accounts may be devolved, with permission from the Vice-President for External Relations, to an office other than the office of media and public relations or the office of marketing and communications.
3. All official university social media accounts shall be operated within the rules established in this Policy.
4. All official university social media accounts shall contain a link (where feasible) to this policy 

4.4 University Organisational Unit Social Media Accounts

1. Only the head of unit (or their nominee) may approve the set up of a university organisational unit social media account.
2. The operation of a university organisational unit social media account may be devolved, with permission from the head of unit (or their nominee), to named persons within the organisational unit.
3. A university organisational unit social media account must have the initials “UCC” in the account name (preferably at the beginning of the name e.g. uccsport or uccenglish).
4. It is not always appropriate for a university organisational unit to maintain its own social media accounts (depending on the platform and other circumstances) - The Office of Marketing and Communications (via dewg@ucc.ie) must be consulted before the account is created.
5. On the establishment of a university organisational unit social media account, the Office of Marketing and Communications (via dewg@ucc.ie) must be informed of:
6. The type of social media account being established,
7. The name of the social media account,
8. The name(s) of the nominated staff member(s) who will maintain the account, and
9. The web address of the account on the relevant platform.
10. The office of marketing and communications shall endeavour to maintain a public list of these web links, accessible from the university website at http://www.ucc.ie/en/connect/
11. The use of university branding on university organisational unit accounts is subject to consultation with the Office of Marketing and Communications.
12. university organisational units should, where possible, provide a link to their University website from their social media account.
13. University organisational units should, where possible, provide links/connections to other university organisational units’ social media accounts.
14. All university organisational unit social media accounts shall be operated within the rules established in this Policy.
15. All university organisational unit social media accounts shall contain a link (where feasible) to this Policy.

IT Services provides free classroom based training for Staff on how to set up and maintain various social media accounts – contact tcentre@ucc.ie for details on what courses are available. 

4.5 Establishing and Maintaining a UCC organisational unit website

Users are encouraged at all times to use their organisational unit websites to communicate in a responsible manner having due regard to the rights and reputation of the university and of others.

1. Only the content provider (or their nominee) may request the set up a UCC organisational unit website.
2. The establishment and maintenance of a UCC organisational unit website may be devolved, with permission from the head of unit (or their nominee), to named individuals within the organisational unit or to approved external parties (website moderators).
3. The DEWG (via dewg@ucc.ie) must be consulted before the website is created - It may not be necessary or appropriate for a UCC organisational unit to maintain its own website (depending on the platform and other circumstances)
4. The DEWG shall endeavour to maintain a public list of these web links, accessible from the UCC website
5. The use of university branding on UCC organisational unit websites is subject to the UCC branding guidelines.
6. All UCC organisational unit websites shall be operated within the rules established in this policy.
7. All UCC websites must contain a link to the university’s privacy statement.
8. All UCC websites must be hosted on the IT Services managed UCC webserver.
9. All UCC websites must utilise the “.ucc.ie” domain.
10. All UCC websites must be implemented through the content management system(s) provided by IT services.
11. Any website moderator(s) must have undergone the training provided by the computer training centre – contact tcentre@ucc.ie  for details on what courses are available.
12. Accounts for access to the content management system(s) to establish or maintain a UCC website must be requested by the head of unit (or their nominee) by email from a valid UCC email address to cmssupport@ucc.ie
13. Accounts will only be created after training has been undertaken.
14. Any requests for a new website must be directed to the DEWG and must have a defined website development plan outlining:
    1. The contact details of the information owner and any website moderators,
    2. The structure of the website (what information will be presented on the site),
    3. A content review plan whereby the information owners and website moderators undertake to review content and update where required on a regular basis,
    4. The visual design of the site (if different from the available visual designs available through the content management system(s)), and
    5. Any special technical requirements for the site (databases, wikis, blogs, etc).
    6. What media assets need to be produced (video, photography, graphic design).

Any exceptions to these principles must be approved by the DEWG and must be accompanied by a firm business or technological rationale as to why the standard procedure is not suitable.

4.6 Third party social media sites

Third party social media sites, such as Facebook, twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn are used at the User’s own risk and since the university has no control over these sites, the university cannot take any responsibility for data stored on these sites. Users should familiarise themselves with the terms and conditions governing all social media sites and adhere to these conditions, in addition to the regulations set out in this Policy. Users should ensure that they protect themselves, read and familiarise themselves with any privacy policy governing the site to ensure that they are happy with the uses and disclosures that may be made of their data. It is recommended that Users maintain the highest possible privacy settings (i.e. “private” profile on Facebook). Users should be aware that this security may not be possible on some services (such as Twitter or LinkedIn).

The following relate to the Twitter social media platform:

• You must use “UCC” as part of your Twitter account name
• Keep the account name as short as possible to enable other Twitter users to retweet your tweets more easily and to reference your account more easily within the 280 character limit for tweets.
• Make sure your account follows the official university Twitter account so that you can retweet tweets from the official university Twitter account.
• Identify your Twitter account to the university Twitter account so that a follow back can be reciprocated, allowing the university Twitter account to retweet your tweets to its followers when appropriate (thus sending your message to a wider audience). 

The following relate to the Facebook social media platform:

• You must use “UCC” as part of your Facebook account name and Facebook page address.
• Make sure your Facebook page “likes” other university Facebook pages.
• Identify your Facebook page to the university Facebook page so that the university Facebook page can add your page to its list of “Liked” pages, allowing the university Facebook page to share your updates more easily.

The following relate to the Snapchat social media platform:

• You must use “UCC” as part of your Snapchat account name
• Keep the account name as short as possible
• Make sure your account follows the official university snapchat account.
• Identify your snapchat account to the university Snapchat account so that a follow back can be reciprocated.

The following relate to the Instagram social media platform:

• You must use “UCC” as part of your Instagram account name

The following relate to the YouTube social media platform:

• You must use “UCC” as part of your YouTube account name.

4.7 Notice and Takedown

Users are encouraged at all times to use social media sites in a responsible manner having due regard to the rights and reputation of the university and others.

1. In the event of discovering a posting to a UCC social media account that is thought to contravene the UCC web and social media policy, notice must be sent to dewg@ucc.ie to have the posting removed.
2. The DEWG will review the posting and determine if the posting does contravene the policy.
3. If it is determined that the posting does not contravene the policy, it will be left in place.
4. If it is determined that the posting does contravene the policy, it will be removed as soon as is practical and a notice sent to the original poster informing them of the reason for its removal.
5. Repeated postings that contravene the policy from the same user will lead to the user in question being blocked and where they are a member of staff or a student of the university, disciplinary procedures may be undertaken.

4.8 Think before you post

Even where social media accounts have been deactivated, copies of user information may still remain online. Before posting content on a social media site, Users should consider the permanent online footprint they are creating in doing so. The nature of the Internet provides unique opportunities for copying and dissemination of information, regardless of the originator’s intentions. Users should think carefully about whether they are happy for their information to be made available in this manner, not just now, but into the future (such as in the context of exams, future job applications, etc.).  The potential for copying information on the Internet makes it difficult to permanently delete user information.

4.9 Compliance with Policy

The university reserves the right to monitor, intercept and review, without notice, the postings and activities of staff, students and alumni where there is reason to suspect that this Policy is being breached, or where deemed necessary by the university for other legitimate reasons.  A working group has been established by the university to advise senior management on websites and social media site content, including any breach of compliance with policy. This group is called the Digital Estate Working Group (email address dewg@ucc.ie).

The University reserves the right to amend this Policy at any time in any manner in which the University sees fit at the absolute discretion of the University or the President of the University.

Any such revisions will be noted in the revision history of the policy, which are available to you on the website and by continuing to use the University’s IT Resources following any updated you will be deemed to have accepted the revised terms of this Policy.

8 Further Information

Contact Email:it_director@ucc.ie

Contact Name:

Contact Telephone Number: