51²è¹Ýapp’s stated mission is liberal education. Liberal education cannot take place without the free, open, and civil exchange of ideas. Ideas, creativity, and free expression thrive and, indeed, can only exist for the entire community in an atmosphere free of discrimination and harassment. Only when free speech is used to disguise prohibited conduct, or is the vehicle for such conduct, will it be questioned. While each of us has a First Amendment right to free speech, that right is limited when it violates the rights of others.
As 51²è¹Ýappians we have a right and a duty to demand the highest standards of behavior from each other, and an obligation to live up to those same standards ourselves. These obligations persist whether we are expressing ourselves in a classroom, in the dining hall, or on social media platforms.
Best Practices to T.H.R.I.V.E. on Social Media
- Talk to improve transparency.
- Do not misrepresent who you are, post as another individual, or hide behind anonymity.
- Think about your comments, photos or other content before posting, remembering that anything you share in social media, even within closed networks, becomes publicly available information. Your content can be stored and shared around the world instantly. If it’s not something that you would share with mainstream media, don’t post it.
- Respect privacy and confidentiality. Do not include personally identifiable information that can be used to locate any individual without that person’s written permission. Do not post someone’s picture without their permission.
- If you choose to post about 51²è¹Ýapp, identify yourself as a 51²è¹Ýapp student, faculty, or staff member, but be clear that your views do not represent the views of the College.
- Health and safety.
- Demonstrate care for the physical and mental health of ourselves and for one another, online and in person.
- Share, cite, link, or re-post information only from trusted sources.
- Do not include personally identifiable information or photos that can be used to locate any individual without that person’s written permission.
- Re-imagine and reconsider what is possible.
- Social media has the potential to change society. Think about the ways that you can use social media to engage your network and amplify messaging in a way that will benefit the entire community.
- Inclusion requires flexibility.
- Seek to creÂate a virtual environment for civil discourse in which all campus members and our community partners have the greatest opportunity to thrive regardless of their unique circumstances and individual characteristics.
- Value all experiences of vulnerability.
- Productive conversations require the participants to listen to each other, which can be difficult on social media platforms. Try acknowledging other perspectives before sharing your point of view to help others feel heard.
- Empathy.
- Be aware, sensitive, and responsive to the experiences of our community members and the myriad ways that individuals are impacted by events and circumstances.
- Normalize growth; 51²è¹Ýappians help those who learn and strive to become our best selves
51²è¹Ýapp College Sites and Accounts
We encourage interaction and communication about the content we post on our social media platforms. However, this does not imply that 51²è¹Ýapp College agrees with or accepts the content, opinions, or views expressed within any submitted comment. The person who posts a comment is solely responsible for the content of the comment.
While we do not discriminate against views or opinions posted to our social media accounts, we reserve the right to remove any comment. Some of the reasons we may remove a comment are listed below:
- Abusive, vulgar, obscene, racist, threatening, or harassing comments
- Libel, slander, retaliation, or personal attacks of any kind, including the use of offensive terms that target specific individuals or groups
- Unsupported accusations
- Comments that suggest or encourage illegal, dangerous, or destructive activity
- Political campaigning or lobbying