Social Media

Stories Teach Us

They drive knowledge. Shape who we are and the way we understand the world. Teach us about our past. And help us imagine our future.

Social media is a powerful storytelling platform. We share proactive and collaborative content on social media that engages our audience and demonstrates how we lead with purpose. 

We are One University telling the stories of change-makers, community builders, and world shapers leading with purpose—in pursuit of the public good.

Leading with Purpose

At the University of Alberta, we build meaningful connections on social media by telling stories of how the University community is seeking, challenging and leading with purpose.

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Social Media Community Guidelines

The U of A is dedicated to building a vibrant community of students, staff, faculty, alumni, donors and partners. By engaging with the U of A on social media, you are part of that community. These community guidelines are designed to ensure that the U of A’s social media channels remain safe, respectful and inclusive for all members of the U of A community. 

Please note that these social media community guidelines are intended to work in tandem with all official University of Alberta policies. See more information on our policies »

How the U of A Uses Social Media

The U of A strives to use social media to foster a community of change-makers, community builders and world shapers. And, the University seeks to build meaningful connections on social media by telling stories of how the University community is seeking, challenging and leading with purpose.

On social media, the U of A is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion—and supports local efforts in the university community to further this commitment. The U of A is also dedicated to championing the U of A’s Indigenous strategy, including amplifying Indigenous initiatives and stories on our campuses.

Please note, the U of A social media accounts do not comment on matters internal to the University, such as conversations about specific students, community groups, faculty or staff on social media. The U of A also cannot share or promote content, events, or donation solicitations that have not been approved through designated U of A processes. 

Moderation

The University’s social media channels are monitored from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday (excluding holidays). Due to a high volume of social media activity, the University of Alberta is not able to respond to each social media comment. Our priority in managing our community is to facilitate a respectful environment on our social media pages, enhance understanding of our content, and providing services to our community. 

Asking questions, sharing concerns and participating in conversations related to the U of A’s social media posts is encouraged. However, the U of A may make use of appropriate moderation tools, such as hidden or restricted posts, to ensure conversations stay on-topic, are factually correct, remain respectful, and foster productive discussion. 

In line with official University of Alberta policies that outline U of A-managed accounts, abusive, threatening, discriminatory and hateful posts and comments will not be tolerated, and may result in hidden or removed posts, as well as blocks, bans and/or reports to social media channels.

A Respectful Community

The U of A is committed to providing a respectful environment that supports dignity and equity for all community members. On social media, the University uses the following guidelines: 

• The U of A welcomes and encourages healthy debate—it’s what challenges us to be better. 
• Stay on topic.  Keep your comments focused on the original topic of conversation. Off-topic comments may be hidden or deleted if they detract from the intended conversation. 
• Don’t sell or spam. The U of A’s social media channels are not a venue for promotion, sales or advertisements. 
• Don’t share your personal information. The U of A will never ask for personal information via social media, such as your student ID number.
• Act with empathy. Whether you’re responding to a post, or replying to another community member’s comment, remember that there is another human being on the other side of the keyboard. Treat others as you would want to be treated. 

Freedom of Expression 

Read more about the U of A’s Freedom of Expression statement »

Discrimination, Harassment or Abuse

Abusive, threatening, discriminatory and hateful posts and comments—as detailed in the university’s policy on sexual and gender-based violence and policy on discrimination, harassment and duty to accommodate—will not be tolerated. Appropriate moderation tools, such as blocks and bans, may be used to remove this behaviour from conversations. This behaviour will be documented by the U of A, and may be reported to the appropriate authorities and social media platforms, where applicable.

The U of A regularly monitors its social media channels for comments that violate these rules. Should you see a post or comment that you feel is abusive, threatening, discriminatory or hateful, please use the individual social media platform’s reporting tools. 

University of Alberta Brand

Our brand story and editorial guidelines help us to represent the University of Alberta online, and empower us to navigate and align with our brand identity and communication standards.

• Brand Story 
• Editorial Style Guide 

Social Media Account Standards

Whether you're a faculty member, staff member, or student managing an official University of Alberta social media account, these account standards ensure a verified, cohesive, and strategic online presence for our university community.

Creating a New U of A Affiliated Social Media Account 

New social media accounts should only be created with the express permission of the University of Alberta Brand Team and the Faculty or Unit’s senior leader (CGM or AVP level or higher) and should meet all of the following criteria: 

• The account is supported by a strategic approach that adds value by responding to University priorities as outlined in the  University’s strategic plan.
• Addresses a specific University of Alberta audience segment yet to be reached by an existing social media account. 
• Has developed a sustainable content strategy that supports the storytelling goals outlined above.
• Has dedicated long-term resources (such as human resources, creative resources and budget) to executing a sustainable social media content strategy. 
• Is supervised by at least two University of Alberta team members. One of these members must be MAPS
• Is managed with appropriate information security, including password management, account access, and privacy settings. 
• Has established redundancies to ensure the account is accessible if the primary account manager is unavailable. 
• Utilizes institutional social account management tools such as Sprout Social and Meta Business Manager. 
• Exemplifies the University of Alberta’s brand guidelines in its presentation and content. 

If you're interested in creating a new social media account, please reach out to your communications and marketing partner.

Profile Avatars

The following avatar convention for university subunits has been established to present a consistent presence on all official University of Alberta social media accounts.

U of A main avatar:

• White shield on green background
• This avatar is exclusively reserved for official U of A brand channels (@UAlberta).
• Official U of A Brand accounts:
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • Facebook
  • X

Official Faculty/Subunit avatars:

• Gold-green background with white shield
• Subunit name abbreviation in white, Roboto Condensed Bold, all caps and flush left.
• The subunit abbreviation is limited to 5 characters on the first line and 4 characters on the second line.
• This avatar is exclusively available for use by social media accounts directly managed by or in communication with a member of the External Relations Communications and Marketing team.
• Subunit avatars should not be created from scratch. To obtain the template, please talk with your marketing or communications contact.

Additional Support + Resources

The U of A social media team offers additional resources for staff to assist with social media management across the institution. Access the secure site for External Relations Marketing and Communications employees below:

External Relations Social Media Resources

This includes:

• Staff Social Media Training
• Channel Positioning/Audience Information
• Triage Chart
• Content Calendar Template
• Tools and Technology Breakdown
• Best Practices for Closing Accounts

Important Links

Provincial + Federal Regulations

• Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP)
• Canada Copyright Act
• Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

University of Alberta Policies

• Code of Student Behaviour
• Discrimination, Harassment and Duty to Accommodate
• Information Technology Use and Management
• Information Access and Protection of Privacy
• Website Privacy
• Use of Copyright Materials
• Visual Identity
• Trademarks and Licensing