Riggs College Code of Conduct Policies

It is the expectation that all persons and organizations directly or indirectly affiliated with Riggs College will treat all persons and entities with respect and dignity. Riggs College is committed to promoting an environment that is supportive of an individual’s right to work and/or study that is free from any form of harassment, intimidation, bullying, or other unacceptable behavior.

If any person, persons, or other entity affiliated with Riggs College is found to be in violation of this policy, the college reserves the right to impose disciplinary or probationary sanctions, rescission of the offer for admission, dismissal from the college, or rescission of employment or other contractual agreement. All policies are subject to change.

Student Code of Conduct

In addition to Riggs College Code of Conduct, students are expected to adhere to federal and/or state laws and policies. Additionally, Riggs College defines student misconduct as any behavior that interferes with the success of the college’s mission statement.

If it is determined that a student’s conduct is an imminent danger or threat to any person or property, the College reserves the right to immediately remove that student from the campus and/or from classes.

Statement Regarding Student Conduct Off-Campus and Online

Riggs College students, both Main Campus and online, may be held accountable for their actions off campus or online, with sanctions ranging from formal warning to suspension or release from the College. A variety of factors may be considered when adjudicating any alleged off-campus or online policy violations.

Social Media helps to make our Riggs College communications both PERSONAL and FUN!

It is an important part of keeping our vibrant College community authentic and informed, while providing a means to share information, images and video, celebrate our students, associates, and community successes, as well as diverse points-of-view.

Riggs College recognizes the importance of building and maintaining a strong resence on several social media channels, as it provides the opportunity for the Riggs community to engage proactively and responsibly in dialogue that can influence our conversations, students and associate recruitment and retention, alumni relations, as well as our personal and institutional branding and credibility. As a result, Riggs encourages its faculty, staff, and students to actively engage and share their experiences in a positive, sensible, personal, and fun way.

The following guidelines are designed to help users of social media do so responsibly and appropriately. Additionally, the guidelines are intended to provide clarity to Riggs users on how to balance personal use of social media on their personal accounts with their affiliation with Riggs College.

Riggs Commun ity Standards

Social media is a public forum. This may seem obvious to most but remember, if you choose to post, or in any way engage on Riggs social media outlets understand that your postings, as well as information publicly shared on your social media profile(s), may be viewed and/or shared by all participants within that social network. Please adhere to the following standards and expectations when using or posting on any of Riggs’s social media outlets:

• Behave in a manner that promotes and encourages a positive social and academic environment.
• Respect faculty, staff, students, guests, and all Riggs property, policies, rules, and regulations.
• Promote the exchange of ideas and diverse opinions through tolerance, integrity, dignity, and respect while upholding academic integrity to the highest standard.
• Communicate in a professional and courteous manner.
• Abstain from actions that are harassing, discriminatory, intimidating, bullying, demeaning, or hostile to another person.
• Respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of others.
• Don’t disseminate confidential information that is prohibited from disclosure under the University’s Confidential Information policy, or any other policy or applicable law, including, e.g., FERPA, HIPAA, privacy laws and NCAA regulations.
• Maintain the confidentiality of proprietary and protected information of Post, its faculty, staff and students,
• Take personal responsibility for your choices and actions and understand that there may be consequences resulting from the failure to comply with these basic community standards.
• Know that Post reserves the right to delete any content posted on its social media accounts that violates University policies, including these community standards. If the post is from a student, faculty member, or staff member, the issue may be escalated to Riggs College administration and may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
• Think before you post!

Guidelines for Associate and Student Use of Social Media on Behalf of Riggs College

These guidelines apply to social media operated on behalf of Riggs College by authorized users ("Riggs Users"). In operating Riggs College social media, Post users must abide by the following:

• Adherent to Riggs College’s Privacy Policy.
• Do not disclose Personal Information (As outlined in Riggs College Privacy Policy) or otherwise violate the Privacy Policy.
• Do not create or develop social media accounts, profiles, or initiatives bearing Riggs College name without prior approval from the Riggs College Campus Director.
• Avoid engaging in behavior that could raise actual or apparent conflict of interest and conflicts of commitment on social networks. Examples include using Riggs resources or property for personal gain, using confidential or privileged information acquired in connection with your Riggs-supported activities for personal gain, accepting gratuities or unsolicited gifts from private or public organizations, and using Riggs College resources for any purpose other than the Riggs user’s employment related or authorized purposes.
• Do not use Riggs social media accounts to post content containing your personal views or opinions. Ensure that all posts made using the Riggs social media accounts reflect the content you have been asked to post to the social media page.
• Do not express political opinions that are purported to be those of Riggs College or otherwise engage in activity that creates the appearance that you are speaking or acting for Riggs College on political matters.
• Do not endorse commercial partners. This includes a prohibition on ad placement for commercial partners on social media and use of Riggs College’s name or mark for corporate promotion. Do not post what is not true or damage any staffs, students, management or authority of Riggs College. Any violation may be a violation of the college policy, and you may be subject to lawsuits.
• Maintain the confidentiality of proprietary and protected information about Riggs College, its faculty, staff, Managements and students.
• Obtain the prior written permission of others of whom you wish to cite, reference, and/or post a picture.
• Do not violate intellectual property rights and laws. More specifically, the use of third-party copyrighted or trademarked material or use of a person’s likeness without permission in digital content is prohibited. Doing so may be illegal and may expose Riggs College and/or the Riggs College user to legal liability and reputational damage.
• Maintain appropriate security safeguards to social media accounts and profiles.
• Use good judgment! Your actions have the ability to affect not only yourself, but also others at Riggs College as a whole. It is important to keep in mind that social media posts can be replicated, taken out of context, and will remain in the public for an indeterminate amount of time.

Guidelines for Associate and Student Personal Use of Social Media

These guidelines apply to social media utilized by associates and students in their personal capacity. The line between professional (or academic) and personal sometimes seems blurred. There are many concerns that may arise from your use of social media. Most importantly, the information you post on social media can be permanently connected to you and duplicated by others. Your posts can be found by anyone, including Riggs College, current or perspective employers, graduate school admissions offices, and many more. As such, associates and students are encouraged to follow the guidelines below:

Guidelines when using personal social media:

• Do not create or develop Riggs College social media accounts or profiles without prior approval from the Campus Director.
• Be thoughtful in decisions to "friend," "like," "link," "follow," or "accept" a request from another person. It is important to recognize that there is great potential for misinterpretation of matters on social media.
• Review the content of your communications before posting. If the content of your communication would not be acceptable for an in-person conversation, over the phone, or another personal medium, it is likely inappropriate for social media.
• Social media is not private. Think before you post in the public domain as these posts may be permanently connected to you, copied, or forwarded to others.
• Be civil and respectful to others and their comments.
• Understand and use privacy settings on social media. If you fail to use privacy settings, your information may be available to the whole world.
• Think twice before publishing your personal information, such as your address, telephone number, or date of birth, on social media.
• When using personal social media or speaking with the media and identifying yourself as an associate or student of Riggs College, you should indicate that any views you express are your own and not necessarily those of Riggs College. Unless specifically authorized, you are not permitted to speak on behalf of Riggs College, must avoid doing so, and must avoid giving the impression you are doing so. Do not use the Riggs College name, logo, image or other intellectual property on your personal social media in a manner that would create the appearance that you are speaking or acting on behalf of Riggs College.
• Immediately direct any inquiries from the media seeking Riggs College’s position on a particular issue to the Campus Director.
• You are responsible for any content you publish on social media and may be held liable for activity that violates the law.

We Are Serious About the Enforcement of These Guidelines

Any associate or student found to have violated these Guidelines may be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.