1. Preamble

1.1. As part of its mandate to manage the brand and reputation of the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union (Students’ Union), the Marketing and Communications Department provides oversight in all marketing and communication assets, including social media. The following Marketing and Communications Policy is designed to provide parameters to enhance the Students’ Union reputation through our marketing and communications. The Marketing and Communications Department employees are to be used as a resource for questions, discussions, suggestions and ideas.

​

2. Definitions

2.1. Branding Style Guide: A guide created by the Marketing and Communications Department which outlines brand specific instructions for print and social media assets.

2.2. Employee: A paid worker of the Students’ Union.

2.3. Human Resources: The internal department responsible for coordinating legislative employment responsibilities.

2.4. Marketing and Communications Department Employees: Any employee of the Students’ Union who reports into the Director, Marketing Communications.

2.5. Senior Level Leadership: The Executive Director & COO, and President & CEO of the Students’ Union.

2.6. Supervisor: The individual to whom an employee directly reports. If the Supervisor is not available, then the individual would report to either the Manager on Duty, or Director of their department.

2.7. Volunteer: A person who voluntarily undertakes a service for the Students’ Union; including those within a Club or Association.

​

3. Jurisdiction/Scope 

3.1. The Students’ Union recognizes that using marketing and communication tools to communicate with the mass audience of Wilfrid Laurier University (University) undergraduate students, University departments and community partners. This Policy is designed to guide communication through:

3.1.1. All print media for Students’ Union related usage;

3.1.2. Official Students’ Union social media channels, blogs and website properties;

3.1.3. Social media profiles for committees or Students’ Union groups; and

3.1.4. Individual use of marketing and communications for all employees and volunteers as representatives of the Students’ Union, and brand ambassadors.

3.2. Privileges will be revoked if content fails to meet our Students’ Union policies and procedures, as well as the guidelines outlined in this Policy, the Students’ Union Branding Style Guides, and/or if the individual leaves their position with the Students’ Union.

​

4. Procedure

4.1. Print and Digital Media

The Marketing and Communications Department assists all departments in the execution of print and digital media. Any person or group affiliated with the Students’ Union can use print and digital media to advertise, promote or provide information about their department but must adhere to the procedures herein.

4.1.1. The Students’ Union would like departments to attempt to complete their own print
and digital media, where possible, as this encourages department personality and vision
to be captured within. However, if an individual does not have the skills, resources or
capabilities to create print or digital media on their own, they can request the print or digital
media be created by the Marketing and Communications Department. In order to complete
this request, they must first fill out and submit the SU Marketing Request form to the
Marketing and Communications Department a minimum of two (2) weeks in advance. 

4.1.1.1. The Marketing and Communications Department encourages staff to use the Marketing Timelines Guide to identify their timelines prior to submitting the SU Marketing Request form which will better assist project work, as well as so everyone is clear on deadlines and expectations therein.

4.1.1.2. Requests cannot be submitted until the requester has first gotten verbal approval from their supervisor.

4.1.1.3. If the individual would like the graphic shared through a Students’ Union social media account they do not have access to, and/or on the digital screens in the Fred Nichols Campus Centre, they must indicate such in the SU Marketing Request form.

4.1.2. A Marketing and Communications Department employee will contact the requester to ensure the print or digital media is truly necessary, as well as check with the requester’s supervisor that they had in fact given approval.

4.1.3. After the print or digital media is created, the Marketing and Communications Department employee will then send the draft to the individual who requested the print or digital media, and that individual should liaise with the Marketing and Communications Department employee to make alterations if and when needed.

4.1.3.1. If the requester has continued issues with getting their requests completed, and they have tried working with the Marketing and Communications Department employee already, they should then contact the Director, Marketing Communications for further support.

4.1.4. If the individual wishes to create their own print or digital media, they must do so following this Policy, the Students’ Union Branding Style Guide(s), as well as the University’s Poster Policy.

4.2. Social Media 

Any person or group affiliated with the Students’ Union is welcome to use social media to communicate with our members but must adhere to the procedures herein, as well as with the Representing the Students’ Union Agreement.

4.2.1. Only Marketing and Communications Department employees can create new Students’ Union affiliated social media accounts, and/or make setting changes to existing Students’ Union affiliated social media accounts.

4.2.2. New account requests, and/or requests for changes to existing accounts, are to be submitted to the Marketing and Communications Department using the SU New/Existing Account Request form.

4.2.2.1. Requests cannot be submitted until the requester has first gotten verbal approval from their supervisor.

4.2.2.2. A Marketing and Communications Department employee will contact the requester to ensure the account is truly necessary, as well as check with the requester’s supervisor that they had in fact given approval.

4.2.2.3. After the account is created, the Marketing and Communications Department employee will send this Policy, along with the SU Social Media Usage form, to the requester to have them read, sign and return the signed copy of the form to the Marketing and Communications Department employee.

4.2.2.3.1. Once the SU Social Media Usage form has been signed and returned, the Marketing and Communications Department employee will then send the account name, password and the Students’ Union Branding Style Guide(s) to the individual who requested the account, as well as include the requester’s supervisor.

4.2.2.3.2. The credentials cannot be changed at any time without prior written approval from a Marketing and Communications Department employee or the department Vice President, and the new credentials must be given to the Director, Marketing Communications within twenty-four (24) hours of the change.

4.2.3. These accounts will be active and usable up to the last week of April, annually. The accounts will not be accessible during the last week of April as the Marketing and Communications Department will complete a social media account review.

4.2.3.1. The Marketing and Communications Department will assess which accounts are still active and needed, by reviewing account usage and responses to activity on the account.

4.2.3.1.1. If there has not been any recent activity on the account, and the requester does not have sufficient justification for such, the account will be deactivated by a Marketing and Communications Department employee

4.2.3.1.1.1. Accounts that have been deactivated for 90-days will then be deleted by a Marketing and Communications Department employee.

4.2.3.1.1.2. If the requester wants to make changes to their internal procedures which would then require a deactivated account to be reactivated and utilized, they can submit a new SU New/Existing Account Request form indicating the need and changes made therein to support their request.

4.2.3.2. The Marketing and Communications Department will update settings and passwords for all accounts deemed still active.

4.2.3.2.1. If the same individual remains in their role and will continue to use the same social media account, they must first re-read this Policy and sign off on a new SU Social Media Usage form provided to them by a Marketing and Communications Department employee, annually in May.

4.2.3.2.1.1. Once the updated SU Social Media Usage form is received by the Marketing and Communications Department, they will then send the requester the updated account password and the Students’ Union Branding Style Guide(s).

4.2.3.2.2. If a new person starts in that same role, they must read this Policy and sign the SU Social Media Usage form prior to the Marketing and Communications Department sending them the account information, password and the Students’ Union Branding Style Guide(s).

4.2.4. Usage of social media accounts, whether they are a personal account or a Students’ Union affiliated account, must abide by the following:

4.2.4.1. Any affiliate of the Students’ Union must mindful of how their actions and words impact the overall brand of the Students’ Union online and otherwise, and failing to follow the procedures within this Policy and Representing the Students’ Union Agreement can lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination of their position with the Students’ Union;

4.2.4.2. One must remain non-partisan on any electoral processes, including those internal to the Students’ Union, as well as within Laurier, municipally, provincially, federally or otherwise, as well as on any divisive political or social issues.

4.2.4.2.1. For Students’ Union affiliated accounts, one can share where someone can find more information about the election or issue as long as all views/sides are addressed within;

4.2.4.2.2. For personal accounts, one can share their opinion but must make it clear that it is their own opinion and in no way that of the Students’ Union;

4.2.4.2.3. Any official stance or communication on elections and/or political or social issues will come directly from the Director, Marketing Communications and/or Senior Level Leadership. This communication can then be shared by individuals, as long as the information is maintained and not altered in anyway.

4.2.4.3. Anyone affiliated with the Students’ Union is not permitted to publish or share any information that is considered confidential and/or proprietary. If an individual is unsure whether they can share certain information, they must first check with their supervisor and/or the Director, Marketing Communications.

4.2.4.3.1. Anyone associated with the Students’ Union must act in accordance with the Wilfrid Laurier University Policy 6.1 titled Prevention of Harassment, Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct, as well as the Student Code of Conduct. This includes, but is not limited to, not posting, sharing or engaging with content that is inaccurate, hostile, threatening, abusive, sexist, racist or homophobic.

4.2.4.4. If the individual requires the Marketing and Communications Department to create graphics for their social media campaign, they must follow the process outlined within 4:1 of this Policy which includes submission of the SU Marketing Request form a minimum of two (2) weeks in advance.

4.2.5. Any employee or volunteer of the Students’ Union can request access to a Students’ Union social media account to conduct a Story Takeover but must abide by the following:

4.2.5.1. Submit the SU Marketing Request form to the Marketing and Communications Department a minimum of one (1) week before the Takeover event/date.

4.2.5.2. The Marketing and Communications Department will let the requester know whether the account is available for the requested time/day within forty-eight (48) hours from when the Request form was submitted, not including weekends.

4.2.5.2.1. Takeovers will be granted on a first come, first service basis so the earlier the request is submitted the more likely the requester will get the date and time they are looking for.

4.2.5.2.2. If the account is already in use for that time/day, the requester will need to work with the Marketing and Communications Department to pick a different time/day for their takeover.

4.2.5.3. The Marketing and Communications Department reserves the right to revoke a Story Takeover at any time before the agreed time/day if a more pressing or high-level issue or event arises.

4.2.5.4. If the Story Takeover request is approved, a Marketing and Communications Department employee will e-mail the requester by 9:00am on the day of the scheduled Story Takeover, including the login credentials needed to access the account.

4.2.5.4.1. Story Takeovers must abide by this Policy and Representing the Students’ Union Agreement, the Students’ Union Branding Style Guide(s), as well as the Wilfrid Laurier University’s Instagram Takeover Requests instructions found on their website.

4.2.5.4.2. Once the Story Takeover has concluded based on the requested
time/day, the individual is no longer permitted to use the provided
credentials to access that account thereafter. Any attempts to do so could
lead to disciplinary measures up to and including termination of their
position at the Students’ Union. 

4.2.6. The Marketing and Communications Department maintains our single X (formerly Twitter) account and Facebook page which are used primarily for prospective students, parents, alumni, and internal University communications. Any person affiliated with the Students’ Union can request updates or changes be made to these platforms through the Director, Marketing Communications.

4.2.6.1. The individual must reach out to the Director, Marketing Communications via e-mail to set up an appointment to meet and discuss the necessary changes a minimum of two (2) weeks in advance.

4.3. Web-Based Media

Any person affiliated with the Students’ Union can request updates or changes be made to our Students’ Union website through the Director, Marketing Communications.

4.3.1. The individual must reach out to the Director, Marketing Communications via e-mail to set up an appointment to meet and discuss the necessary changes a minimum of two (2) weeks in advance. 

4.4. Coverage of Events

The Marketing and Communications Department can cover larger scale events for Students’ Union departments. Smaller events are to be covered by the individual committees through their Marketing Executives.

4.4.1. If an event is overseen by the Vice President of the department, that is considered a large-scale event in which the Marketing and Communications Department can support.

4.4.2. If an event is overseen by a committee directly, that is considered a small-scale event in which the Marketing and Communications Department will not support unless special circumstances apply.

4.4.2.1. A special circumstance can apply in situations where there is limited staff or volunteers to provide coverage for the event, and/or there is justification for coverage being required for important events which the Students’ Union would want archived records of.

4.4.2.1.1. In such a situation, a committee member can bring this to the attention of their Vice President who would submit the request on behalf of the committee.

4.4.3. Event coverage is to be requested using the SU Marketing Request form by the Vice President of the department no later than three (3) weeks prior to the event.

4.4.3.1. The Marketing and Communications Department will let the requester know whether they have capacity to cover the event within forty-eight (48) hours from when the SU Marketing Request form was submitted, not including weekends.

4.4.3.1.1. If the Marketing and Communications Department cannot cover the event for any reason, they would work with the Vice President to either hire a student freelancer, or bring in a professional photographer and/or videographer to cover the event.

4.4.3.1.2. The Marketing and Communications Department is not responsible for covering the payment for a professional freelancer, this money must come from the requesting department’s budget.

4.4.3.2. After the request is approved, a Marketing and Communications Department employee will be assigned to the event. They would then reach out to the requester to confirm details and expectations.

4.4.4. The standardized services for event coverage are: one (1) hour coverage of the event, around five (5) to ten (10) edited pictures of the event, and one (1) re-cap video from the event of about thirty (30) seconds to one (1) minute in length.

4.4.4.1. This package can be individualized beyond these offerings, but this must be discussed and approved by the Marketing and Communications Department a minimum of one (1) week in advance of the event date.

4.4.4.2. The package will be completed and delivered to the requester one (1) week after the event date.

4.4.5. The Marketing and Communications Department offers standardized services for event coverage, but individualized support can be identified within this process. The Students’ Union encourages the requester to work with the Marketing and Communications Department to get what they need for their event. If the requester is not getting what they feel they need from the Marketing and Communications Department employee and they have tried effectively to do so, they should then go to the Director, Marketing Communications for assistance. If the Director is the one supporting the event coverage, then the requester would go to the Executive Director for further assistance.

4.5. Students' Union Branded Merchandise

Any person or group affiliated with the Students’ Union can order Students’ Union or committee branded merchandise to advertise, promote or provide information about their department but must adhere to the procedures herein.

4.5.1 ​If an individual would like branded merchandise created for themself, their committee, and/or their department they must first get approval from their department Vice President a minimum of four (4) weeks in advance of when the item(s) is needed.

4.5.1.1. If approved, the Vice President would then work with the Programming & Events Manager to get a quote from our approved vendors, and ensure the item(s) is within budgetary allowance.

4.5.2. Following budget approvals, the Vice President and the Programming & Events Manager will reach out to the Director, Marketing Communications via e-mail to request graphics be created for the merchandise.

4.5.2.1. A Marketing and Communications Department employee will be assigned the work by the Director, Marketing Communications who will then contact the Vice President when designing the graphics.

4.5.2.2. The Marketing and Communications Department will complete the first draft of the graphic within three (3) to four (4) days time. Any changes need to be communicated back to the Marketing and Communications Department employee by the Vice President promptly, in order to remain on schedule.

4.5.2.3. After the graphic is created and approved by the requester and Vice President, the Marketing and Communications Department employee will send the approved graphic to the Programming & Events Manager for them to then place the order accordingly.

4.5.2.3.1. If the requester has continued issues with getting their requests completed, and they have tried working with the Marketing and Communications Department employee already, they should then contact the Director, Marketing Communications for further support.

4.5.3. If the individual wishes to create their own merchandise graphic, they must do so following this Policy, Representing the Students’ Union Agreement and the Students’ Union Branding Style Guide(s), as well as get approval from their supervisor on the design they have chosen. In this case the Vice President would then send the approved design to the Programming & Events Manager to have the item(s) ordered accordingly.

4.6. Representing and Speaking on Behalf of the Students' Union

If a person who is affiliated with the Students’ Union is asked to speak on behalf of the Students’ Union or any affiliated individual, group, event, service, program, etc., they must immediately forward the individual onto the Executive Director & COO and President & CEO rather than responding themself on the topic.

4.6.1. The Students’ Union does not endorse any person affiliated with the Students’ Union to speak on its behalf without explicit approval and instruction from the Executive Director & COO and President & CEO beforehand.

​

5.0. Roles and Responsibilities

5.1. Employees and Volunteers

Any employee and/or volunteer of the Students’ Union must read this Policy and sign-off on the accompanying Representing the Students’ Union Agreement form at the start of their roles’ term, as well as the following:

5.1.1. Create their own print or digital media for the Students’ Union which abides by this
Policy, Representing the Students’ Union Agreement and Students’ Union Branding Style
Guide(s), or submit the SU Marketing Request form to access support from the Marketing
and Communications Department for such; 

5.1.2. Abide by this Policy and Representing the Students’ Union Agreement when sharing or posting information about the Students’ Union;

5.1.3. Submit the SU New/Existing Account Request form if a new social media account is needed for their role and/or department, and abide by all terms within the SU Social Media Usage form;

5.1.4. Request to meet with the Director, Marketing Communications via e-mail to discuss updates or changes to our Students’ Union website;

5.1.5. Organize their own coverage for smaller scale events which abide by this Policy, or submit the Marketing Request form to access support from the Marketing and Communications Department for such;

5.1.6. Submit requests for branded merchandise to their supervisor, who will then liaise with the Programming & Events Manager as well as the Director, Marketing Communications to create and order; and

5.1.7. Speak to their supervisor or the Director, Marketing Communications if they are experiencing any issues with Marketing and Communications Department staff or the processes therein.

5.2. Supervisor

Supervisors are responsible for supporting their employee(s) as it pertains to this Policy and Representing the Students’ Union Agreement, and liaising with the Director, Marketing Communications when there are any questions or concerns with process or staff therein.

5.3 Marketing and Communications Department Employees
The Marketing and Communications Department is responsible for facilitating the processes outlined within this Policy, Representing the Students’ Union Agreement and Students’ Union Branding Style Guides which include the following:

5.3.1. Respond to requests within a reasonable timeframe or as prescribed within this Policy; and

5.3.2. Work collaboratively and cooperatively with employees and volunteers to achieve their marketing and communication goals, where possible, and report any issues to the Director, Marketing Communications, Human Resources, Executive Director & COO, or the President & CEO.

5.4. Human Resources

The Human Resources department is responsible for acting as a central point of contact to communicate and coordinate the Marketing and Communications Policy with all involved workplace parties (employees, supervisors, and Senior Level Leadership). Additionally, the Human Resources department responsibilities are as follows:

5.4.1. Facilitate the creation of the Marketing and Communications Policy with the Director, Marketing Communications, and subsequent updates as required;

5.4.2. Initiate an annual review of the Policy, including obtaining feedback from employees and/or relevant departments;

5.4.3. Ensure all employees are aware of the Policy and are provided with a copy of it; and

5.4.4. Provide support and guidance to employees, supervisors and the Director, Marketing Communications as needed to achieve the guidelines set out in the Policy and Representing the Students’ Union Agreement.

5.5. Senior Level Leadership

The Students’ Union and its Senior Level Leadership responsibilities are as follows:

5.5.1. Review and sign-off on the Policy annually, at minimum, or whenever there are changes;

5.5.2. Ensure there are measures in place to protect the Students’ Union’s reputation and brand as it relates to marketing and communications; and

5.5.3. Ensure there are processes in place to train and maintain compliance of the Policy.