NJCAA REGION 16

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Social media is a powerful platform which has the ability to reach a large amount of people within a short amount of time. It is a permanent form of communication once posted on the internet becomes a part of the public domain and is out of the control of the original post.  The use of social media has freedom of speech rights, but participation in intercollegiate athletics doesn’t provide a wide open forum to criticize entities with the governing body of your respective sport.

It is the position of NJCAA Region 16 and its member institutions that social media be used in a positive manner to promote the sporting endeavors of the region, institutions, administrators, teams, coaches, individual student athletes.

The NJCAA Region 16 Standard and Ethics Committee has set the following guidelines of decorum for its member institutions, administrators, coaches and individual student athletes.

1) Do not post sexist, racist, obscene or profane material

2) Do not use social media to degrade, demean or attack any person, team, school or governing body

3) Do not post material violating state or federal laws

4) Do not post negative material towards others and their respective institutions

Individuals posting items violating these guidelines will have the following steps taken:

1) Letter to the athletic director if a student athlete or coach has violated the above guidelines.

2) If the athletic director has violated the social media policy or repetitive acts have occurred within the respective college’s athletic department, then a letter will be written to the college president defining the act or repetitive acts.  The individual/s will be required by the region to refrain from any further negative social media to remain a participating member of NJCAA Region 16 in good standing eligible for post-season play.