Content Guidelines

Appalachian offers two options for posting content:

  1. Site-specific content: messages specific to the department/user’s designated area(s)
  2. University-wide content: messages of interest to the campus community

Content should promote university activities, events and educational opportunities in a time-sensitive manner. Material should be informative and of interest to students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Suggested Content

The following types of messages are appropriate for university digital signs:

  • Campus news
  • Event information for activities to be held in or at Appalachian, but hosted or sponsored by an unaffiliated approved organization
  • Changes in timing or location of regularly scheduled classroom activities or special events, including street closings and parking procedures
  • Results of academic competitions (congratulatory listing of winners)
  • Upcoming deadline information for nominations, scholarship applications, event reservations, etc., for approved programs
  • Information on new programs, courses, or services available to students or faculty
  • Welcoming statements for special guests or groups visiting campus
  • Emergency notifications from University Communications or University Police
  • School, Departmental, or Building Directories

Considerations

Content production for digital signage requires consideration of technical, aesthetic and legal factors for video and audio delivery. 

  • The technical considerations deal with the system’s capabilities and limitations
    • For example, audio/sound delivery may be appropriate for some display locations and inappropriate for other display locations
  • The aesthetic or creative considerations relate to making graphics interesting to see and effective communicators

Copyrighted Materials

Secure rights and permissions before using copyrighted materials, including but not limited to: music, art, copyrighted photographs or texts, portions of copyrighted video, or information considered proprietary by a university partner, vendor, affiliate or contractor. Respect copyright, fair use and financial disclosure laws.

Disclaimers

These guidelines are intended to assist campus digital signage users to effectively and properly portray, promote, and protect the institution. These guidelines apply to digital signs that are funded by, produced on behalf of, directly associated with, or officially representative of the university, its programs, services, alumni chapters, and/or employees. 

The university reserves the right to remove or cause the removal of any content for any lawful reason, including, but not limited to, content that is out of compliance with these guidelines. The request for removal of such material may arrive at the direction of a Department Chair, Dean, Vice Chancellor, or the Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Communications Officer.