Speaking on Behalf of JMU University Bands, Athletic Bands and the Marching Royal Dukes
The Marching Royal Dukes conducts itself in many parts of the world and the public expects the information we provide to be accurate. It’s critical that information provided to the public is complete, consistent and accurate.
Unless you are an authorized spokesperson, don’t speak on behalf of the Marching Royal Dukes. Instead, refer the individual to one of the following:
- For athletic band media inquiries, contact the person assigned to Press/Media Inquiries on the Marching Royal Dukes Contact page
- For questions regarding performances, contact Scott Rikkers.
- For legal issues, contact the Legal department.
- For general university spokesperson, contact the University Marketing and Branding department.
Example:
“A local reporter approached me at rehearsal and asked me to comment on a rumor circulating about our organization. It was a great opportunity to set the record straight, but I didn’t think I should say anything.”
You were correct. Unless you are an authorized spokesperson, you should not speak on behalf of the the JMU University Bands. Direct the reporter to the Press/Media Inquiries assigned contact on the contact page of our website.
Social Media and Good Practices
Be responsible in your use of social media. Use online tools in a way that is consistent with our policies. When speaking about the organization, you should be professional, truthful and accurate. Regardless of whether you access the Internet via jmu.edu or your own, be sure to respect your obligation to protect the integrity of network security, and any policies set forth by James Madison University Information Technology. If you comment online regarding any aspect of the JMU University Bands, Athletic Bands and the Marching Royal Dukes, identify yourself as a student and make it clear that the views posted are your own and not those of our organization.
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Creating social media accounts that may confuse the identity or representation of our official communications, in any way, is prohibited.
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Creating private and hidden internal 'groups' on social media platforms such as Facebook is permitted as a means to communicate to small groups of students within the organization. Use of public pages where users may "Like," "follow," or otherwise gain access to content without a moderation of their membership, is prohibited. Members of 'groups' which are affiliated with the organization must assign a member of the Communications and Marketing team as an administrator to their 'group' for it to be considered sanctioned or approved. Groups should be deleted or renamed at the end of the calendar year as to not confuse the identity of students seeking access to groups in the future.
Example:
“I am on the leadership team, and I created a Twitter and Instagram account for our Marching Royal Dukes clarinet section to highlight great moments and communicate upcoming events.”
You were incorrect - creating social media accounts on behalf of ANY group within JMU University Bands, Athletic Bands and the Marching Royal Dukes, is strictly prohibited. You may, alternatively, create a private or hidden 'group' on a platform such as Facebook.
