Support & FAQs

These are the current operating Terms of Service

Michigan State University (“MSU”) is providing you with a blog and website hosting platform (the “Services”) through a third party, Reclaim Hosting (“Reclaim”).  MSU pays Reclaim for the Services, and provides the Services to you so that you may increase your scholarly presence online. You will have control over, and be responsible for, what goes on your website and blog, subject to the terms and guidelines below.  

Please read these terms of service (the “Terms”) carefully.  By accessing or using any part of the Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms.  If you do not agree to all the Terms, then you may not access or use any of the Services. These Terms may be updated from time to time, and your access and/or use of the Services constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

1.   Your Reclaim Account. If you create a blog or website using the Services, you are responsible for maintaining the security of your account and blog, and you are fully responsible for all activities that occur under the account and any other actions taken in connection with the website and blog. You must immediately notify MSU and Reclaim of any unauthorized uses of your website, blog, account, or any other breaches of security.  You understand that MSU and Reclaimhas full access to your account and content for the purposes of troubleshooting and managing the Services.  In instances where content is found to be in violation of the laws, policies and standards noted in the next paragraph, this access may be used to remove your content.  In addition, MSU reserves the right to remove content and/or suspend your account if your website or content compromises the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of MSU’s IT environment.  

2.   Applicable Policies. If you use the Services, you are expected to observe applicable MSU policies and, in particular, apply MSU’s Acceptable Use Policy for MSU Information Technology Resources (https://tech.msu.edu/about/guidelines-policies/aup/) and MSU’s Institutional Data Policy (https://tech.msu.edu/about/guidelines-policies/#data) to your use of the Services.  If you repeatedly violate these policies and/or applicable law, you may have your account suspended permanently.  

3.   MSU Brand Standards. MSU will provide you with an MSU-branded template for website.  You are not required to use the standard template for your website.  However, if you choose to incorporate MSU-branding into your website, it must conform to MSU’s web standards published by Communications & Brand Strategy. 

4.   Use of Copyrighted Materials. Your use of the Services must follow applicable legal standards regarding copyright.  In general, it is your responsibility to secure permission from the owner of the copyright when including copyrighted material, such as text, photographs, audio, video, graphics, maps, or logos, if you wish to include the material as part of your website or blog.

5.   Prohibited Uses. You may not use the Services for:

•     Disclosure of education records or identifiable student information that would be protected from disclosure under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), disclosure of private employee or institutional information, or disclosure of information that would be protected under other privacy laws or regulations, such as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
•     Engaging in partisan political activities on behalf of, or in opposition to, a candidate for public office.
•     Promoting or opposing the qualification, passage or defeat of a ballot question that does not affect MSU’s interests. 
•     Selling items (goods, contents, services, etc.) on your website or blog.
•     Commercial advertising (text links provided for informational purposes or as part of a comprehensive list of sources will not be considered commercial advertising unless the purpose is to promote a product or service).
•     Co-branding, hyperlinking logos, link exchanges, and associate, affiliate, and referral programs in support of commercial activity.
•     Hosting pages on behalf of individuals and organizations that are not affiliated with MSU.

6.   Your Content. You are encouraged to use the Services in support of building your own digital identity in support of your scholarly work.  You understand that the work you publish and make publicly available on your website may be browsed or viewed by anyone. You, and not MSU, are solely responsible for the content of your website. MSU will not routinely monitor the content of your website.  MSU will, however, investigate complaints and may remove or limit access to websites that violate local, state, or federal law or MSU policy. Generally, your use of the Services must not convey the impression that you are representing, giving opinions, or otherwise making statements on behalf of MSU or any unit of MSU.  It is encouraged that users include this disclaimer:

The opinions or statements expressed herein should not be taken as a position of or endorsement by Michigan State University.

7.   Termination of Services. If you are faculty, you may use the Services for as long as you are employed by MSU.  If you are a graduate student, you may use the Services for up to one year after your graduation, suspension or withdrawal from MSU.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, MSU reserves the right to terminate the Services at any time. If MSU terminates the Services, or if you separate from employment or affiliation with MSU, you will be given the opportunity to migrate your content to a personal website hosted by Reclaim or another service provider. 

9. Updates to Terms of Service. In the event that updates are made to these Terms of Service, you will be notified via your MSU email. Continued use of the Services implies your consent to the updated Terms of Service.