GrinSpaces Community Use Policy
Overview
Grinnell College Alumni GrinSPACES (“SPACES”) are virtual communities intended to support alumni-to-alumni connection, dialogue, and engagement. The College provides access to SPACES as a service of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR). Participation is voluntary and subject to the terms outlined in this policy.
This policy governs user behavior, acceptable use, and enforcement related to SPACES. By participating, alumni agree to abide by the expectations and terms set forth below.
Purpose
SPACES are intended for personal, non-commercial engagement among Grinnell alumni. The goal is to foster respectful discussion, knowledge sharing, and relationship-building within defined interest or identity-based groups.
SPACES are not intended as official communication channels of the College or for broad College outreach. College news and updates will continue to be shared through official email and web platforms.
Eligibility
Access to SPACES is open to Grinnell College alumni and, where applicable, select College volunteers or community members. The College reserves the right to approve or deny access to specific groups at its discretion.
User Conduct and Responsibilities
Users of SPACES must:
- Participate in accordance with Grinnell College’s Nondiscrimination Policy, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth, religion, disability, creed, or any other protected class.
- Communicate respectfully, avoiding harassment, intimidation, or hostile interactions.
- Maintain topic relevance within each group and contribute constructively.
- Avoid the use of profanity, defamatory remarks, or personal attacks.
Users may not:
- Post content that is false, misleading, or threatening.
- Solicit charitable contributions for non-Grinnell organizations unless prior approval is obtained from DAR.
- Use SPACES for commercial advertising or promotion of products, services, or events.
- Promote partisan political campaigns or candidates.
- Distribute spam, mass emails, or repetitive promotional content.
- Share private or sensitive information of others without consent.
Monitoring and Enforcement
The Office of Development and Alumni Relations oversees SPACES administration and reserves the right to intervene in cases of policy violation. Staff may monitor group activity for adherence to guidelines but will not regularly moderate or participate in discussions.
Violations may result in one or more of the following actions:
- Written warning or reminder of policies
- Temporary suspension from a specific group
- Permanent removal from one or more SPACES groups
- Revocation of SPACES access in its entirety
Reports of concerning activity may be submitted to the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at alumni@grinnell.edu.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in SPACES do not necessarily reflect those of Grinnell College. Participation in SPACES is a privilege, not a right, and may be withdrawn at any time for failure to adhere to this policy.