Effective Date: August 1, 2025
Issuing Authority: Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance
Policy Contact: Associate Vice President for Human Resources, hr@mercer.edu, 478-301-2786
Purpose
The University is committed to the free exchange of ideas that should be found at any institution of higher learning. This policy is designed to protect the privacy and confidentiality of all University employees and to maintain a professional work environment by prohibiting the recording of conversations within the workplace without prior consent. This policy also ensures compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees of Mercer University.
Exclusions
This policy does not apply to audio and video technology used for:
- Recording public performances or events (e.g., concerts, plays, post-game review, athletic events).
- Public safety duties by Mercer University Police in the normal course of their activities (e.g., body-worn cameras).
- Media engaged in the news gathering process (e.g., interviews for broadcasting and journalism purposes).
- Security video recordings made for the purpose of ensuring the safety and security of the workplace. Video surveillance systems may be used for safety and security purposes, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and employees should not expect privacy in areas monitored by security cameras.
- Recordings by University authorized personnel of university activities in furtherance of the academic and operational needs of the University.
- Recordings related to employees protected concerted activities under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.
Definitions
As used in this policy, the following term(s) have the meaning specified below:
Employee: Any faculty (including, but not limited to, regular, visiting, or adjunct), any individual who has an appointment at the University, and all regular and temporary staff, including student employees.
Recording: The use of any device to film, tape or otherwise take, in any format or medium, audio, video or visual images of another individual, including, without restriction, in-person or via phone or videoconference or the verbatim transcription of a conversation.
Policy Statement
Employees are prohibited from recording conversations, whether in person, via phone, or through any other means (e.g., audio or video recording devices), without the explicit and prior consent of all parties involved. This includes, but is not limited to, personal conversations, meetings, interviews, and any other work-related interactions. Likewise, employees are prohibited from arranging for others to record such conversations or meetings.
Any violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, depending on the severity of the breach.
All employees are expected to follow this policy and report any concerns regarding the unauthorized recording of conversations to the Associate Vice President for Human Resources.
If an employee is in need of an accommodation that involves recording conversations (e.g., for accessibility purposes), the employee should request an accommodation through Human Resources. The University will engage in an interactive process to assess the need and determine reasonable accommodations. If permission is granted, the recording must not be shared beyond the meeting participants without the written consent of all participants who were recorded.
Website Address
Procedures related to Honor Systems and Academic Integrity are outlined in the specific handbooks for each campus and can be found on the Provost website at https://provost.mercer.edu/office-of-the-provost/honor-system.