Using Facebook to Enhance Future and First Year Student Involvement Beth Oakley, M Ed Director, Educational Development Centre University of Windsor

University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario CANADA 4 year public Approximate total student enrolment = 15,725 (grad and undergrad) 13,000 full time, 2725 part time Incoming first year students 2800 (fall 08)

4 year public

Approximate total student enrolment = 15,725 (grad and undergrad)

13,000 full time, 2725 part time

Incoming first year students 2800 (fall 08)

Beginning First explored in the spring of ‘07 Initial reputational concerns about being a University on Facebook Consulted with the Dean to seek approval Originated as a way to increase student to attendance at Windsor Welcome Week (fall orientation)

First explored in the spring of ‘07

Initial reputational concerns about being a University on Facebook

Consulted with the Dean to seek approval

Originated as a way to increase student to attendance at Windsor Welcome Week (fall orientation)

First Year Launched “New at the U of W ‘07” in summer ‘07(slow start, only about 300 students signed up) Thought: “maybe Facebook isn’t going to be that big of a deal” haha! New at U ‘07 currently has 547 members, 172 discussion topics, 1200 wall posts students continue to engage on this site although the students are in 2 nd year now

Launched “New at the U of W ‘07” in summer ‘07(slow start, only about 300 students signed up)

Thought: “maybe Facebook isn’t going to be that big of a deal” haha!

New at U ‘07 currently has 547 members, 172 discussion topics, 1200 wall posts

students continue to engage on this site although the students are in 2 nd year now

Contributors Staff, orientation, recruitment, residence services, student government Student Volunteers (provided with training on Facebook) Faculty Posed discussion questions and answered Invited to events

Staff, orientation, recruitment, residence services, student government

Student Volunteers (provided with training on Facebook)

Faculty

Posed discussion questions and answered

Invited to events

“ Monitoring/Censoring” Because it’s an open forum, liberal discussion is welcome Posting of videos only by “administrators” Assign reliable volunteers to monitor (just in case there are issues to address) Try to delete commercial advertisements (ie. rooms for rent by landlords)

Because it’s an open forum, liberal discussion is welcome

Posting of videos only by “administrators”

Assign reliable volunteers to monitor (just in case there are issues to address)

Try to delete commercial advertisements (ie. rooms for rent by landlords)

2 nd Year New at the Universit y of Windsor 2008 (currently first year students) 1551 members (peaked at 1660) 172 discussion topics 1200+ wall posts Participation continues throughout the year Became a good discussion forum during the recent faculty strike Allowed students to share photos of Welcome Week (monitored moderately to ensure appropriate)

New at the Universit y of Windsor 2008

(currently first year students)

1551 members (peaked at 1660)

172 discussion topics

1200+ wall posts

Participation continues throughout the year

Became a good discussion forum during the recent faculty strike

Allowed students to share photos of Welcome Week (monitored moderately to ensure appropriate)

3 rd Year New at UWindsor 2009 Launched in November to line up with the start of recruitment Currently 228 members and growing daily 10 discussion topics Notify students of residence avail, regional receptions, orientation programs, student programs and services

New at UWindsor 2009

Launched in November to line up with the start of recruitment

Currently 228 members and growing daily

10 discussion topics

Notify students of residence avail, regional receptions, orientation programs, student programs and services

Ways to Use Through the Year Recruitment Acceptance Videos of the campus Meeting others: Where are you from?, what program are you in? What’s there to do in Windsor?

Recruitment

Acceptance

Videos of the campus

Meeting others:

Where are you from?, what program are you in? What’s there to do in Windsor?

Ways to Use Through the Year Getting to know their room mates Knowing details about orientation programming Photos and fun stuff Staying connected throughout first year and beyond Commuter connections

Getting to know their room mates

Knowing details about orientation programming

Photos and fun stuff

Staying connected throughout first year and beyond

Commuter connections

Other uses Post current events Recruit for volunteer programs Post videos of previous welcome week to create excitement with incoming students Form alumni connections if they stay in the group after graduation Make announcements for anything university related

Post current events

Recruit for volunteer programs

Post videos of previous welcome week to create excitement with incoming students

Form alumni connections if they stay in the group after graduation

Make announcements for anything university related

Forum Sell used textbooks Discuss classes Discuss campus issues Room mate search Volunteer recruitment Post social events, student club events, campaigning for student government, first aid courses, etc

Sell used textbooks

Discuss classes

Discuss campus issues

Room mate search

Volunteer recruitment

Post social events, student club events, campaigning for student government, first aid courses, etc

Watch out for… Unauthorized peddlers Sleazy video posts –control the settings Protecting your own profile Keep it closed, some students may want to “friend” you –consider if or how you know them Use an alternate group photo other than your University logo This also helps students to identify their unique group from year to year

Unauthorized peddlers

Sleazy video posts –control the settings

Protecting your own profile

Keep it closed, some students may want to “friend” you –consider if or how you know them

Use an alternate group photo other than your University logo

This also helps students to identify their unique group from year to year

Consider How much do you want to censor? Time consuming if so Needs to be a genuine forum for students Should ensure your presence is minimal You could have 4 groups at once You won’t really know who is a genuine student and who else might be on (parents) Good way to engage incoming students and inform them about your programs

How much do you want to censor?

Time consuming if so

Needs to be a genuine forum for students

Should ensure your presence is minimal

You could have 4 groups at once

You won’t really know who is a genuine student and who else might be on (parents)

Good way to engage incoming students and inform them about your programs

Final Remarks Students love having access in this way Helps Universities to engage students before they even arrive Another way we can support and engage our students Provides them with important information

Students love having access in this way

Helps Universities to engage students before they even arrive

Another way we can support and engage our students

Provides them with important information