Marianne Hebert and Jenica Rogers-Urbanek SUNY Potsdam College Libraries What role can Faculty play in Facebook? Encourage students to maintain sensible profiles Encourage student to behave as if the whole world can see them Connect with students and student activities Jog your memory – match student faces to names Check in on students who seem troubled in class Check out your professor ratings Stay in contact with former students and alumni Connect with colleagues at other institutions TWO FACES OF FACEBOOK Many students don’t understand how Facebook works – they think it’s just students. In reality, unless you change the default privacy settings, anyone in your network can see your profile, not just friends, or your campus. So, if anyone can get into Facebook, is it wise for students to post: The Internet NEVER Forgets. Even if a user deletes his or her account, content s/he regrets posting in a college-age profile can end up on some other site at some other time. Also, our students don’t have as much control over their profiles as they think they do. Facebook owns what users post… “ By posting information to your user profile, you automatically grant Facebook, the rights to use, publicly display, reformat etc. your content ” … and they can reuse it without explicit permission. Read the “Terms of Use” Is this the type of student image we want parents, professors, alumni, the Potsdam community, and prospective employers to see? Even Worse , some SUNY Potsdam students are posting photos of themselves drinking beer or smoking bongs. They don’t seem to realize that: Parents can use Facebook to check out their student’s life. Authorities looking for a character reference can check Facebook photos to see what kind of ‘interests’ students have. A professor writing a letter of recommendation for graduate school or a great new job can check Facebook, too. Prospective employers routinely search Facebook for information on newly-graduated job applicants. So… what ARE students posting? Are SUNY Potsdam student profile images positive and wholesome? They know what’s going on with friends on and off campus Meet new people with similar interests Stay connected to campus social and intellectual life Life isn’t a contest! Some students have become obsessed with how many friends they have in Facebook. We all might be better off if we were actively encouraging students to find a healthy balance between online and offline life. Facebook is a fantastic way for students to stay connected. What makes Facebook fun? Networks , groups , friends , photo albums , notes , gifts , bulletins , wall posts , personal profiles and contact information… …all searchable , edit-able , and customized by the user. It’s the best of the social web, used by countless students to manage their social and academic lives. College is often a time to re-invent yourself , and Facebook’s customizable profiles let students decide who they’re going to be today. Are they going to focus on sports ? Are they going to zero in on people and groups who share their politics or their hobbies ? Do they want to learn more about new friends who are in their student groups , Greek organizations, or honor societies ? Do they want to find faculty and staff who share their interests? Facebook can help students do all those things. BE A SAVVY USER Check your privacy settings on a regular basis. Facebook can and does change its policies at any time. Class and work schedule? Pictures of acquaintances without their consent? Things they might regret? Phone number? Address or dorm room number? Gossip? Complaints? Profanity? The Good The Bad Faculty: Be smart about using Facebook, and encourage students to do the same! Post Content Thoughtfully!

What role can Faculty play in Facebook?

Encourage students to maintain sensible profiles

Encourage student to behave as if the whole world can see them

Connect with students and student activities

Jog your memory – match student faces to names

Check in on students who seem troubled in class

Check out your professor ratings

Stay in contact with former students and alumni

Connect with colleagues at other institutions

So, if anyone can get into Facebook, is it wise for students to post:

The Internet NEVER Forgets.

Even if a user deletes his or her account, content s/he regrets posting in a college-age profile can end up on some other site at some other time.

Also, our students don’t have as much control over their profiles as they think they do.

Is this the type of student image we want parents, professors, alumni, the Potsdam community, and prospective employers to see?

Even Worse , some SUNY Potsdam students are posting photos of themselves drinking beer or smoking bongs.

They don’t seem to realize that:

Parents can use Facebook to check out their student’s life.

Authorities looking for a character reference can check Facebook photos to see what kind of ‘interests’ students have.

A professor writing a letter of recommendation for graduate school or a great new job can check Facebook, too.

Prospective employers routinely search Facebook for information on newly-graduated job applicants.

They know what’s going on with friends on and off campus

Meet new people with similar interests

Stay connected to campus social and intellectual life

What makes Facebook fun?

Networks , groups , friends , photo albums , notes , gifts , bulletins , wall posts , personal profiles and contact information… …all searchable , edit-able , and customized by the user. It’s the best of the social web, used by countless students to manage their social and academic lives.

Class and work schedule?

Pictures of acquaintances without their consent?

Things they might regret?

Phone number?

Address or dorm room number?

Gossip? Complaints? Profanity?