For a few semesters now, I've surveyed my class as to their thoughts on Social Networking and College Admissions. These former posts have always questioned if colleges and universities should be involved in social networking, should they have a plan, and basically, do students even want us there. If you like, you can view the blog post at http://tcnjmit201.blogspot.com/2013/09/social-media-and-college-admissions.html
Like it or not, higher education is into social networking sites. Colleges use sites as a requirement tool, as a fund raising tool, to create communities, and to......evaluate applicants? You have probably been warned that you have to be careful with what you post on the internet because employers might see it and use it against you, but what about graduating, or even getting into college in the first place.
In May 2006, a student at Millersville University in Pennsylvania was denied a teaching degree just days before
graduating. Millersville was made aware of a photo she posted onto
MySpace.com titled "Drunken Pirate". In the photo, the student was wearing a pirate hat and drinking from a plastic cup. The college claimed that the photo was "promoting underage drinking".
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/12/court_rules_against_teacher_in.html
In a more recent case, a high school senior and prospective student at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME was denied admissions after attending a campus information session and repeatedly posted disparaging comments on Twitter about her fellow attendees and using a common expletive. Bowdoin College claims that the reasons behind the denial were solely academic and that the student would not have been offered admissions anyway.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/business/they-loved-your-gpa-then-they-saw-your-tweets.html?_r=0
Your thoughts? Find and post other examples along with your thoughts.
I think there is a fine line when it comes to social media and college admission. It makes sense for colleges to want to do somewhat background checks on their potential students because they want to be up to date on the people who will be representing their school. If something were to happen, ultimately it becomes the issue of the college or university because their name will be attached. With that being said, I do believe everyone is entitled to a little bit of privacy, this is where it gets messy. People should have the choice to share whatever they wish to share but they should understand what circumstances ride along with that.
ReplyDeleteIf colleges and universities are that interested in the background of each and every student, then I believe we've veered off track. College admissions should be based off of academics and, while academics can easily tie in with using privacy settings accordingly, I think if schools are investing that much time to look up and research all prospective students, they will eventually be disappointed in one way or another with majority of their acceptance population.
A college campus isn't supposed to be a student body of cookie cutter people. You shouldn't write someone off just because of something menial they have displayed on social media. While one could argue that they wouldn't want to be represented by someone who partakes in whatever activity, the opposing side could easily argue that you can't assume someone's potential through one mistake. Who knows, that one person could have brought great success to their school instead of being assumed to bring the opposite.
Colleges have always been very interested in the background of each student that applys. Its why we ask for letters of recommendation and college essays. Personal statements and college interviews.
DeleteAdmissions offices are doing more than evaluating a students academics. They are making decision about what this person is going to add to our community. How that person behaves in an online community is a pretty good indicator of how that student will behave in our live campus community.
I think that colleges being involved in social media, especially twitter and facebook help to make them more connected to the potential students. Students are used to using these forms of communication, and by seeing their future schools using the same times of social media as well, it may create a sense of familiarity in the student, and maybe it would even like the college a little more for trying to reach out to the students in a more unique way.
ReplyDeleteI think that, yes, there is a concern of having to watch what you post now that colleges have joined as social media accounts. But, there was the threat of colleges seeing your post another way, whether they made their accounts known or not. I personally think the issue of students having to worry about their "drunken" photos being seen is their own fault and issue. If you have to worry about certain people or organizations seeing your photo, it's probably not the best thing to be putting on the internet where pretty much anyone can access your information.
About the student in Brunswick situation, I think it's hard to tell whether or not the tweets were the absolute reason she did not get in. Of course, it was foolish for her to post things like that, but it is pretty foolish to tweet anything even slightly offended nowadays because it is so easy accessible by people who will say something in defense to you.
I think that social media for colleges should only be used as a way to connect and relay information to their students. It should not be used for them to stalk and peek around everyone's personal lives. I think on the topic of admissions, academics is most important. After all, isn't that why we all go to college, for the academics?
I really appreciate your initial point about colleges using social medias to connect with potential students. I automatically assumed it would be used as a check up instrument and to look for ways to turn people away. My immediate negative assumptions led me to being very narrow minded on this topic. With your point brought to my attention, I do agree that colleges using social media to connect with prospective students is a good thing because it is just another way to further educate yourself on an institution before signing off on it.
DeleteI believe that people today are taking the benefits of technology and using them to the extreme. People have invented tools such as social media to gather and spread information faster, easier, and to a greater number of people, but it has become so much more than that in today's world. There is no privacy what with the technology that exists today, people are exploited and judged on a matter of a few pictures or words. Humans make mistakes, that's what makes us human, and we all know people tweet or post pictures that they probably shouldn't, but that shouldn't matter when it comes to college admissions or even jobs. Students should be admitted on their academic performance, their achievements and hard work, and their actions throughout their four years in high school, not by one instance captured on a social media sight that doesn't portray them in a good light. Although a little discretion would be advised when it comes to what one puts on the internet. After all, the internet is not a safe place for personal information and pictures. Still, life is meant to be lived and no one's perfect. College admissions should be based on what a person has to offer as a whole.
ReplyDeleteBRIANNE RACHMIEL
But when colleges accept students as a person they aren't just accepting a work ethic and a GPA. Many of the students they accept are going to be living on their property for four years and social media has just become another tool to see if that person is an appropriate fit. I agree with what you said and that we all make mistakes and that's what makes us human but I feel like colleges don't see it that way. As far as they are concerned, your Facebook profile and Twitter account are exactly what your social life and opinions are. And if that's all they have to go with then unfortunately they would have to assume that that's your lifestyle because that may be all they have. Facebook can be a tool to identify applicants who may be a red flag to the student body and many colleges probably feel like they have to exploit this.
DeleteEmployers are not going to hire you based just on your college transcript. In fact very little will probably come down to your college transcript.
DeleteI like Brett's comments and agree with them as well. These little mistakes have always made their way into the admissions process....technology has certainly made it easier for colleges to become aware of them.
From the college’s perspective I think we all can understand why they monitor student’s social media. Part of what makes a college successful is maintaining their brand. The reality is that even though we know all kinds of kids drink and make negative comments among friends, whatever is posted online is going to be judged with a magnifying glass. The same way people say it is not fair that the school looks at a student’s profile, the school could argue that it is not fair for one outspoken student to tarnish the image of an entire university. Imagine if you ran a small business and knowingly had an employee go home every night, broadcasting to the world why “X Company” sucks so much. Every single one of that person’s local, real-life friends that they connect with on social media just stopped going to that business. Nobody wants to be affiliated with a bad name and unfortunately these individuals get caught tarnishing their university’s name. It may be unfortunate, but at the end of the day I agree with why it happens.
ReplyDeleteEven though I would not personally be comfortable with TCNJ watching my Twitter or Facebook I think the blame mostly falls on the students. The internet is not new to us. It isn’t a playground where anything goes. If we post something on the internet we should assume everyone can see it and that it will be there forever, because odds are that’s true. Although Facebook is great for photos there is little value to posting pictures of oneself drinking. I just think we need to understand that you have to protect yourself, especially online where the identity you create is what people will think of you. The best way to avoid that situation is to not let it happen in the first place. Turn up all the security options and refrain from any negative content on social media.
(Sorry if my opinion comes off intense. Feel free to comment at me.)
I completely agree that students already have the knowledge that they will be monitored online, whether its by the school or by anyone. That being said, the students are quite aware people can see what they are posting, and it is their responsibility to act like an adult on social media. As I said, I don't completely agree that colleges should judge their applicants based on what they see on their social media profiles, but if students know there is a chance people will see, there is absolutely no benefit to posting a drunken photo on Facebook. On the subject of an employee tweeting about his hate toward his company, I completely agree and see how that would be the same result for a university.
DeleteSteven Schneider,
DeleteI, too, would be uncomfortable viewing my Facebook or Twitter page. Over time, I have learned to post only things appropriate for all viewers. This is a result of the constant drama that is constantly in the news surrounding social media. Before coming to college, I even cleaned up my Facebook page, deleting many pictures. At first, I was a little afraid of social media and hesitant to use it as a result of the problems that can come just at a click of a button. However, now I embrace social media and believe it is a good tool to get yourself out their and represent yourself. I agree with you avoiding negative consequences regarding social media can easily come with responsibility, which obviously needs to be taken now, as people are judged by whatever is on their profiles.
Mike Ballou
ReplyDeleteI believe that colleges should be using social media. It is a great tool to communicate with a large amount of potential students very easily. I also have no problem with colleges using social media to check on potential applicants. The students they accept reflect on their university and they have every right to check up on a student. The high school senior who was not accepted after tweeting bad things about Bowdoin deserved to be denied admission. Why should the school consider accepting that student after they said bad things about the institution. Colleges are preparation for the real world and employers will do a background check and will not consider an applicant who has made negative comments about the organization. Although it may not always be fair but students must be mindful of how much information is online and monitor their digital footprint. No matter if you think it is right or wrong, schools and employers will look to social media, therefore people need to adjust and use social media accordingly.
I agree that students should be more careful however, this idea of privacy no longer exists when colleges are able to deny people by their posts and cause them to lose an opportunity. The key difference is how much you are representing the school. As an employee you represent the company much more than a student represents an entire school.
DeleteMina Himaia-I agree that students should be more careful however, this idea of privacy no longer exists when colleges are able to deny people by their posts and cause them to lose an opportunity. The key difference is how much you are representing the school. As an employee you represent the company much more than a student represents an entire school.
DeleteSocial Media during the college admission project is important because it helps keep you connected with your high school class, as well as it helps you get to know some of the new people in your graduating class in college. Social media sites such as Facebook, and Twitter help you stay connected with the world in today’s society. There is already an absurd amount of people who have Facebook, and Twitter. Social Media is an important way to communicate now. However, I’m not saying that you don’t have to watch what you post on there.
ReplyDeleteIn reference to the student from Millersville University, I think they should have not kept her from her degree just because of the page that said drunken pirate. First of all, the women was over 21 at the time of the picture, so in what way does it promote underage drinking? In a way I would defend her because she didn’t break any laws. Also, it would make sense if there were alcohol that could be visibly seen in the background, or in her hand. It was a regular plastic cup, and what annoyed me the most about this article was that they took into account her MySpace page, and not the person she is outside of social media. In my opinion, she did not deserve the punishment she received.
Vishvash Patel
There are some very valid points you made, Vishvash.I believe the woman should take the case to court, because this is just unfair. Rejecting her from a job she would have gotten if not for one picture is a little ridiculous. She isn't even teaching at any school so I believe they should just give her a warning and tell her to change her profile picture before the school hires her. She may not get off the right foot, but at least she has a chance to show how good (or bad) of a person she is.
DeleteLeo
Andrew Katz
ReplyDeleteI’m in favor with colleges using social media, in order to gain different perspectives on the students that they are accepting. The advancement of social media has allowed us to voice our opinions to thousands of people with only a small click of a button. The freedom that social media has brought to most teenagers, has also brought along more responsibilities. Many people don’t understand that once something goes on the Internet, it’s there for everyone in the world to see. This means that future employers, family members, and law enforcement all have the ability to see everything that one has written. When applying for a job, for instance, the company will do a full background check on you, and most likely try to find all of your social media accounts. If they find anything they don’t like, the odds of you getting that job will be close to zero.
In the situation regarding the teaching degree, I think it was foolish for someone who’s trying to become a teacher to put up pictures of her drinking. Teachers are supposed to be positive role models for kids, and these pictures would be sending a message promoting drinking. The Bowdoin College case, the student’s action was just dumb. First off, why would someone apply to college that they degrade? I would take the same course of actions as the school did, and deny him.
Life is full of choices, and each decision you make will impact your future for the better or worst. Social media has made it easier for people to express their opinions and share their experiences a lot easier to their friends, but also to the general population. That fact alone has made social media a more dangerous place then it seems, and the choices you make on it could affect your future.
Jordin Robinson
DeleteI believe your analysis of the situation is very useful and informative. The internet is used universally and inherently universally accessible. People, namely the youth, should recognize the problems that are associated with using social media in an uncensored manner. Both situations and the flaws the students made are well documented, and as stated, life is full of choices and choices made on social media websites can indirectly affect the opportunities of students later in life.
I agree with you, social media can be very productive in terms of the endless possibilities that it provides, but it can also be a curse if you make bad decisions, and they wind up on there. Life is full of choices, and choices made can affect your future, which is why we should continue to educate people about the possible benefits and repercussions associated with social media. In an age of technology, it should be apparent that we fully understand the risks associated with decisions one might make.
DeleteVishvash Patel
Andrew Katz
ReplyDeleteIn response to Vishvash Patel’s comment, I agree with your statement on the benefits of social media. Before college started, social media allowed me to start getting to know the people living on my floor. This made move in day a little bit less nerve racking, because I knew of few of my floor mates. Also social media has made making plans with old friends a lot easier, especially when trying to do something with a bunch of people. I do believe in you first statement, but I disagree with your stance on the punishment of the student trying to get her degree. Even though she’s above the drinking age, posting herself drinking on social media is irresponsible. Now I only believe this because she is trying to become a teacher, and this occupation brings along the need of becoming a positive role model in a student’s life. I know that this is one of those unlikely situations, but what if a middle school student, or younger, sees a picture of their teacher drunk. This may make the student believe that drinking is ok, especially if the teacher is doing it.
Leo Yang
ReplyDeleteI believe that colleges should be allowed to use social media as a factor in determining who to admit. When deciding who to admit, admissions have many resources to reference to make an educated decision on who to admit. Traditionally, they could look at an applicant's SAT/ACT score, GPA, extra curricular activities and discipline records to determine what type of person they are and if they should admit them. This does provide a fairly good representation of what the student is like academically, but not socially. With the development of social networking like Facebook or Twitter, it's now possible for admissions to have a idea of what the student is like as a person as well as what the student is like academically. This brings forth another factor in considering whether or not to admit a student. For example, if a Bob does fairly well in school but after doing a little background check on him, they find that he has various ties to gangs and is a bad influence to other people (his Facebook profile picture is of him "shotgunning" a beer), the school might not want to admit Bob. Bob is furious that he didn't get in his dream school and decided to sue them on invasion of privacy and violating his right to free speech. His lawyer explains to him that he doesn't have a case and that this was really his own fault. The things he posts on Twitter or Facebook are accessible by anyone in the world, including the people working in admissions, so it can't be called an invasion of privacy. It was his fault that he didn't have the correct privacy settings on when he applied to college. He could have changed his Facebook name to something else so colleges can't look him up, changed his profile picture to come thing that won't offend anyone, and made his profile only visible to "friends" so colleges can't perform a background check/stalk him. Although it's fine for him to tweet whatever he wants because he the right to free speech, it doesn't mean that people such as workers in admissions can't take what he said into account in judging his worthiness. Bob is left with no case and no acceptance letter.
I agree that students need to be mindful about what they post and accept responsibility for what they post. College's have every right to look into their students and the students need to view college application the same way the would a job application. Employers conduct background checks and there is no reason colleges shouldn't do the same.
DeleteMike Ballou
Marty Costello
ReplyDeleteI think that it is important for colleges to use social media as a part of their marketing. Since young people invest a lot of time and energy into twitter, Facebook, etc., well designed online marketing might improve school's rates of attrition. I think it is unfortunate for colleges to judge applicants solely on their online profiles. However, I think it is a legitimate way to assess the character of applicants, especially since it is simple for social media users to protect themselves. Social media is an important and useful tool, yet it is easily abused if too much importance is placed on it. Applicants should not judge a school solely on their Facebook profile; similarly colleges ought not judge their applicants simply by their use of social media.
Christiana Nielsen
DeleteI think it is key that you point out that though the use of social media is powerful that an overuse of social media is a direct abuse of power. Students should protect themselves by keeping online profiles private. However, I think colleges need to draw a line between actively searching for incriminating information rather than having something brought to their attention.
"Abuse of power" is a bit of an incorrect statement. The colleges don't have any special power that they are abusing. If students have left their profiles or posts open to the world, then I would argue there is no abuse of power in the institution looking through it.
DeleteHowever. Most schools are probably not actively searching for incriminating information. They were probably made aware of this through the use of things like Google Alerts. The student must have mentioned the instiutions name in a post and it got picked up. MIstake number 2.
I think now that we have this new technology, it is causing a lot more problems than solutions. We would assume that a college having a social media profile would make us feel more connected to the school, as I said in my post; however, on one hand, there are going to be the students who are terrified to write anything or do anything bad in order to avoid bad judgment from the universities, even going so far as to changing their entire facebook name, and on the other, you have the people who just downright don't care and will bash the school with no regrets. I find it hard to say if the technology of social media has helped in the application process, I would assume from their point of view it does because it helps them judge their applicants better than just a piece of paper with their accomplishments on it. However, most people are completely different in person than they are on social media.
DeleteI agree if social media is used for a way to stay connected with students and to market themselves than it is a great tool. Students can stay up to date with events and anything important going on campus. They could also promote themselves by spreading word throughout social networks. I feel that the power of social networks get abused when schools then go through students profiles and take action based on things they find inappopriate on their profiles. I have experienced it first hand in high school when I was accused of underage drinking from a Facebook picture and threatened to be banned from the sports team. After I proved that wasn't the case the problem was resolved but it made me aware that my school was going through my personal Facebook page. In my opinion that is where social networking can cross the line.
DeleteJosh Garzio
For colleges, Social media has numerous uses through numerous mediums. From a marketing standpoint, Colleges can use social media as an effective advertising tool for prospective students, and a source of information for current students, the tcnj twitter and its various spin offs provide me with information on various upcoming events and news that I would otherwise miss out on so I see the value there for colleges. As an admissions tool, it is my personal belief that social media checks should only be called upon if there is something very apparent in the initial application that should require further background checks. Anything short of that should not be called upon, applications be strictly left to academics and the necessary information from an application, anything else should be considered non important. However once the student is admitted I think the college has some more room punish a student from content they place on social media. Things that would deface the college itself, material that would be considered illegal, prejudice, bullying or otherwise. There have always been ignorant people in the world,and there always will be ignorant people in the world, social media has just given a new platform for them to spread their ignorance to the masses, I think it will need to be more clearly defined in the future but as of now I would agree that colleges have a place in using social media moderation on current students. People will argue about the 1st amendment when it comes to this topic, but the fact remains what ever a student is posting out there on social media, is that they want somebody to see it, and if anybody can see it, why not the college they are currently are enrolled in and reflect?
ReplyDeleteGeoff Longmuir
Will Sulpizio
DeleteI completely agree that student’s actions reflect the institutions they attend. Therefore it’s in a college’s best interest to look at social media pages in the admissions process. In addition students should also continue to be held to a certain standard throughout their college career. However I don’t believe its necessary to dedicate administrators for the purpose of looking at student’s social media page everyday. Only if an issue arises should administrators then look at a student’s social media page. Overall I agree that social media is a great marketing tool for colleges. Social media also can help to provide students with information on current events at the college.
Christiana Nielsen:
ReplyDeleteI think social media is a great tool to raise awareness for events, organizations, or fundraising that take place on college campuses. In the was social media is indesposable. I do question the extent to which a college choses to evaulate a young adults character for admissions or as awarding a degree. High school students are dumb, and despite popular belief college students are even dumber. Though, I know that students should not expose their personal or even illegal activities on Twitter or Facebook but sometimes people are ignorant and do. This is an act of stupidity, I am not fully convinced that a admissions office should feel compelled to use this as a sole judgment of character. Regardless I think it wise for students to avoid posting incriminating content on the internet. I have personally witnessed social media content posted out of ignorance having very real consequences. An example is the request for an annonymous email to the NCAA to remove to Montclaire state field hockeyplayers for tweeting about being drunk. http://www.barstoolsports.com/m/barstoolu/super-page/reader-email-anonymous-parent-requests-2-girls-be-removed-from-montclair-state-field-hockey-team-for-unsportsmanlike-tweets-and-talking-about-being-drunk/
Great follow up link. You say that these posts resulted in very real consquences. What where they?
DeleteJordin Robinson
ReplyDeleteI believe that higher learning institutions should be allowed a certain amount of leniency when using social media. Colleges and universities, along with many social institutions, are based on a set of interpersonal values that should be consistent throughout the entiretyof the system. When schools accept students, they inherently gamble that if the student attends, they will reflect the ideals associated with the college. Engaging in criminal behavior is seen as unacceptable to the public eye and colleges need to be assured that those related to the institution do not act in a way that reflects behavior detrimental to its reputation. The student who was denied graduation for encouraging the underage consumption of alcohol should have been policed because of the age relation in colleges. Students will inevitably come into contact with others of different ages and publicly displaying an activity illegal to younger students is unacceptable. Based on the same interpersonal values, the student who spoke ill of other prospective students is displaying unwarranted conduct.If the student was accepted and continued behavior such as this, the values of the college would be hurt. Social media is a public good, and those who use it must be aware of the possibility of others, including various social institutions, using this information. The public eye is very important in society, and students who behaves in counterproductive ways on social media websites do not fully understand this concept.
Will Sulpizio
ReplyDeleteAs social media continues to become increasingly more popular I think it’s only natural that colleges would want to become more involved online. Almost all students in high school and entering college use some form of social media. For colleges, posting advertisements on Facebook or Twitter is a great way to get their name out there. In addition similar to future employers college admissions officers should be able to use social media to try and paint a better picture of an applicant. Just as a future employer isn’t going to want to hire someone whose wall is covered with photos of them partying, colleges should be able to factor in a students social media presence when deciding on admittance. Lastly social media is a great way to create groups exclusive to students in a particular college that can promote things like campus events, give safety updates, and notify students if classes are canceled
I agree that social media is very popular and it is frequently used by everyone but in your blog you only discuss one perspective on the interference of perspective bosses and colleges in employee’s and students social networks. Social media is important for promoting campus events, notifying students of campus changes and providing safety updates as you have already stated but there is no reason why an individual’s social media page should be revised and criticized in order to have these promotion pages. These college or company related social media pages can have these means of information without having the examination of student’s pages because someone should be able to party on the weekend and also keep good grades in school and/or be successful in the work place. I believe it is exaggerated to believe that just because someone does something in their private space they are not capable of doing well or being serious about their studies or work. Finally, everyone should be mindful of the pictures and posts they do upload in order to positively promote the school and provide an appealing applicant for future employers as you nicely stated in your blog.
DeleteYasmin Brea
This conversation is going very well. Let me add a bit more fuel to the fire.
ReplyDelete"Facebook Passwords Of Applicants Demanded By Colleges, Government Agencies "
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/06/facebook-passwords-colleges_n_1323759.html
This is from 2012. How would you respond?
Jasmine Beltejar
ReplyDeleteThough one may still not agree with colleges based on countless personal reasons (violations of privacy), the reality is that students must be conscious of their personal branding. As student progress into their professional careers, they should be treated as liable individuals. Through referencing these social media sites, college admission personnel are exposing students to the undeniable fact that their personal representation both on and offline matters. During an age range in which students are building their professional identity, they must understand the responsibility that comes with exposing oneself online. Colleges are showing the students that they are treating them as they would be treated as a job applicant. Some individuals may retort that colleges should only base their applicants' competency on academic standing and their application's value; yet, in the real world, job employers will judge you on whatever basis that you present to them. We must be remember that there will always be competition for these jobs (and colleges), so these factors matter in the decision process. One does not want to be differentiated on factors that have variable consequential perceptions. As possible entrants into the college, colleges are justified to look towards these sites for reference. Judgement occurs all the time, in an application process or in any facet of life. Students must be aware that their branding, online especially, is a salient part of their professional standing. They must be held accountable, as adults, of their actions. Accordingly, students must be aware that even though they may not deem a picture to be offensive, other people may disagree. Such philosophy is proven in Professor Buonocore's references to recent news articles. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what do you want it to say about you. The reality is that people will judge you on any basis, regardless of if you agree with it or not; if students can limit the possibility of being judged wrongly online, simply by removing a picture, why not do so? Judgement occurs everywhere. In one's professional career or in any social standing, individuals (especially students) must hold liability over how they present themselves to others. Students are not the exception to this.
While I did not agree with colleges using social media this way, I see your point and whether personally I like it or not doesn't matter, it's reality. Social media is a facet of life, a major part of life that is now spent on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Judging and profiling others happens all the time, it's human nature and it's not going to go away. Social media makes it easier in fact. All one can do is show the best side of themselves as much as they can and think before saying or posting anything that can be seriously misconstrued. Nicely put.
DeleteBRIANNE RACHMIEL
Steven Schneider,
DeleteI agree with your opinion of students using social media as personal branding, however I don't think this should be a main tool used by colleges in the admissions process. Students in high school are often too young to realize how valuable social media is towards their self-representation. Instead, they often use it for things such as interacting with their friends, and self-expression. I believe that destroying the idea of self-expression through social media is ultimately defeating its purpose. People are turning their profiles into what society views as a good, respectful person fit for a college or job in the real world, although this is not who they truly are at this time in their life. Just some food for thought.
Jordyne Chanley:
ReplyDeleteThe utilization of Social Networking by colleges I think is a very smart idea. The youth of today are engrossed in social media and therefore academic institutions can become well-known and reach out to prospective students by keeping up with the times. It is a way for colleges to target their audience and reinforce the technology friendly society of the future.
As we recognize the notion that the world we live is centered upon social media, we must acknowledge that our Facebook or Twitter reflect certain aspects of ourselves. By a college or university offering a student a chance to prosper at their institution, they have the right to access what is on the Internet for the world to see. In choosing to post and document moments of our lives, people must accept the fact that it is available to all types of viewers, including colleges and universities. Colleges are making investments in students and it is understandable that they do not condone certain behavior and want someone to emulate and reinforce the ideals that their establishment was founded upon, which will encourage future students to choose their school (they have a reputation to think about too). Of course they are not oblivious that certain behavior occurs, but when it is posted for public scrutiny it is not a hypothetical anymore. As we become older, we need to realize that we have a professional and personal life and have to distinguish accordingly; it is a part of growing up. If there are things that you take part in in your personal life that you don't want your school/employer to see or know about, then it shouldn't be put online.
I did not consider the positive aspects of utilizing social media as a way to target potential students, my thoughts went straight to the "snooping" colleges do into prospective students. I guess if I considered the more positive aspects of colleges using social media, I would not have been so negative in my post. I do feel, however, that there are certain things that should be mostly private, as almost everyone undoubtedly has different "sides" they show to friends and employers/coworkers/admissions offices. For that, I am thankful that Facebook has very easy-to-use and accessible security measures to prevent anyone from seeing what was, at the end of the day, something that was meant to be seen by a select handful of people.
DeleteSocial networking is a phenomenal marketing tool. Everyone spends a great deal of time investing in their social (networking) life. A Facebook page is probably one of the most effective marketing tools because it allows a business to connect directly with consumers. In the case of a college or university, I think social media allows for an easy, cost effective way to communicate with current and prospective students. It can be used to promote organizations and events, to run textbook exchanges, and to connect students who share the same interests.
ReplyDeleteAnd it should be left at that.
I will use an example to demonstrate my next point. Let’s say 17-year-old Sally is in the top 5% of her graduating class, scored a 2310 on the SAT, just recently received the New Jersey Record’s Athlete of the Year distinction, and, as president of her high school class, led a team of volunteers to raise over $40,000 to sponsor a service trip to build a small schoolhouse in Ethiopia. Sally is accepted everywhere she applies.
THEN, in a twist of fate, Sally posts to Instagram, a selfie of herself smoking a blunt. Clearly Sally has demonstrated that she lacks good judgment, for more reasons than one. All of her previous acceptances are rescinded.
Of course colleges are going to reject her. She participated in illegal activity and that will make them look bad. However, maybe these colleges should rethink that decision. Sally is a highly motivated, high-achieving intellectual superior. Maybe she grew up in a household in which she was never taught how to conduct herself. Should she be deprived of an education? Sally may possibly one day be the nation’s first female president, or discover the cure for cancer. All she needs is an educational institution to provide her with the tools she needs to succeed. In this case, it is not only Sally who is being punished for her poor judgment. Society as a whole is worse off because someone who had the potential to make substantial contributions to the world is left uneducated.
Perhaps colleges should shift their priorities away from maximizing their return on investment, and towards placing a higher emphasis on delivering quality education to the students of our society. A good place to start is to think not only about what prospective students can do for the college community, but also what the college can do to help turn these 17 year-old misfits into the brighter, more responsible adults of tomorrow. College is a magnificent transition into adulthood, and a perfect excuse for a college admissions counselor to NOT say, “Sally is so not getting accepted to our school because she obviously doesn't know how to conduct herself on social media,” but instead to say something along the lines of, “Sally is a very bright individual that meets all the criteria to be admitted to our school. It’s a shame that she is involved with drugs, and also does a poor job of representing herself on social media. We should help her out by providing her with a quality education, a supporting college community, and an opportunity to learn and grow in her endeavors as she transitions into adulthood.”
Basically, I think there are pros and cons to social media. This was a pretty drastic example, but I just wanted to attempt to throw a different perspective out there.
Not that I would actually follow this protocol if I was the dean of admissions at a respected college, but it's something interesting to think about.
Jordyne Chanley
DeleteI really enjoyed your example because as you presented the pros and cons, I contemplated with my own opinion on the matter. I understand that "Sally" is a young adult and just like everyone else she is dealing with challenges that life throws at her. Should her entire future be dependent on one stupid/human moment? But then again isn't she old enough to see that she is responsible for her actions and shouldn't post smoking a blunt on social media? She could have kept that moment all to herself, but she took that next step and broadcast-ed it for the world to see. I'm not sure that this subject is simply black and white, but I think it comes down to the fact that students applying to colleges need to conduct themselves in a mindful manner. Therefore, if a college or university doesn't want to accept prospective students based on their decision to advertise partaking in illegal activity, they have that right. Unfortunately or fortunately, acceptance into college often mirrors job offerings in the future and the way a potential university or employer perceives us will be dependent upon our actions and the way we portray ourselves.
Steven Schneider
ReplyDeleteI understand a college's use of social media and believe it is a smart idea to background check their applicants. These are the people that are going to be representing the name of their school, so they want they to look as best as possible to the public. With the rising popularity of social media, it is something that has been embedded into our generation and is here to stay. Therefore, a college can reach out to potential students and event monitor the contents that these students post to their profiles. Although colleges can use social media as a background check, I don't think it is something they should be initially looking for. I feel that if they go to someone's page with the intentions of finding something bad, it deletes the positive effects of social media. I believe that an important question that colleges need to consider is whether or not their goal is to build one's character and improve things such as their decision making skills. If so, then poor judgement posts on social media will not be such a big deal for them. The college will be able to improve this persons decision making skills, so they will not make the same mistake in the future. In regards to the students from Millersville, I believe that denying this student of a degree because of her MySpace photo is a violation of her First Amendment Rights. However, I also believe that the photo was negative towards performance. Is this photo severe enough to deny her of the degree that she has been working towards for many years prior? Definitely not. Colleges need to establish a system to determine appropriate from inappropriate content and who makes those decisions. Until this is done, social media should not be used at any extreme measure by college for background checks. Social media has its benefits, as well as its cons, which we will continue to see develop in years to come.
While I wish it weren't common practice, I do not feel that there is anything morally wrong with colleges using social media in their selection process. The information is public knowledge that we, as students, must tailor to this facet of social media. A Facebook page is visible to anyone, barring any serious security measures and creativity in choosing a username. We cannot rely on the fact that there must be so many people with the same exact name that finding one single person on Facebook would be next to impossible. It is, in fact, very easy to find a Facebook page, even if the user is creative in their attempts to lessen their visibility.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do not find this practice to always be morally acceptable. In this case: http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/03/25/chase-martinson-gay-hannibal-lagrange-university/6885411/
a gay student was not allowed to return to his Christian college after coming out of the closet on Facebook. A school should never reject any student based purely on their sexual orientation, regardless of the school's religious ideologies. It just simply is not in line with the progressiveness of America as a country and it certainly would be against the law if the college were not a private institution. I find it sad that in this day and age we still face forms of prosecution for sexual orientation that is far beyond our control. In this particular case, the university had no right to use social media the way it did; to delve into a student's sexual orientation and deem them "outside the moral guidelines" of the school.
I like that you brought morals into this equation, because right now alot of it comes down to the fact that there is little to no proper legislation on this subject and morals can be such a gray area to define anything. I also completely agree with your stance on the subject, social media is public domain so there is little a student can do to argue on the subject legally. And the fact is anything that a student themselves posts on their own account is something that they want people to see for better or worse. It will serve as a reflection of them and unfortunately many people around them and various institutions the represent. The usage and posting of social media content is hard to argue but what various institutions decide to use it for as a basis can be argued, like the example you provided, I believe that the students college had every right to know about the students personal life through his facebook postings but no proper legal or moral defense for refusing this students entry.
DeleteGeoff Longmuir
Colleges and universities should not be involved in social media because I believe everyone should have their privacy. I believe that in today’s world technology is taking away privacy from tracked phones, to webcams and social media. Technology was brought about as a tool for people to expand knowledge and facilitate tasks, but now it is being used in negative ways. Social media was initially created as an avenue of communication and expression to link many people from around the world. Now it is used as a mechanism of judgment and criticism. People should be able to express their ideas and share their pictures with friends and family without the fear of examination and interference of perspective colleges and bosses. Though social media is on the web, it is still personal and there should be a line between private life and work life. Furthermore, I do agree that people should be mindful of the posts and pictures put on social networking sites, but they shouldn’t be judged on what they do outside of work or school. Everyone has a private life that is very distinct from their work life that no one else should be involved in. Finally, we are all human and we all make mistakes and shouldn’t be judged by an image or post because as intellectual, ambitious people, they are aware of the fine line between the work place and the private space and understand that they should not overlap.
ReplyDeleteYasmin Brea
Personally I would have to agree that colleges and universities are entitled to being involved in social media. Based in today's society with the constant advancement of technology the competition is constantly rising. In a world that is getting more and more connected social media has becomes a key tool and is a necessity in the business world, and in extension colleges and universities. If a person is knowingly putting their personal information into public domain it is the responsibility of the institutions to see that they get the students and employees that would best represent them. With social media being such a global concept anything that people post on social media has the potential to become viral and depict their institution in a negative manner. Schools and companies are entitled to at least make a conscious effort to ensure this kind of incident doesn't occur. With that being said I think it's vital for people to have the options for some of this information to be made private. Some things are out of a persons control (such as tagged photos and what others post on your account) and people remain the right to choose for this information to not be seen by their employers or schools. Some information that can be given through social media is completely personal and should have nothing to do with their acceptance into an institution, such as sexual orientation or religious views. These kind of things shouldn't be taken into account when schools or companies look at peoples accounts. Who a person is in the workplace isn't always the same person outside of it, yet I still believe that people should be aware of how they depict themselves in social media.
ReplyDeleteMina Himaia- I don't believe colleges should have access to that information or should be allowed to deny someone from their school for posts. Colleges are being paid for an education, not to deny it. Employers are different because they will be paying you a salary and you will represent the company. With access like this, colleges can begin to deny students not only because of behavior but possibly because of their opinions being posted or their religious views and things like that. People should use their own moral compass in order to know what should be posted.
ReplyDelete