Facebook in Education Page Debuts

In case you haven't seen or heard -- like me, until Chris, our social media wiz, pointed me toward it -- Facebook has started a page called "Facebook in Education."

So far, it's spotlighting how educators use Facebook and offering tips. It's only been around since Monday or Tuesday, so I'll be curious to see how it evolves as time goes on.

Do You Require Social Media Use?

Just curious if any institution makes their students become fans of their U on Facebook or somehow forces students into a social media association with their school.

This came up at a meeting yesterday in which our president was talking about how to get more people to interact with us on Facebook.

One of my colleagues brought up what I thought was a great point. If we wanted to, we could make everyone be our fan/follower when they register for classes or start here. But would they value that connection or even come back to it?

Versus now, anyone who becomes our fan or joins our groups actually wants to -- they sought us out because of some interest and are therefore more likely to be engaged.

It's the whole quality over quantity debate. We might not have a billion followers, but the ones we do have are interacting with us regularly.

What's your take on this?

The Scariest Thing

What is spooking me out today and making me want to scream in terror?

Someone sent an e-mail and copied a ton of people across the University. It's a cool subject -- we got an award for a publication.

But apparently people can't figure out that you shouldn't hit "reply to all." As a result, every 5 minutes, I get a 3-word e-mail from someone along the lines of "Nice job, everyone."

I beg you, please, just make it stop!

H1N1 Response at Your U?

While DW is not a fan of the flu (my bout with it last winter was enough for a while, thank you very much), I have to question if we're all going a bit overboard in our lengths to prevent and slow the spread of swine flu.

When I left work on Friday, I counted something like 8 newly-installed, hand sanitizer dispensers in the hallway on the way out. There was one at every stairwell entrance and exit, and that's just on one floor of one building on campus. This place is starting to look like a hospital or clinic!

I've got to wonder what people visiting this campus think when they see all of this. Does it register? Do the prospective students and their parents incorrectly think, "Yikes, this school must be in an epidemic!" Or are hand sanitizers expected now? Am I stupid for even caring what message our precautions send in a time where the young and healthy are dying?

What are your schools doing during the H1N1 season this year and do you worry it's a bit overboard?

Take Care of the Basics First, People

I'm involved in a project to help market a new academic program here at our University.

Right now, we're at the point where the text has been approved, we have the mailing lists for the postcards to go out, and are waiting on final design of the postcard and Web site.

I went to a recap meeting this morning ... and come to find out, no one had really communicated to each other about how the college was even going to evaluate and process applications for this special program.

I sincerely appreciate the fact that marketing/communications was one of their first calls, but gee, could we have maybe figured that stuff out before this point?

We're about to send these out to potential students -- the processes should already be in place and established.

I'm in the cart that's before the horse today!