Our Social Network: Utilizing Social Media in Rutgers Residence Life

1. Our Social Network: Utilizing Social Media in Rutgers Residence Life Rutgers University, College Student Affairs Presented by: Nicholas Gramiccioni, Megan Hyndman, Ashley Nickelsen, and Jessica Prodoehl

2. Our Planning Goals: • - To define social media and its potential uses in Residence Life at Rutgers University • - To analyze departmental mission statement and define key departmental goals. • - To identify specific departmental goals that can be achieved through the use of social media • - To explain the importance of technology to enhance the four functional components of Residence Life: programming, community development, staff development, and health & safety. • - To explain the benefits and challenges of utilizing social media within Residence Life

3. Our Definition of Social Media • Social media is a category of web-based tools which includes at least one of the following features: user profiles, online community engagement methodology, the ability to create or display user-generated content, and dynamic response measures. Flickr.com

4. Why Social Media? Let’s Strategize! • Social media is an excellent tool to use in Student Affairs; however it I essential to be intentional about social media strategies. • “Focus not on the tools, but on the strategy – why they want to use social media. Forgetting the strategy and just embracing social media ‘is a destined failure’” (Grensing-Pophal, 2009, p. 42). • It is critical to be intentional and create measureable goals for the department in Student Affairs in order to assess the use of social media and its impact on the students. Germanyinworldwar2.com

5. The Widespread Impact of Social Media • Social media is a very widespread tool. Therefore, it is crucial for higher education institutions to assess the communication needs of its students. • Students used the Internet as an information-gathering source, publicizing venue, and tool to connect with others. Millions of additional pages added since 2000 created a vast navigable data repository, critical for informing specific causes either underserved or not updated in campus libraries (Biddix, 2010, p. 686).

6. The Widespread Impact of Social Media

7. Social Media and Student Affairs • Student Affairs has been slow to utilize technology and social media in certain departments, because a great deal of student affairs revolves around face-to-face interaction (Barrett, 2003, p. 379). • Nonetheless, social media has been breaking through into the world of student affairs and affecting leadership and student development. • By engaging students and utilizing the forms of social media that is popular, student affairs professionals can assess the needs of students and help these students become move involved on campus. • “Between 2000 and 2008, the use of information and communication technologies in campus activism evolved considerably, bearing considerations for civic learning and leadership practices in the digital age” (Biddix, 2010, p. 680).

8. Social Media and Astin’s Theory of Involvement • Astin’s theory was based on student involvement and how involved students are not only engaged inside the classroom, but in extracurricular activities, leadership opportunities, and discussion outside of the classroom. • Astin proposed that the quality and quantity of the student's involvement will influence the amount of student learning and development (1984, p.297). • Student Affairs, as a division, offers opportunities for students to get more involved in extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities which will impact their experience on campus. • According to Astin, it is a role of higher education university programs and policies to help create holistic student development and growth. The utilization of social media can help universities establish these programs and policies that will have a profound impact on student development.

9. Rutgers University Residence Life Mission Statement: • Rutgers Residence Life in support of the mission of Rutgers University and Student Affairs is committed to fostering accepting residential communities and campus residences. By recruiting, hiring, retaining, and training a diverse staff, we strive to provide opportunities for our students to engage in the appreciation of diversity and to join in the pursuit of social justice. Our belief that diversity is an integral component of the human experiences guides us to celebrate individual difference including, but not limited to, mental and physical ability, color, creed, cultural background, ethnicity, gender identity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. • In an effort a culture of continued learning, we strive to incorporate diversity into our programs, policies, and procedures.

10. Rutgers University Residence Life Profile • The 2nd largest Residence Life Department in the nation • Rutgers University has approximately 14,000 residents that live on campus. • We have 53 residence halls on campus, and 37 Graduate Hall Directors that oversee each hall. • Residence Life has approximately 250 undergraduate staff members. transferexploration.blogspot.com

11. Diversity • The concept of diversity pervades the Rutgers Residence Life Mission Statement. Diversity is the overarching theme of the mission statement. • Each of the main components of residence life (programming, community development, staff development, and health and safety) impact diversity and awareness within the residence halls, therefore supporting the Rutgers Residence Life Mission Statement • Technology has a profound effect on programming, community development, staff development, and health and safety.

12. Key Components of Residence Life Community Development Programming Health and Safety Staff Development

13. Programming • - Programming Model within the Residence Halls • Resident Assistants are required to facilitate 5 specific types of programs per semester: Community Interaction, Scholarship, Citizenship, Critical Community Issue, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion • Programs are primarily marketed via traditional advertising techniques (fliers, doortags, posters, quarter-sheets) • Most programs are held in-house and revolve around face-to-face interaction.

14. Programming and Technology • Needs Assessment • We will utilize forms of technology, such as Twitter or Facebook, to better understand our population in the Residence Halls. We can analyze Twitter hash tags to determine popular trends amongst the student population. By analyzing hash tags and polling our audience, we are not limiting people’s interests based on pre-defined categories. • “Those who will benefit most from social media will regard them not solely as a means of communicating with students, but also as a potential avenue for seeing or making opportunities” (E. Fischer, A.R. Reuber). tweethacking.com

15. Programming and Technology • Webcasting • We will utilize live streaming, such as Stickam, which is a form of social media that will allow students to attend programs and take advantage of opportunities from a distance. Students with Stickam accounts can log in, utilize their webcams, and stream live programs and events. Students will also have the ability to comment and share thoughts with others. • This form of technology could be utilized for specific forms of programming such as events with educational and advocacy-oriented focuses. • Webcasting demonstrates inclusivity by allowing students to have greater access to programs and events.

16. Programming and Technology • Online Advertising and Marketing • We will utilize specific forms of social media, such as YouTube to create videos that market and advertise for programs and events in the Residence Halls. • We will employ popular forms of social media, such as Facebook in new and innovative ways. We will utilize Facebook groups and events to advertise programs, and we plan on buying Facebook ads that target specific groups of students who may be interested in the program.

17. Community Development • The creation of a comfortable, inclusive, educational, and social community in Residence Life at Rutgers University. • The Residence Life staff at Rutgers University is responsible for facilitating community and fostering resident interactions. coatesville.va.gov

18. Community Development and Technology • Crowdsourcing • We will utilize the concept of crowdsourcing in order to delegate tasks and responsibilities to a large group of students that simultaneously will build a team. • An example of crowdsourcing is the formation of a marketing campaign, such as a video competition, which can serve as a program to get people involved. Utilizing crowdsourcing can help build a community around alternative forms of marketing. = Student = Professional Staff

19. Community Development and Technology • -Online Interactions • We will utilize many forms of social media that are composed of user-generated content. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn will help students build an online community that can transcend the web. • A blog enables students to interact, comment, and provide feedback to other students. These interactions can take place throughout a variety of student groups and organizations. This online communication overcomes the challenges of distance and other time commitments, in order to embrace a wide-array of perspectives and ideas. biztechreport.com adweek.com

20. Community Development and Technology • -Sharing • Certain forms of social media, such as Shutterfly, YouTube, Flickr, Snapfish, and Vimeo provide an innovative forum for students to share videos and photos within their community. • By designing a community-specific site , students can post pictures and videos of programs and events that affirm the traditions, values, and sense of community amongst the residents. • These sites can also help student affairs professionals evaluate the sense of community that has been formed. Student affairs professionals can set measurable goals for their community, and be able to use these sites to assess and evaluate if these goals have been met.

21. Staff Development and Technology • Wikis • We will utilize Wikis to build community webpages in order to be able to access department-wide feedback and development. In the department of Residence Life, the creation of community webpages can help our department compile information on assessment of goals and committee work. jeffstanger.net

22. Staff Development • Second Life • We plan to utilize Second Life, a social media website, to help enhance staff development and training. • Part of our Residence Life Training modules for new Hall Directors and new Resident Assistants consists of an initiative called Behind Closed Doors. Behind Closed Doors is a training program planned and implemented in many Residence Life departments throughout the nation to help new employees get first-hand experience with dealing with serious issues. • Using a program like Second Life, we can have Hall Directors and Resident Assistants create avatars and attend “Virtual Behind Closed Doors,” to overcome the barriers of distance and unrealistic scenarios.

23. Health & Safety and Technology • Online Educational Modules (Webinars) and/or Polls • We will use survey monkey, Sakai (Rutgers’ virtual classroom site), or other Blackboard-like tools to create modules/polls that students can fill out regarding their knowledge of health and safety at college and within the residence halls. • We will also ask about specific health and safety topics that residents would like to learn more about, in order to provide information that can inform Health and Safety outreach. applied-corporate-governance.com

24. Health & Safety and Technology • - Video Awareness • YouTube can be used to create informational videos that students will watch to learn policies and procedures that are designed to keep them safe. For example, we will utilize video webcasting to create clips about alcohol policies, physical and mental health resources, and counseling initiatives on campus.. • These Youtube videos will provide an outlet for residents to determine where to go to seek assistance that is needed, if students are uncomfortable talking face-to-face with a Resident Assistant. • Students who may not understand diversity issues, may cause certain student groups to feel uncomfortable in their residence hall. However, by raising awareness of health and safety concerns, we, as student affairs professionals may be able to prevent ethical dilemmas.

25. Health & Safety and Technology • Residence Hall Questions and Answers – “Ask the Scarlet Knight” • We can utilize a public forum for residents to ask questions regarding topics where they feel they need more information, similar to Yahoo! Answers and FormSpring. Students can post questions anonymously for Residence Life Staff to answer. • This forum provides an effective outlet for students of various cultural backgrounds to seek answers to questions pertaining to health and safety via a secure social media site. 43things.com

26. Assessing the Benefits • Social media can help students become more engaged with each other through online communities. • Social media embraces diversity, because it allows students from all backgrounds, living in a variety of geographical locations to be able to access information and build a community. • Social media in Residence Life can specifically help professionals reach and assess our population of students, based on their interests. • Social media allows us to advertise and market Residence Life programs and initiatives in more convenient, accessible ways for students. • Social media enhances the quality of staff development, by having a significant impact on the quality of training.

27. Assessing the Challenges • -“Technology can create cyber, networked, and microwave communities, but it can also divide those who share the same physical and learning space” (Roberts, p. 548). • Certain forms of social media and technology can be expensive for Residence Life departments. • Social Media can be overused and abused, such as in cases of social media graffiti. • Social media can cause students to get distracted easily. • The abandonment of social media can be a challenge, because although social media can be extremely useful and convenient

28. Social Media = Distraction

29. Recap of Plan • We will utilize multiple forms of Social Media, including: • Facebook groups and ads • Twitter hashtags • Webcasting utilizing Stickam • YouTube videos • Blogs • LinkedIn • Shutterfly, Vimeo, Flickr, and Snapfish • Wikis • SecondLife • SurveyMonkey, Sakai, and Blackboard • Yahoo! Answers and FormSpring todayinart.com

30. Recap Plan • These multiple forms of social media will help us form a comprehensive strategy to be able to reach and access every population of our diverse community at Rutgers University. missional.blog.com

31. Recap Plan • In order to be intentional about how we assess social media in the Residence Halls, we plan to implement two new positions in Rutgers Residence Life that will be responsible for maintaining the various forms of social media to ensure that information is secured properly and to make sure that information is readily accessible. • One professional staff position will be the Coordinator of Social Media and Assessment, and the second position will be open to a graduate intern. scf.k12.wi.us

32. Recap of Plan • We plan to utilize the multiple different forms of social media, but we are cognizant of the fact that multiple websites, applications, and forms of software may create many distinct communities. • Strategy: • Therefore, in order for us to combine these many forms of social media, we plan to create a hub, such as KickApps which is a website that has the capability to support blogs, surveys, advertising, groups, videos, photos, Facebook, Twitter, and much more. This hub will serve as the Rutgers Residence Life main portal, where professional staff and student staff will have access to maintain. Residents will have the opportunity to create an account where multiple forms of social media will intersect and build a community.

33. References: • Astin, A. (1984). Student involvement: a developmental theory for highereducation. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(4), 297-308. • Barratt, W. (2003). Information Technology in Student Affairs. In S. R. Komives & D. B. Woodard (Eds.), Student services: A handbook for the profession (379-396). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. • Biddix, P. (2010). Technology uses in campus activism from 2000-2008: Implications for civic learning. Journal for College Student Development. 51 (6)., 680-696. • Cain, J., Doneka, R. S., & Smith, K. (2010). Use of social media by residency program directors for resident selection. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 67(19), 1635-1639.

34. References: • Fischer, E., & Reuber, A. R. (2011). Social interaction via new social media: (How) can interactions on Twitter affect effectual thinking and behavior? Journal of Business Venturing, 26(1), 1-18 • Grensing-Pophal, L. (2009, November). Social media: Investing in what works. Information Today, 26(10), 1-42 • Haythonthwaite, C. (2005). Social networks and internet connectivityeffects. Information, communication & society, 8 (2), 125-147 • Moneta, L. (2005). Technology and student affairs. Redux. New Directions for Student Services, Winter 2005 (112), 3-14. • Roberts, D. C. (2003). Community Building and Programming. In S. R. Komives & D. B. Woodard (Eds.), Student services: A handbook for the profession (539-554). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.