Engaging Social Media: # GetInvolved

1. MiddleCollege Engaging Social Media: #GetInvolved “Your journey here doesn’t start on your first day, nor does it end on your last…” Texas Tech University Ryan G. Bye Dustin Lynn Killpack Sara Hazel Harrison

2. Committee Goals: • General Social Media Guidelines • Department and Organizational Social Media Guidelines • Social Media Safety Tips • The social media committee has been charged with enhancing and strengthening the Middle College social media presence, and to illustrate how social media can be used to our institutions advantage. In order to accomplish these goals the committee has developed the following: Pledge Website Student Learning Co-Curricular Development Professional Development

3. Influential Literature • Student Use • “85% of students at 4-year universities have Facebook profiles and… Facebook was named by both men and women ages 18-24 as the most popular Web site they access on a daily basis” (Reuben, 2009). • Faculty Use • “80% of college faculty are now using online social media” (GetEducated.com, 2010). • Professional Image • “70% of recruiters have rejected a job candidate due to online reputation and 7% of jobseekers think their online reputation affects their job search” (Microsoft). • “When Facebook launched the fan pages concept in November 2007, many universities jumped at the opportunity to create an official Facebook presence for their university. As of January 2008 there were 420 universities taking advantage of this new feature (Cheater, 2008). Fan pages are similar to personal profiles, but can be used by businesses” (Reuben, 2009).

4. Challenges • Effectiveness: Are people listening or even really using our sites? Is there a benefit for the people accessing the sites? Unless organizations, departments, faculty, and staff are committed to keeping an active presence on their social media sites this may not be an effective use of Middle College’s time and energy. • Consistency: Are the social media sites being utilized addressing the mission, vision, and values of Middle College? As an institution embarking in the social media world there will need to be a commitment to ensuring our message is consistent throughout our online environments. • Safety: Is our community aware of the risks associated with the use of social media? As educators it is our responsibility to ensure members of our community are aware of the liability of social media. • Effectiveness, Consistency, and Safety are primary focuses for the overall image of Middle College.

5. General Guidelines • Think Before You Post. Everything you post online will serve as a representation of the Middle College community. Make sure that you are double checking everything before you post. Ensure your facts are correct, cited correctly, and you have checked your grammar. • Be Respectful. The information you share is more likely to be impactful when constructive and respectful. As a member of the Middle College community we ask that you show respect to all other individuals as stated in the Middle College code of conduct. • Maintain Confidentiality. We recommend that you do not post any confidential information without permission of the individual. You want to keep your integrity intact and should be aware of the personal information you are displaying on-line. Do not post any confidential information relating to Middle College. You must maintain all federal and university confidentiality policies and regulations in your use of social media. • Be Civil 1st. Think about what you post before you post it. Even if someone says something that you do not agree with or something negative, do not respond to that negativity with more negativity. Be Civil 1st. • Be Futuristic. There is no privacy on a social media site. Once the information is placed on the Internet it can almost always be found. Your social media profile can be viewed by prospective students and employers, faculty, and fellow peers and colleagues. If you are angry or passionate at a moment we suggest waiting to post. Make sure that whatever you are about to post is something that you would want read on the front of a newspaper.

6. Organizational/Departmental Guidelines • Transparency. When using social media sites on behalf of Middle College be transparent about your role and identity. People respect honesty, and it helps open doors. • Be valued members. When joining a social network make sure you are contributing valuable insight, contributing regularly, and are responding in a timely manner. • University image. Discuss with your supervisor/advisor the circumstance in which you are empowered to respond directly to users and when you need approval. You must maintain all federal and university confidentiality policies and regulations in your use of social media. What you say directly reflects on Middle College. If using graphics that represent the Middle College brand permission must be gained from Marketing and Communications. • Regularly monitor. Frequently monitor your social media site, allowing you to delete spam and block individuals who repeatedly post offensive or frivolous comments. You can also use these opportunities to change people’s perspectives in a positive manner. • Transition. As transitions happen websites will be updated timely, passwords changed, and updated information placed in end of term reports.

7. Social Media Safety Tips • Spam. Be leery of clicking on mysterious links. You never know when an account might be hacked. Even professional accounts can get hacked.  • Report Abuse. Report any concerning activities, pictures, posts, or harassment. Most social media sites have "reporting" links. • Personal and Professional. Be conscious of what gets shared on your personal sites verses your professional sites. It you choose to have separate sites, keep your personal information to your personal sites and your professional information to your professional sites. • Be Aware of Liability. Always remember confidentiality when posting. You are liable for what you post on your sites. • Protect your Identity. Be aware of what your privacy settings are for all of your accounts. Have someone who is not your friend on Facebook try to find you and see how much of your information can be seen by anyone. Do not share information such as social security numbers, banking information, login/password information, phone numbers, or addresses. You never know who is looking at your information and could be trying to steal your identity.

8. The MALLARD Pledge • “I pledge to be an active and supportive member of the Middle College community. I will… • Maintain a responsible community member image • Act with integrity • Lead by example • Live transparently • Advocate for the embracement of diversity • Respect all individuals • Demonstrate professionalism • How will the pledge be implemented? • Orientation session – where students have the opportunity to sign the pledge. • First Year Seminar – one of the class sessions will be dedicated to social media etiquette and how to build a personal brand. • Proposed website – students will always have access to review the pledge.

9. Website: Navigating Social Media as a Middle College Mallard We would propose a social media webpage to serve as a home base for Middle College. We recommend the following to be on the page: • An application for college organizations and departments to apply to have an officially recognized social media page. • A social media tip of the day, that engages viewers in thought provoking ways to utilize social media. • A social media faux pas, that educated viewers on appropriate social media etiquette. • An opportunity for students to electronically sign and revisit the MALLARD civility pledge. • A Frequently Asked Questions page. • Links Available: • Guidelines • Social Media Safety Tips • Blogs • University accounts (i.e. Student group pages, alumni pages, etc..) • Social Media Toolkit • Social Media References and Articles (ex. Dr. Seuss’s 15 Social Media Tips)

10. Social Media Toolkit • Who do you want engaged? Who is your audience? Before you begin any social project you need to identify whom your audience so you know which tools from the toolbox you will need to be successful. • What’s your goal? The real question here is what do you want your site to accomplish for you? You can use social media to keep students up-to-date with events, research or to communicate. Social media pages are going to be a great way for you to interact with your constituents. • What are you trying to say? First you need to listen to what people are posting on your site. Your participants will let you know what they want to talk about. Then identify what messages you want to put out there. • Do you have the power? Utilizing social media, effectively, will take a lot of time and effort on you and your organizations behalf. Do you have someone who will enjoy keeping up with your social media sites, and more importantly someone willing? Your site will only be as engaging as you make it.

11. Types of Social Media • Facebook: “is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.” (Reuben, 2009) • Twitter: “is a cross between instant messaging and blogging that allows users to send short (140-character) updates. Users can also follow the updates of friends they “follow,” send them direct messages, reply publicly to friends, or just post questions or comments as their current status (Consortium 2007).” (Reuben, 2009) • Blogger: “are a form of online journal. They can have a single author, or several. Most blogs allow readers to post comments in response to an article or post (Consortium 2007).” (Reuben, 2009) • LinkedIn: is a site where individuals and organizations can build a virtual resume and have discussions related to their fields and organizations.

12. Student Learning: Academic Benefits • How can Middle College use Social Media for academic initiatives? • Effectiveness: Blogs are one way that social media can help our faculty become more effective in engaging students in the reading of articles, research, and other relevant information in their fields. Facebook could be an alternative way for faculty to create online interactions for their students. These two social media outlets are also effective ways to engage not only students but members in other communities as well. • Consistency: In order to consistently pass on the most up-to-date studies, faculty, students, and departments could use Twitter to “tweet” articles, links, and other important information. • Safety: The safety protocol and proposed website would provide students with a home base for continued learning of how to safely use social media and represent their online presence.

13. Co-curricular Development • How can Middle College use Social Media for co-curricular development? • Effectiveness: Due to the major use of Facebook by college students worldwide, this is one social media outlet that is inherently going to allow student groups to advertise to a large number of students. Blogs are another effective way for prospective students to hear from college sponsored bloggers about the student life experience on campus long before they arrive. • Consistency: Long before students arrive on campus, they will have the opportunity to “follow” and “friend” Middle College groups and departments on Twitter and Facebook. With this presence on social media sites incoming students, faculty and staff will be aware of the environment and atmosphere on campus. • Safety: With the pledge and proposed website, students will be educated on the role of civility in social media. The social media tip and faux pas of the day will be focused on educating students on how to respect others.

14. Professional Development • How can Middle College use social media for professional development? • Effectiveness: On the proposed website, there would be one central location for all student groups, alumni, and departments to post the links to their pages. This centralized location will provide an effective way for members of the Middle College community to network. Twitter can be utilized to effectively inform a large audience of job openings, webinars, and other professional development opportunities. • Consistency: Social media can be used as an consistent way to communicate the image of Middle College with prospective students, faculty, and staff. LinkedIn would be the premier site for recruitment of faculty and staff. Middle College would be able to have a virtual resume accessible to prospective employees and students. Social media sites will provide a consistent way for them to stay connected long after students, faculty, and staff leave Middle College. • Safety: We will educate Middle College community members on how to safetly utilize social media in their own professional job searches. Our community members will be able to represent themselves well to potential employers.

15. Bibliography • 6 best practices for universities embracing social media. (2011, October 10). Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2011/10/10/universities-social-media/ • 9 ways students can use social media to boost their careers. (2012, February 10). Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2012/02/10/students-job-search-social-media/ • An essential key to social media influence: Tell your story well. (2012, February 10). Retrieved from http://socialmediatoday.com/joshleatherman/443482/success-social-media-depends-ability-tell-stories-well • Katz, R. (2008). Social networking in higher education. In The Tower and The Cloud (pp. 197-201). • Reuben, R. (2009). The use of social media in higher education for marketing and communications: A guide for professionals in higher education.