Alligator Online
By SHARILYN WISKUP
A photo of one UF freshman wearing an inebriated smirk and blood-shot eyes no longer exists on his Facebook.com profile.
Logan Smith, a staff member of the Inter-Residence Hall Association, said he and other IRHA staffers were warned in January that incriminating information on their Facebook profiles could cost them their leadership positions.
That same day, he deleted more than 60 photos, five groups and five quotes.
"I didn't think as I put it on the Internet, but once it was said, I realized that anything you put on the Internet is subject for anyone to see," he said.
Smith's experience is becoming more common as university officials poke around Facebook to check up on current and prospective student leaders, making sure that students aren't forsaking the opportunity to represent UF and employers by posting inappropriate information. University officials have also questioned whether publicly posted illegal activity, such as underage drinking, should be prosecuted through Student Judicial Affairs as a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
"We want to make sure that the people we put in these positions are leading with integrity," said Shane Wibeto, assistant director for New Student Programs. "These students will be a role model and will make a large impact on new students."
Wibeto and seven other Student Affairs administrators listened to a nationwide audio conference last semester that discussed safety issues involved with online communities.
The Facebook, an online network for college students, was the hot topic for the hour-long conference, Wibeto said. It aimed to make educators aware of this college craze and to caution students about posting private information.
During last semester's interviews for Preview staffers, Wibeto asked applicants to print and bring in their Facebook profiles. Students were not selected or rejected based solely on their Facebook profiles. Rather, the goal was for students to realize what they post online is a public forum where anyone can see it, he said.
"Because you're behind a computer, it feels like you're anonymous," he said.
While Wibeto and others in the Dean of Students Office do not actively seek out underage nonsense when selecting staffers, they do find Facebook to be an interesting medium that students use to portray themselves.
Students who invest time making a Facebook profile should know ways to keep more personal information private. Last semester, Wibeto led a privacy demonstration to a First-Year Florida class to inform students that the option is available to disclose less information.
For example, Facebook users can choose among four different privacy settings and even more specific options from "normal," or public, to "paranoid." Those who allow their profiles to be seen may be prevented from leadership roles on campus, internships and jobs.
Sharon Blansett, spokeswoman for the Department of Housing, said that some students don't understand what is and isn't appropriate, even those applying to be resident assistants.
"We want to make sure that your online persona matches who you are in person," she said.
As for Smith, he said he has learned to be more cautious from the experience with UF staff.
"I keep my Facebook profile censored now because I don't want it to prevent me from getting jobs," he said.