Computer & Internet

This summer I created our department’s Facebook Page and Twitter account.  Since then, other offices on campus have asked me for advice on Page creation, gaining departmental buy-in, and increasing student interaction.  Although I can talk for hours about the intricacies and possibilities of social networking, a beginner really only needs to learn three simple steps.  If you’re unaware of the difference between Pages and groups, learn more here.

Three Keys to a Successful Facebook Page

1. Keep administration in the loop.  At the very least, make sure your direct supervisor knows you’re creating the page.  If you need data to justify Facebook participation, check out this presentation by Dr. Rey Junco about Facebook and student engagement.  If you face resistance to social networking, try these 7 Creative Ways to Introduce Social Media to Your Team.  Also, many of the bloggers on this site can offer anecdotal information about Facebook use on their campus
2. Be intentional when choosing Page administrators.  If you’re in the position to have access to more than one potential administrator, make sure you have a mix of people that (1) have knowledge about your department, (2) understand the how-to’s of Facebook, and (3) have lots of Facebook friends on your campus (or in your target audience).
3. Add content, THEN advertise.  Too often staff/students get very excited about a new social networking opportunity and want to advertise it to the public right away.  I would recommend taking a few weeks or months to build content (complete your profile information, add photos and videos, post status updates, etc).  If you followed step 1 and used your well-connect administrators to suggest fans of your page, word-of-mouth should already have garnered some fan interactions.  Only when your page looks like something that would entice student to come back should you consider advertising it in official publications.  When you make the decision to do this, take any opportunity you can to make your social networking presence legitimate.  For example, we provide links to our Facebook Page and twitter account on our department’s homepage.

These three steps should get you started.  From here, your interactions should lead you to develop your Page in the manner that best serves your population.

On October 27, 2009 at exactly 4:36pm, I became a father for the first time.  The past week has been exhilarating, exciting, exhausting and elating.  But, now I’m back at work with a full slate of student appointments and meetings.  I’d love to hear advice from other student affairs pros about their first weeks after the arrival of a new baby and how you’ve balanced the demands of work and home.  All comments welcome.

Here’s a shot of the proud papa (me!) and our new little guy.

Gary Alan Miller

I couldn’t have been in my graduate assistantship more than 24 hours when I first heard about these “expectations” that they had for me as a Graduate Hall Director. I had to chuckle, given that the only recollection of expectations I had experienced prior to that point were courtesy of Mad TV’s “Lowered Expectations” sketches. Don’t get me wrong… I had been given expectations prior to that in my roles on campus and in the classroom, I just hadn’t recalled covering them with such zest. We discussed the expectations of us (in our roles), expectations we had of each other (as a team), expectations of our supervisor, and expectations of the experience (of which I had no idea what I was getting myself in to). I had yet to see how expectations played out in supervising students, but I was sold. I turned around two weeks later and did the same with my Resident Advisers – and every group of students that I have worked with since.

 

Expectations have served me well. Over the years I’ve been able to avoid a lot of difficult conversations – except for one. I remember sitting in a staff meeting during that year as a Graduate Hall Director as we had reached the tipping point of spring semester. We worked together, we lived together, and for the most part we enjoyed spending time together. Things were starting to break down within our team and I was getting to the point where I didn’t know what to do. Then the moment came where (either in pure frustration or pre-contemplative enlightenment) I asked my staff “What do you want from me?” Trust me when I say that I make it sound more glorious than it was.  Imagine more of the frustration and less of the enlightenment.

 

As I sat there listening to their thoughts, comments and feedback I was struck by how reasonable it all sounded (despite my stubbornness). I could even relate it back to my own experiences in college where I didn’t understand what was happening in the community around me. I had become so caught up in my own job and responsibilities that I didn’t take the time to think about how I was asking them to do theirs. Through that conversation we revisited the expectations that we set at the beginning of the school year and the results have become the foundation of the “Supervisor Agreement” that I still use with my students to this day.

 

Now, at the beginning of any supervisory relationship with student employees I go beyond sharing my expectations of them to sharing the expectations I have of myself. My agreement with them says that “I will strive to:”

 

• Set clear expectations at the beginning of the supervisory relationship;

Communicate the values, goals and objectives of [our office];

Communicate your responsibilities in a timely and professional manner;

Provide you with timely feedback on your job performance and address any concerns that I have regarding performing your duties and responsibilities before those actions adversely affect office operations;

Invest in your personal development beyond the confines of your position description;

Support your desire and drive to be successful;

Celebrate your accomplishments;

Pay attention to the unique qualities and personal attributes that you bring to the office;

Value and respect you as an individual, a student, and a staff member;

Hold you accountable to your responsibilities and actions as a leader within the staff;

Allow time for reflection and discussion following the completion of projects;

Admit my mistakes and solicit feedback on my own performance;

Invite you into appropriate decision making processes;

Provide you with a meaningful and developmental professional/personal experience; and

Maintain a supportive relationship upon your exit from [the office].

 

Following a conversation with the student about what else they would like from me as a supervisor it’s signed like a contract. I think that we often forget that we’re not the only ones with expectations in a supervisory relationship (with students and professionals). In my experience, these conversations have gone a long way in establishing an environment that encourages open communication, mutual respect and trust – way beyond anyone’s expectations.

 

Do you share your expectations for yourself with your students? What do you think are the most important expectations that we can hold ourselves to when we are supervising students?