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Is this what you want your college to know about you?: Web sites such as Facebook are a portal for the world to witness the indiscretions of many college students
(Reading Eagle (PA) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Mar. 26--Kutztown University students posting photos of last night's keg party on Facebook should beware.
School administrators may be watching.
And they are not alone.
Colleges across the nation have started monitoring what students place on www.facebook.com, a popular Web site designed for college students.
The site started in 2004 as an online network for students. Members create a profile, usually with a photo and information about themselves, including screen names and some of their favorite pastimes.
Facebook has more than 12 million registered users at hundreds of campuses -- including 7,621 at KU. Kutztown only has about 9,800 students.
But not everyone on the site is a student. Faculty members and administrators also can register and access the site to view what students have posted.
"I get concerned about what students put on the site," said Robert T. Watrous, KU dean of student services and campus life. "I'm looking out for them."
Watrous explained that anything posted on the Internet -- at Facebook or elsewhere -- could be viewed by professors, potential employers or parents.
Much of the material on the site is harmless. Students post content about their favorite sports teams, books and movies. They rant about homework and gossip about relationships.
But a few clicks around Facebook also revealed thousands of pictures of students drinking and partying. Several KU and Penn State students have posted photos of themselves in bikinis.
Watrous admitted there's little he can do about photos of female students in skimpy clothes or frat boys chugging beer.
"I can only do anything if there's an absolute illegality," Watrous said. "We can't tell a student to take it down."
Watrous explained that if he sees something inappropriate online, he usually alerts the student involved with a phone call or e-mail.
He said he has contacted fewer than 10 students about Facebook content. And he said students are rarely punished.
"We don't lurk and search," Watrous said. "Nobody has the time to go lurking around on Facebook. But we use it as necessary."
And so might prospective employers.
Karen V. Evans, assistant director of career development at Albright College, said she speaks with job-hunting students about what they post online.
"You're preparing for the rest of your life," Evans said. "Why would you let a photo or something goofy you did prevent you from doing what you want to do?"
Facebook officials said users can control who can view their site by adjusting privacy settings on the page.
"Users have complete control over what information they want to share about themselves and exactly who they want to share it with," said Chris Hughes, a Facebook spokesman, in an e-mail. "If administrators are using the site as you say (to check on students), it's clear that is not how we originally intended the site to be used."
Students have mixed feelings about having their personal thoughts and images read and viewed by college administrators.
Matthew R. Lucuski, 22, a KU senior from Emmaus, admitted he removed a photo of a friend who had too much to drink when he learned administrators might view his Facebook page.
And he said he understands why potential employers might care what students post.
"I don't really have a problem with it," he said of people checking out his Facebook postings. "If you're posting lewd photos of yourself or writing all sorts of crazy things, of course an employer is going to care."
But some students believe it's a matter of privacy and that it's wrong for college officials to check up on them.
"There's a difference between our personal life and our education," said Michael John Mc-Cusker, 19, a sophomore from Philadelphia. "We do our work and then we want to have fun."
Officials at the four other Berks County colleges said administrators don't actively monitor student-based Web sites, but most admitted they are aware of Facebook's prevalence.
Blaine E. Steensland, senior director of student affairs and enrollment management at Penn State Berks, said the campus is preparing a program to inform students about possible pitfalls of posting on Facebook.
Steensland said he's registered on Facebook but rarely surfs the site.
"I don't see us moving in the direction of active monitoring," he said. "If we are made aware of any kind of violation, we might take a look at it for judicial action."
Barbara J. Marshall, Albright College associate vice president of college relations and marketing, has a Facebook account and occasionally checks out what students are saying on the Web site.
But she's not looking for bad deeds.
"I just want to see what's being said about Albright," Marshall said. "I want to see what students are interested in and how they are communicating."
KU's Watrous warned that students should use common sense when posting on Facebook. Giving phone numbers and addresses could bring unwanted attention, he said.
KU will be preparing a poster campaign warning students about the potential dangers of Facebook and other similar sites.
"Just be smart about what you are putting out there," Watrous said.
That shouldn't be a problem, several students said.
"It doesn't change much," said Royal F. Katsens, 20, a junior from Fairfax, Va. "I have nothing to hide."
Contact Mike Trask at 610-371-5037 or mtrask@readingeagle.com.
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