[August 12, 2011] CU-Boulder creating guidelines for social media Tweet Aug 11, 2011 (Colorado Daily - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- University of Colorado administrators are discussing campus-wide guidelines for social media use less than a month after Missouri's Senate passed a law restricting interaction between students and teachers online. The Amy Hestir Student Protection Act -- commonly known as the "Facebook law" -- will be implemented in Missouri this fall. The law, named for a Missouri student who was sexually abused by her teacher in middle school, limits online communication between K through 12 teachers and their students to solely public communication, like writing on a Facebook wall. Private messages viewable by the participating parties are prohibited. CU officials said the school's guidelines are still in the early stages of discussion but will likely include suggestions -- rather than restrictions -- about how to use social media, said Joanna Bertrand, web manager at CU-Boulder. She said the school's intent is not to restrict communication between students and teachers. The Boulder Valley School District does not have a policy that specifically addresses how teachers should handle social media. But, spokesman Briggs Gamblin said, other policies cover appropriate teacher interaction with students that apply to social media venues. Most university students are not minors, making online interaction between students and teachers more difficult to control, said university spokesman Bronson Hilliard. "We don't regulate adult behavior, with the exception of academic dishonesty and criminality," Hilliard said. Some departments on campus have been using social media for years, Bertrand said. But as Facebook and Twitter become common communication tools for the university, Bertrand said CU wants to create consistency across departments. "One thing we're going to suggest through the guidelines is for departments to create a plan before getting online," Bertrand said. "Facebook is free and online, but there is a time commitment involved with it. So for it to be successful, a plan will help departments reach out and engage to their audience." The guidelines, which are expected to be completed and released in the fall, will include information about copyrighted materials, confidential information and judgment, Bertrand said. Dave Plati, information director for CU athletics, said athletes face more strict policies about social media use as decided by individual coaches. For example, football players are not allowed to post or tweet anything about the team, Plati said. "When you're an athlete, there are different rules," Plati said. "Students have to realize when they participate in sports it means they're scrutinized more." Similarly, CU's amorous relationship policy covers the university's regulations about romantic relationships between students and teachers, Hilliard said. "If a graduate or even an undergraduate becomes involved in a relationship with a faculty member, our first concern is that it's consensual, but we don't regulate student relationships," Hilliard said. "And second, both parties have to report jointly to the professor's supervisor, usually the chair of the department." CU senior Marian Hale said there should be policies regarding student-teacher communication at the K through 12 level to protect minors from potential harassment. "At a younger age I could definitely see students being vulnerable if a teacher could 'friend' their students and interact with them online in an inappropriate way," Hale said. But with many college students over age 18, a similar restriction at the university level is not necessary, Hale said. "Well, assuming people in a university are 18, they are legally adults and I think it is their decision who they want to interact with online," Hale said. To see more of the Colorado Daily, go to http://www.coloradodaily.com/. Copyright (c) 2011, Colorado Daily, Boulder Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]