Quotes from a survey used in a presentation by Cathy Holbrook and Cindy Kane at the NASPA Region 1 regional conference.

1. Some views from SSAO's
about use of social media

2. "At UTSA (Facebook) was a great
window on the student experience
because I had a number of students who
friended me. I've only been at UTAustin
a few months so not as many FB friends.
So far we are using the page for our
division to build community internally,
share info and begin to engage
students"

3. Why use Social Media?
(particularly Twitter)
"It's also been a good way to promote
student engagement."
"Students are there and I am trying to
find the courage to engage the
student community in this way."

4. Some words from your peers...
"[Social media] lets you increase
visibility and meet students where
they are at."
"I was told by a student that twitter
was the way to connect with
students. As always, the student was
right."

5. Some words from your peers...
"Saw value via a professional association, then
connected to #sachat and saw potential for
networking, mentoring and professional
development."
"It is very difficult to reach students and
faculty in effective ways. I know FB is
widespread for students, but I seem to reach
at least influential students through
Twitter."

6. Some words from your peers...
"I have found social media to more
useful than I would have ever thought
possible. I understand that not
everyone is comfortable with this,
and it does take some time to figure
out how to make it useful, but I
would encourage SSAO's to give it a
try."

7. A vivid example of social media in
action...
"One time students were protesting(at) a board of trustees
meeting. Many of my colleagues were in the building
attending the meeting. Students were outside the
building yelling and throwing things and getting
arrested. I was following the events on twitter and was
able to tell colleagues what was happening outside. On
another day, we had an emergency on campus and had to
evacuate all of the buildings, I knew before the Public
Safety personnel on campus that it was an earthquake
because I was on twitter. I learn most everything I know
about social media on twitter."

8. A vivid example of social media in
action...
"One time students were protesting(at) a board of trustees
meeting. Many of my colleagues were in the building
attending the meeting. Students were outside the
building yelling and throwing things and getting
arrested. I was following the events on twitter and was
able to tell colleagues what was happening outside. On
another day, we had an emergency on campus and had to
evacuate all of the buildings, I knew before the Public
Safety personnel on campus that it was an earthquake
because I was on twitter. I learn most everything I know
about social media on twitter."

9. Your staff also has a few
things to say...
Q:
What
do
you
think
SSAO's
need
to
hear
about
social
media?

10. Your staff speaks...
"Social
media
is
about
building
community-­‐-­‐
internal
community,
external
community,
community
between
staff
&
students,
between
administra:on
&
staff,
and
on
and
on
and
on.
Conversa:on
doesn’t
have
to
be
threatening
or
accusatory-­‐-­‐wan:ng
conversa:on
means
there’s
interest
and
commitment.
Use
SoMe
to
leverage
those."

11. Your staff speaks...
I’d
want
to
say
age
doesn’t
maCer
with
social
media.
I
feel
like
some:mes
we
hide
behind
it
as
an
assump:on
when
people
avoid
it
because
they
are
older.
We
also
use
that
same
assump:on
nega:vely
when
we
assume
that
younger
staff
has
to
bear
the
burden
of
communica:on
because
they
will
automa:cally
know
it.
Neither
scenario
is
true!

12. Your staff speaks...
"We
have
to
allocate
work
:me
and
make
space
in
job
descrip:ons
for
this.
We
can't
just
assume
that
because
Facebook
is
“fun,”
people
have
to
update
it
on
their
free
:me.
It
can
be/needs
to
be
used
for
strategic
communica:ons
work."