| A social network is a relationship between individuals, signifying the ways in which they are connected through a number of social familiarities varying from acquaintance to close familial bonds (Boyd & Ellison, 2006). What makes social networking sites valuable is not the fact that they can help users meet people they have never met before; rather they let users express themselves and make visible their social network (Ellison, Lampe & Steinfield, 2007). This may result in a connection that would not otherwise have been made.;This thesis explored the features of social networking sites that Housing and Residence Life Organizations were finding most valuable in enhancing the resident student experience. An online survey was constructed with the assistance of the Kutztown University Director of Housing. Housing Directors at the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities were invited to participate in the survey and asked to solicit participation from their staffs, yielding 115 responses. Subjects were asked a total of 31 questions, mostly open ended, which explored their use of social networking sites.;Analysis of the data yielded several significant relationships. A number of social networking sites were in wide use in 2008, and 75.51% of respondents reported using Facebook more frequently than the others. Over 80% of Housing staff members were moderately to extremely knowledgeable of social networking sites for business purposes. Housing and Residence Life staff members were using social networking sites primarily to advertise programs or events on campus, circulate resident hall announcements, and monitor student activities and behaviors. Seventy percent of Residence Life Staff have reported illegal behavior that was documented on social networking sites. These reports included incidents of drinking in the residence halls, illegal drugs, violations of decoration policies, destruction of University property, possession of a firearm, theft, and underage drinking.;Through the use of social networking sites to promote hall programs and events, residence halls have seen an increase of over 85% in participation in programs including student issues, human awareness, healthy living, involvement, celebration, and academics.;Fifty-four percent of Housing and Residence Life staff members surveyed did not offer any educational programs to educate students and staff about the positives and negatives of social networking sites. Of the 41% of Housing staff that offered these programs, 76% reported that they were positively received by students and staff, and 74% intended to offer them again in the future. |
