Faculty on Facebook - Beneficial or Detrimental?

I finally had a chance to read last week's edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education today! On page A18, there was an article titled, Facebook Lets Users Search Library Stacks. So, I did what any millennial would do and I accessed the article on the chronicle.com website.

Two Thumbs Up!
I added the JSTOR and WorldCat application to my facebook profile. They are WONDERFUL! Being the prolific academic in training that I strive to be, I added my favorite book of the moment - "Write to the Top! How to be a Prolific Academic". I am too excited about sharing my reviews of the book with others through the WorldCat application.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Looking Scholarly
The only negative aspect of adding the profile is that I will look "scholarly" in front of my friends from high school and undergraduate school. However, I did add a few of the professors from my former institution so I think that I may look "scholarly" in front of my colleagues. Well, I conclude that "looking scholarly" pays the bills.

Some Articles about Faculty on Facebook
Crossing Boundaries: Identity Management and Student/Faculty Relationships on the Facebook - http://www-static.cc.gatech.edu/~aforte/HewittForteCSCWPoster2006.pdf

“Faculty Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Scholarly Communication”
http://osc.universityofcalifornia.edu/responses/materials/OSC-survey-summaries-20070828.pdf

I Once Was Adjunct, But Now I Am Found, Was Blind But Now I See

It is a jungle out there! Adjuncts just know HALF of what goes on in an academic department. I functioned as an adjunct for a year for a university and a community college and I did now know WHAT was going on among assistant professors/full-time faculty.

Adjunct Power
It is amazing how many people actually teach in adjunct positions. Currently, there are more adjunct professors than tenured or tenure-track professors (Finder, 2007).With this many people having power in higher education, it is interesting that this group of people do not have decision making power. I see this from my point of view as an assistant professor, but if I step back and look at the national situation from an adjunct's point of view I am appauled.

Possible Solutions
It would actually be interesting to see if adjuncts form a national/state union. Addressing the situation of decision making authority, my former community college actually allowed adjuncts to function on faculty senate. Unheard of! It was interesting, but I do not think that adjuncts could actually run for a position.

Here is an interesting book about the adjunct experience - "Ghosts in the Classroom : Stories of College Adjunct Faculty--and the Price We All Pay".

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/20/america/college.php

Assessment of the Website (What Needs to Be Added, What Would You Like to See?)

HAPPY MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY!

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Millennial Professor

"Write to the Top! - How to Become a Prolific Academic"

"Write to the Top! - How to Become a Prolific Academic"

I actually read this book over the winter break and it was very helpful. As a new faculty member, there were many items introduced in the book that I did know about (i.e. - book buyers). I was in student services for a long time and I never knew that these people existed!

Also, I especially liked the section about the ideal letter from a journal editor! This was the best publication ever written, etc. I wrote a few articles over the break and I REALLY needed the humor in that section!

I STRONGLY recommend this book!

MillennialProfessor