How is Internet Discipline identified? What are the legal constraints as related to free speech? How are the rules and regulations for campuses communicated? Is there a nexus to the home computer for violations? The presenters delve into the challenges of the Internet as student populations expand the use of this dynamic tool.
The Internet is an exceptional communication and research tool. We are early in the process of discovering what can be gained from the Internet. This new and exciting tool will allow for great social transformation as we head into the future. With this social change, challenges are normal. It is our task and our goal, as College Professionals, to remain vitally connected to our student populations and to utilize their knowledge along with our life wisdom to create an online community access tool that reflects the best of humanity and minimizes the least desirable aspects of this particular tool for access. The responses to the questions posed at the Institute are provided in a bulleted format for easy use and local development.
Crucial Questions to Ask as We Address Internet Discipline Principles:
- How do we define and then regulate open access? Is it truly open if it is regulated?
- How do we move beyond traditional computer use policy for hardware and virus protection on campus?
- How do we delineate public vs. private and personal?
- Where does “intent” come into play? (i.e. inappropriate, “joking” e-mails/posts/pictures)?
- What (if any) are the boundaries of Free Speech? Does imposing limits place a judgment on what is being said and therefore inhibit speech?
- How do you balance individual expression with the “greater good” or good of the group?
- How do we move from reaction to reflection and critical thinking?
- What does our website say, or not say, about campus policies, students’ rights and responsibilities?
- What are appropriate “consequences” and methods of enforcement?
- How is Internet discipline identified or defined?
Crucial Internet Policy Points to Cover
- Rules & policies as they apply to the campus/district code of conduct and penalties for violations:
- Keep campus rules & consequences consistent across the board for students, staff, faculty and administration
- Create Internet/online policies and enforce them; accountability is crucial
- Be consistent and fair with policies
- Clearly define and post rules and penalties
- Policies need to be easy to understand and non-biased in design and implementation
- Tie things back to mission/values of institution; code of conduct, privacy policies, and judicial review process
- Meet students where they are; try to understand their point of view and remain cognizant of generational differences
- Address computer ethics, copyrights, and intellectual property
- Respect rights of others online
- Explain responsibility for own campus accounts
- Use of hardware & software in ethical manner
- Use: Setting priorities for accessing and using computers:
- Make it clear that the use of campus computers is a privilege that can be lost
- Create time limits for computer use in labs (hour banks) with sign up and sign in policies
- Monitor use (with peer staff, online review of sites visited)
- Block access to pornographic sites through technology
- Self-management goal for users with a emphasis on “responsible use”
- Boundaries; what we can and cannot enforce:
- An excellent opportunity for a life lessons that apply to all areas of human personal and professional interaction
- Open discussion of how to define the word “responsible”
- Well-established protocols within student codes of conduct
- Safe but “open” access for campus community
- Rapid response to violations
- Understand varying generational values & types of Internet use
- Teach students how to create appropriate communication, especially via e-mail; responsibly disagree/respectfully raise issues
- Remember we are not here to be students’ best friends. We are their mentors, advisors, teachers, and need to hold them accountable to succeed (not just survive) in the “real world”
- Community Engagement:
- Be informative and clear about your intent/goal
- Develop trust with your users
- Create a policy that is likely to be read & understood easily
- Develop an implementation strategy
- Let the community know that a policy is in place and where they can access it
- Understand today’s netiquette; know the audience; benchmark utilizing for-profit organization policies for e-mail communication
- Be genuine; approach students on a human level utilizing appropriate and supportive humor
- Communicate the expectations; explain the “why” and enforce consequences, hold students accountable
- Use students for peer-to-peer policy creation and enforcement
- Education of the Community:
- Structured (Requires specified program completion)
- Non-structured (Self-taught, honor system)
- Comprehensive (Campus-wide)
- Targeted (Specific to community group; staff, student, faculty)
- Try to anticipate and remain in touch with the rapid changes in technology and its uses
- Education as a standard part of annual orientation programs for all students
- Talk with students; include them in the policy conversation when possible
- Up-to-date and engaging to the student community
- Education of responsible use vs. limiting bandwidth and access
- We must focus on the education around safety, respect, adult behavior, community principles, impacts on future by inappropriate posting on social networking sites
- Set a policy of teaching intent and impact, (teach understanding of impact regardless of intent)
- Outcome Responsibility:
- Benchmark from peer institutions; especially regionally
- Determine measurements for success
- Move from reactive to proactive roles in administration of Internet use and policy setting
- Be creative and non-judgmental; talk about safety and individual and group responsibility
Our Biggest Potential Internet Discipline Issues (Challenges presented by the Internet):
- Internet is commonly used as a social outlet
- Open Access: how to regulate?
- Usage of bandwidth and limits
- The Internet feels anonymous
- Constantly evolving/changing tool that is difficult to master
- Monopolization of computer time denies access to whole community
- Address Freedom of Speech and where to set appropriate limits
- Recognize Free Speech/Expression debates, and inconsistency with the manner these debates are addressed, especially since educational legislation is not solidified
- Hate Speech (often anonymous) but should be addressed
- Personal and professional boundaries: more private information is readily available for searching, downloading, altering and stealing
- Monitor students, especially those in leadership positions on campus, and how they are presenting themselves to the community
- The constant “in your face” outlet social networks provide; students can use the Internet to react and keep “issues” alive
- Pornography and sexual violence; desensitized to sexuality and media appropriateness
- Aggravation of mental health problems through isolation
- Inviting trouble onto campus through social networking and responding to postings
- Inaccuracies online that are accepted as fact by community
- Lack of “How To” steps for optimal usage
- Lack of ability to communicate face-to-face decreases interpersonal skill set
Benefits of the Internet:
- Ways for students/staff to connect across distances
- Open and rapid communication
- Global knowledge; removes geographic barriers
- Convenience with 24/7/365 access
- Marketing tool for institution
- Information exchange; ease of research and data mining
- Accountability for words and actions
- Ability to compare/contrast facts with public opinion
- Ability for the individual to personalize and process their learning at their own pace
- Constantly evolving technology
- Collaborative and interconnected
- Networking and coalition building
- Allows for non-traditional forms of expression
- Online technology has allowed organizations to provide users with more meaningful, customized, and personal services than ever before
Tips, Tools, & Techniques for Working with Millennial Students
Much of the newest challenges faced by college professionals today revolve around interactions across the generational divide. The majority of current professionals (staff & faculty) are from the Baby Boomer and Gen X cohort groups. In contrast, the students we routinely see are from the Millennial generation. To work effectively with this exciting and challenging cohort, we must:
- Be computer savvy
- Training Staff to remain up to date
- Consensus on and training of what is appropriate communication
- Enforcement of policies and rules
- Understand the roles helicopter parents play in the student’s life
- Help students understand that the Internet is public domain, and anything you post should be what you would be comfortable sharing w/ employer, court of law, peers, etc.
- Understand their philosophies of usage, and then couple those, through dialogue, with those of student learning and the college’s mission in order to gain common agreement
- Make policies clear and concise
Internet Resources
For more information, you may contact the authors at Mills College (below).
About the Authors
Katherine A. Dey
Director of Career Services
Mills College
After earning her undergraduate degree in Biology, Kate began her professional career in the private sector by working in the research and regulatory side of the health care industry. Kate's career journey then presented her with the opportunity to work in the administrative side of the non-profit hospital environment in San Francisco. After several years at St. Mary's Medical Center, Kate accepted an exciting opportunity to work in the rapid-paced world of executive recruiting. She joined a women-run recruiting firm in Palo Alto as a Senior Associate with a specialization in the rapidly expanding area of biotechnology. Kate also developed specialty practice experience in senior academia placements as well as healthcare and information technology industry sectors.
Kate enjoys working with students both individually and in group settings. She conducts several workshops each year targeted directly to the current needs of Mills graduate and undergraduate students. Kate is always interested in hearing from students, staff and faculty about innovative ways in which to make Career Services even more responsive to the needs of the Mills community.
Kate's life and career path have provided her with the insight, empathy, energy and passion to work with individuals in all areas of life and career transitions. Kate brings the concept of "unconditional positive regard" to all her interactions. She is very interested in collaborating with college communities working with the millennial student population and seeking ways to successfully balance the benefits and challenges of the Internet in our professional and personal lives.
Email: kdey@mills.edu
Jean Han
Career Counselor
Mills College
Jean Han first began her journey in Student Services as a Career Assistant, Admissions Ambassador, Resident Assistant, and Peer Advisor while pursuing her undergraduate degree in International Economics. Following graduation, Jean chose to utilize her degree by participating in a management development program in the financial services industry, which provided her the opportunity to serve as an internal consultant to all the major business areas of the company. After completion of the program, Jean worked in various management roles within the bank before being called to return to college and university life.
After receiving her Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and Leadership with a specialization in Student Affairs, Jean also spent time as a Resident Director within a residential learning community model and a Program Manager for the campus multicultural learning center. As such, Jean has worked with faculty, staff, administration, and students, and enjoys the variety of views each population brings to the table. She has also been “coast-bouncing” throughout her life journey, having lived in Korea, California, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Washington, DC, and Delaware, before settling in California again. Jean is excited to be supporting the needs of the diverse student and alumni population at Mills as they navigate their own career and life paths. On a more practical note, Jean is currently also serving as the Career Services liaison to the newly designated School of Education, supporting their 200+ graduate students.
Jean’s role as a career counselor requires her to maintain a high level of internet expertise. She is very interested in encouraging the development of best practice solutions for internet policy formulation.
Email: jhan@mills.edu
