Guess How Many Top 25 Business Schools Don’t Teach Social Media/Business

A study done by ComScore shows that social media now reaches over 82% of the world's online population.  Nearly 1 out of every 5 minutes spent online is used to engage on Facebook, tweet on Twitter, and connect on LinkedIn - along with other social media activities.  Approximately 33% of United States mobile users access social media on mobile devices and a century's worth of video is uploaded to YouTube every 10 days.  Colleges and universities are supposed to prepare students for the world.  Business schools prepare for the workplace.  But according to Forbes.com, 36% of the top 25 business schools do not have a single social media or social business focused class.  Why is this?  Simply because most business schools want proof that social media is here to stay in order to teach courses on it.  However, the fact that 1.2 billion people use social media to engage with brands and themselves is the proof, and it hasn't been kept a secret.

I found this interesting, in my opinion, because I myself am a business major and there seems to be quite a few others in this communications class too, which is why I thought I would share.  As far as I know of, WNE does not offer any social media classes for students in the College of Business, but now that I think about it I think it could be very beneficial.  By the time we graduate and are looking for jobs of our own, social media could be even more popular, especially at the rate it is growing right now.  Most employers nowadays at least advertise if not have their own social networking page.  If we took courses in social media for business it could quite possibly make us more valuable and stick out more in the job market because 3 years from now employers will most likely be looking for students who are familiar with or have some background with social media (not that we don't already get enough Facebook and Twitter in our free time right now).

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markfidelman/2012/04/25/guess-how-many-top-25-business-schools-dont-teach-social-mediabusiness/

Should Teachers 'Friend' Students on Facebook?

According to USA Today, at least 40 school districts nationwide have approved social media policies and schools in NYC and Florida have disciplined teachers for Facebook activity.  In a New York case, one teacher friended several female students and wrote comments such as "this is sexy" under their photos.  In another case, a substitute teacher sent a message to a student saying that her boyfriend did not "deserve a beautiful girl like you."  New York Chancellor Dennis Walcott plans to release social media guidelines this month, saying recently that teachers "don't want to be put in a situation that could either compromise them or be misinterpreted."


In my opinion, I do not think that teachers should be friends on Facebook with their current students because this could lead to some students being unfairly treated, whether it's better or worse, in the classroom setting or when it comes to grading.  Also, if news of this got out to public officials, like in the New York cases, the teachers and possibly even the students could get themselves into some unintended trouble.  In my high school and school district they had a rule that you could be friends with any of your old teachers on Facebook after you graduated.  I do have to say that I myself am friends on Facebook with my 2nd grade teacher from way back when.  She was also my favorite teacher so naturally I accepted the request, but this was just last year when I was a senior in high school and was clearly not one of her students anymore.  The only other faculty member I am friends with on Facebook is my 7th grade teacher.  I did find this a little weird since I had noticed that he had friended almost everyone in my high school, was posting on their walls, and had posted pictures of himself smoking a "hookah" a while back.  However, he did not say anything to me and I had already graduated so I didn't think it was a big deal.  I do have to say that even though I already graduated last year it still is a little weird to be friends with your old teachers on Facebook, unless they were your favorite teacher and you could trust them.  After a little while I did get used to it, but teachers and students still have to be careful about what they post because you never know who is going to see it and in what context it will be read or viewed in.


Should Teacher's 'Friend' Students?

Marines Seek DOD's Guidance on Social Media Use

According to MassLive.com, in Camp Pendleton, California a Marine Corps sergeant recently critisized Barack Obama on Facebook by posting anti-Obama comments and images, including allegedly putting the president's face on a "Jackass" movie poster.  Since this incident, Marine Corps officials are seeking additional guidance from the Pentagon regarding service members' use of social media.  However, the Pentagon's policy is unclear about the use of social media.  After a daylong hearing with the Marine Corps administration board, they decided that the sergeant would be given an "other-than-honorable" discharge.  This means that that he will lose his benefits and not be allowed on any military base.

.. I've said it before and I'll say it again: you must be careful about what you post on social networking sites because you never know who is going to see it.  In my opinion, people are supposed to be able to say whatever they want, which is why we call America "the land of the free", right?  But there are some hidden guidelines to this.  I, personally, do not care what political affiliation you belong to.  You are entitled to your opinion and a vote in the presidential election, if you so choose.  The marine did exactly this and clearly expressed his opinion, however, Obama is technically his "boss".  Whether you like him and his political views or not, you are not supposed to say anything negative about your boss online.  However, we all know that people do not listen and it still happens, whether you work in an office building or in the marines.  I think that since the sergeant is a grown man he should have known what he was posting and the consequences that could follow it.  Maybe he did know what he was doing and just simply did not care and wanted to express his opinion anyways .. who knows?  The point is that whether your boss is the President of the United States or not, you should not be saying anything negative about them on social media websites because you never know who is going to see it.

Marines Seek DOD's Guidance on Social Media Use

Alec Baldwin Goes Twitter-Ballistic for Fiancee

According to 22News.com, Alec Baldwin is very protective of his 28 year old fiancee, who is also a yoga instructor.  Apparently, reporters from a New York newspaper "crashed" the yoga class just to take pictures of Hilaria Thomas.  Alec Baldwin did not like this at all and proceeded to tweet on Monday: "Shame on the no-talent trash from the Daily News for invading the privacy of 75 people in a yoga class to take a picture of someone".  He also posted the names of the reporters and one picture and even cursed them out.

In my opinion, social media is a great way to gets news like this out to everyone and persuade them to take your side about an issue, but like it's been said many times: you have to be careful about what you say, because in the end it could be misinterpreted or can get you in a lot of trouble.  I think Alec Baldwin should have been more mature about the way he handled himself on Twitter.

Alec Baldwin Goes Twitter-Ballistic for Fiancee