With the new site feature,
students express worries. Also, Pep’s online policies debated by student panel.
AUDREY REED
News Editor
Senior Jason Santiago logged into his Facebook account Monday and found 10 pictures listed under his profile photo. The catch is that he did not upload or approve the pictures linked to his profile.
On Sunday, the Facebook unveiled its latest feature: the photo album. With this new addition to the social networking Web site, people can upload pictures and identify who is in the pictures. If the people in those pictures are also on thefacebook.com, those photos show up on their own profiles.
From the beginning of the administration using online photos as material for judicial reviews, Dean of Student Affairs Mark Davis has said no one has gotten in trouble from pictures on Facebook. This is because nothing has been found on Facebook that broke rules outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Photos responsible for hearings were found on outside picture sites that were sometimes linked to Facebook profiles.
However, this new feature on Facebook is closer to that of the sites that are being cited in judicial hearings.
“The reason the Judicial Affairs office hasn’t taken action to date on anyone’s Facebook profile is because nothing has been brought to their attention that has violated the Code of Conduct,” Davis said in an e-mail.
“If behavior that violates the Code of Conduct is brought to light through the Facebook or any other medium, the Judicial Affairs office reserves the right to take disciplinary action if it deems the source is credible and there is sufficient information to conduct a hearing.”
In previous interview with the Graphic, Davis said that the online picture sites provided context and generally captions, which made the sites credible.
“Students are always given the opportunity to address the credibility of the information before a decision is made regarding any violation of the Code of Conduct,” Davis said.
While many students like the new Facebook feature from a social point of view, some are concerned about the lack of control they have over what photos are being posted online.
“I think it presents more problems than we are already dealing with,” Santiago said.
Santiago also said he thinks students should not be held accountable for what other people are posting online.
Students are seeing the implications of this new feature.
“If someone was out to get you, that’d be a easy way to it,” junior Tom Hulse said.
Davis added that like other schools in the country, Pepperdine will also take action on sexual harassment found online if the
material is credible.
Student Panel
Because of the nature of online photo albums and Pepperdine, a group of students decided to investigate the issue for a class project and presentation, senior and group member Mara Wettstead said.
For Juanie Walker’s small group communication class, students had to choose an issue that is controversial due to policy that affects students, present sides and existing opinions and brainstorm solutions. Besides the Facebook, groups also discussed dining services and housing.
Davis and Judicial Administrator Sharon Beard were in attendance.
“My main goal was just to facilitate conversation because I feel like the students are so angry at the administration and they don’t know what’s going on,” Wettstead said.
The group talked to students, Davis and administrators at other universities. It presented several ways to help the relationship between students and administrators on this issue, including a more extensive school policy and education on Facebook and Internet etiquette for incoming freshmen.
Davis said Pepperdine was looking into ways to teach students about using the Facebook and the Internet so that Google searches don’t bring skeletons out of closets.
At the close of the discussion among the students in the class, Davis made some reflections on the dialogue.
“All solutions are very practical,” Davis said. “Philosophically, we are at the same place.”
“I thought it was interesting how the administration supported what we were looking into,” said Hulse, who was a member of the panel discussion. “They really tried to stand by the what Pepperdine promotes.”
Wettstead agreed.
“It was encouraging to hear that they are trying to implement some of the solutions (we presented in the panel discussion),” she said.
“I was encouraged by our solution of taking a life-centered approach. They don’t want to punish.”
11-01-2005