BY MARIA KHIM

In print | August 28, 2007

The Class of 2011 was the first in Swarthmore’s history to receive their college e-mail addresses over the summer, rather than upon arrival to campus as in years past. While the change has provided the administration with an enhanced ability to communicate with first-years prior to Orientation, it has also led to increased Internet communication among the new students, particularly through the social networking site Facebook.

According to Dean of Students Jim Larimore, the administration decided to set up the new students’ email accounts earlier than in previous years to allow for more efficient distribution of information regarding advising, housing and getting to campus. In addition, the administration conducted online student surveys over the e-mail system, including the Cooperative Institutional Research Program survey, which targets first year college students.

“This change has been a positive thing for everybody, not only for the administration in making it easier for them to communicate with the students, but also for the students to start talking to each other and for them to feel like they know people when they first get to campus,” said Associate Director for Client Services RObin Jacobsen. “It’s also just one less thing to worry about.”

According to Jacobsen, within the first week approximately half of the class of 2011 had set up their account and were actively checking their e-mail. In addition, students also received their housing information after activating their MySwarthmore accounts.

Early access to Swarthmore e-mail also made it easier for first-years to meet online, especially through Facebook. Many of the incoming freshmen have already created groups of friends using Facebook and some students have even gone to the extent of planning their own social events during orientation week.

“The main concern is that people will have already made many friends and be less willing to participate in the orientation activities,” said Orientation Committee Co-Chair Douglas Gilchrist-Scott ’09. “However, it may also have a good effect in getting the pleasantries out of the way earlier and helping [incoming first-years] form more meaningful relationships during their first week.”

Michael Xu ‘11 felt that meeting classmates online has eased his transition to college life. “It could be unfair to those who do not use Facebook since there are already cliques and even couples that have formed,” he said. "But knowing a few people before coming here has helped me feel more confident. I can’t imagine coming here to a completely new place not knowing anyone, especially since I am from abroad."

Janis Libeks ’10, an I-20 international club member involved in the International Student Orientation, did not think this would greatly affect how the first-years form friends. “During orientation you meet new people and become friends with people who are not necessarily the same people that you met or talked to online,” he said. “The friendships you develop when you actually get to school end up being the ones that really last.”

Members of the Orientation Committee have also been able to use Facebook as a communication device, to advertise orientation events and send invites to the first-years.

“Many incoming freshmen spend the whole summer feeling nervous,” said Myrt Westphal, Associate Dean for Student Life. “Hopefully many of them will come feeling more comfortable having talked to a few of their classmates. It will be interesting to see how it plays out between the freshmen and the various hall dynamics and how it may change the nature of orientation.”

« RETURN TO NEWS

« PREV ARTICLE | NEXT ARTICLE »