Hot off the press

09/05/08 - The professor-student relationship is probably one of the most important connections you will ever make as a college student. Though the University of Rhode Island is no doubt a large institution, it is still possible to forge crucial relationships between students and faculty within each department.As time has passed, technology has made those relationships stronger, and perhaps more useful once students say goodbye to college life and move into the realm of the working world.

It's almost ridiculous to think that years ago, students would have to hand-write a letter to their professors and lick a postage stamp to send it on its way.

Today, we have e-mail, cell phones and alas, social networking.

But the latter of those three may actually, for the first time, put those special relationships in jeopardy.

Although their intent may not be to check up on students on Facebook or MySpace, more and more professors are creating social networking accounts. Some professors might even use Web sites like Facebook as a tool to further engage students in classrooms, as well as keep in touch with long-lost colleagues or friends overseas.

It's incredible. Facebook has grown to accommodate more than 100 million profiles worldwide. But with professors and teachers now making their way into the mix, it brings up a very important question: Is it really appropriate for students and teachers to be this exposed to each other?

The professor-student relationship is sacred. Yes, college is a lot different than high school - professors are your world. They inspire you, help you realize what you want to do with the rest of your life and impart years of wisdom and knowledge that no one else can touch. Some become lifelong mentors and friends.

But back in the old days, professors did this through the classroom, advisory meetings and philosophical conversing in the middle of the hallway during office hours - not by signing into an account and looking at your profile. The difference is, in face-to-face conversation, each party can reveal what they want to and choose to keep other things private.

With networks like Facebook and MySpace, even with privacy settings on, they are more likely to reveal more than you care to disclose.

A professor might say, "Well, you shouldn't have anything to hide on a Facebook account, should you?" Point well taken. Students should be careful to keep G-rated profiles - you don't know who can find you on your account, especially when job searching and applying for positions.

An even more uncomfortable position is one that more and more people are finding themselves in every day: the day you wake up to find your employer has sent you a friendship request online.

You may feel that your employer may not trust you and wants to check up on you, or that maybe he or she is just curious about your personal information. Either way, it potentially destroys the key components that ensure a good working relationship. It works in reverse, too - employers who are sought out on social networks by employees may also feel violated. In order to establish a certain amount of authority in the workplace, some employers feel it is necessary to keep personal information out of the picture.

But the dynamics are the same in each situation - the employee or student finds himself or herself in an awkward spot.

But is it really necessary for your professor or employer to know when you and your significant other "ended their relationship," or even that your friend sent you a bumper sticker containing some sexual innuendo?

If you're going to make all of your settings private for one person, what's the point of accepting his or her friend request at all?

Students shouldn't feel uncomfortable, or think their grade on an essay might be affected by their choice to accept a friend request from a professor. Likewise, an employee shouldn't feel their job would be suddenly "unavailable" after a friend playfully admonishes their long work hours.

There's nothing wrong with educators and employers getting in on the digital age (they're not dinosaurs, you know, but as the technology-crazed generation, we tend to get our hands on this stuff first,) but when it comes to connecting with students and employees, sometimes the old ways are better.

It's different when a student has become an alumnus or alumna - the professor is no longer in charge of their grades or guiding them through college life. The transition from high school to "the real world" is meant to be sacred as well, and in most cases, somewhat private.

So what to do? It's tricky, but if students or employees feel that their superiors are crossing the line, maybe it's just best to respectfully decline.