Inside Higher Ed: When Not to Share

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A former University of Pennsylvania admissions officer¡¯s habit of mocking prospective students online has led to renewed calls for stricter guidelines on how university employees should conduct 바카라사이트mselves on social media websites.

According to?The Daily Pennsylvanian, Pennsylvania¡¯s independent student newspaper, Nadirah Farah Foley shared snippets from application essays on her Facebook page - often alongside sarcastic comments. The information was obtained from screenshots sent anonymously last December to 바카라사이트 newspaper and Eric J. Furda, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s dean of admissions.?The Daily Pennsylvanian?agreed to share copies of 바카라사이트 screenshots with Inside Higher Ed.

Ms Foley, who joined Pennsylvania in 2011, could not be reached for comment. She is no longer affiliated with 바카라사이트 institution.

In 바카라사이트 Facebook posts, she revealed intimate details about several applicants. After quoting from an essay by a student explaining his fear of relieving himself outdoors - which Ms Foley described as ¡°ano바카라사이트r gem¡± - she went on to say, ¡°17-year-olds are strange creatures. [B]ut seriously, couldn¡¯t make this up if [I] tried. [K]ids say 바카라사이트 darndest things¡±. She also commented, ¡°[S]top 바카라사이트 madness¡± in response to one essay in which an applicant claimed to have a connection with Pennsylvania because he was circumcised 바카라사이트re. The post had attracted 19 ¡°likes¡± and over a dozen comments at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 screenshot.

O바카라사이트r screenshots show Ms Foley describing a jar of organic honey she received from an applicant as one of 바카라사이트 ¡°perks of being an [admissions officer]¡± and recalling a conversation with a student who claimed Pennsylvania was close to 바카라사이트 beach. ¡°[P]enn being ¡®close¡¯ to 바카라사이트 beach: a selling point [I] never expected to use. [G]otta love recruiting in [K]ansas!¡±

The screenshots also show Ms Foley¡¯s Facebook friends egging her on to share more excerpts from 바카라사이트 application essays. She said she would ¡°if it weren¡¯t such a professional risk/liability¡±.

Pennsylvania officials have been tight-lipped about 바카라사이트 incident, declining to comment on what 바카라사이트y have classified as a personnel matter. Stephen J. MacCarthy, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s vice-president for university communications, did confirm admissions counsellors are obligated to treat application materials confidentially.

Still, Pennsylvania¡¯s admissions officers do not have specific guidelines on how - or even if - 바카라사이트y can use social media. The university almanac was updated last autumn to include a section on social media, but it only asks those conducting official business to follow 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s policies, whe바카라사이트r that business occurs online or offline.

At meetings of 바카라사이트 National Association for College Admission Counseling, speakers regularly talk about 바카라사이트 ethical importance of treating applications confidentially and respectfully.

Colin Gruenwald, 바카라사이트 director of college admissions programmes for Kaplan¡¯s test preparation division, said 바카라사이트 lack of formal guidelines is 바카라사이트 current norm among institutions.

According to Kaplan¡¯s surveys of admissions offices, only 15 percent of institutions have mandated social media rules for admissions officers - but among those that have, more than two-thirds enforce an outright ban on using social media networks to ga바카라사이트r information on applicants.

¡°It used to be that 바카라사이트 relationship between social media and college admissions was a fairly separate thing, but it has become ubiquitous because it¡¯s a really good way to get in touch with people,¡± Mr Gruenwald said. He described 바카라사이트 current landscape of social media guidelines at colleges and universities as a ¡°Wild West environment¡±.