#NASPA11 Tweetup Sign Up Sheet
Monday, March 14 | 8:30 PM
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Hotel Lobby
1201 Market Street
Meet, greet, and network with student affairs professionals from all over the world. The Philadelphia tweetup is going to be a major event. Don’t tweet? Never used Twitter? That’s okay, there will be plenty of folks to help get you into the Twittersphere. If you want to get a head start on learning how to use Twitter, I would highly recommend that you read this Twitter 101.
I’m guessing that a major topic of conversation will be the upcoming consolidation vote which begins on Tuesday, March 15th.
Here’s a quick tip for marketing folks who are using QR Codes:
I received a personalized mailing from the Banana Republic a few days ago. On the last page of the mailer was a QR Code. I scanned the code and it took me to this YouTube video:
If you’re going to use QR Codes, please send folks who take the time to scan the code to mobile optimized web content. Taking me to a YouTube clip after I scanned the code was a great way to keep me interested. If I scan your QR Code and it takes me to a regular, non-mobile-optimized site, what’s the point? QR Codes only work if the content that is being delivered is relevant to me and my mobile device.
I’ve seen several QR Codes on posters recently. The codes grabbed my attention because they were prominently placed, but the post-scanned content was just a standard site. Remember, QR Codes + Mobile Content = Win.
I’ve been testing out 3 web-based social media apps. Built to leverage the API’s of sites like Twitter and Facebook, these apps are web-based and can be accessed from any net enabled computer. TweetDeck (Chrome only), HootSuite, and Seesmic are all amazing in terms of functionality. I tested them all out using Google’s Chrome browser. This was mostly due to the fact that TweetDeck is only available as a web app via Chrome.
Aesthetically speaking, I really like the look and feel of Seesmic. It’s been my favorite Twitter app on Android and the web-based version doesn’t disappoint. It’s feature-rich and integrates the following social media services: Twitter, Foursquare, Google Buzz, Facebook, and LinkedIn. TweetDeck works almost as well as the desktop version. HootSuite has long been a popular alternative to TweetDeck. However, I find it’s interface to be less intuitive and quite a bit more “clunky” than Seesmic or TweetDeck. The API connection that TweetDeck leverages in Chrome is impressive. Tweets stream into your web browser almost as fast as they are posted. This makes it very easy to participate in Twitter-based chats using “ChromeDeck.”
In terms of social media listening / engaging, I would recommend that you try out all 3 apps to determine which one works best for you. I’ve been using TweetDeck in Chrome for fast-paced Twitter chats and Seesmic works really well in Firefox. HootSuite offers up a paid, Pro service for folks who want access to a larger feature set. It will be interesting to see how these app providers can continue to provide such amazing apps while at the same time covering their operating costs. While these apps are certainly not as powerful as the social media listening stations that Gatorade and Dell launched last year, I’m certain that you can do quite a bit with a browser, a connection to the Internet, and one of these web-based social media apps. Which of these 3 apps do you use? Do you use something else?
One of my most favorite student affairs professionals is also one of the most unique SA pros in the biz. His name is Todd Sanders. As the Student Affairs “Web Guy” for the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, Todd is a prominent figure in the higher education web sphere. While I’ve never actually met Todd, I have virtually known him for several years. Having been a commenter on the higher education blogging circuit, I’ve run into Todd’s insightful comments for quite some time.
He’s also one of the funniest people that I “know” on Twitter. If you’re in student affairs and you don’t know Todd, it’s probably because there aren’t that many student affairs web devs in the SA-universe. The #SAtech crowd has had to regularly find communities that are outside of the usual student affairs associations. For example, I know that Todd has been a prominent member of the HighEdWeb crowd. It makes sense. Web Devs/Multimedia Producers/Marketers/Designers/etc. need to hang out with folks who share similar interests, challenges, and opportunities.
So why am I blogging about Todd this evening? Great question! The cool thing about Todd is that he is currently on the cusp of being a veritable student affairs celebrity for his overall amount of awesomeness.
Todd submitted the video at the top of this post for the Mercedes-Benz Tweet Race. His video was selected out of thousands of submissions. I mean, how could anyone resist the Mercedes-Benz logo made out of carrots! In all seriousness, Todd’s videography skills are top notch. I’ve never known anyone else in the student affairs community that can do what Todd does. I am thrilled that his video was chosen for this philanthropic contest.
“The Twitter-fueled campaign (http://on.fb.me/SBTweetRace) will put four two-person driving teams behind the wheels of specially equipped 2011 Mercedes-Benz vehicles – each embarking separately from Chicago, Los Angeles and New York and Tampa — on February 2 and converging on February 4 at Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas, Texas.
Once the race starts on February 2, the driving teams will depart from their respective locations and attempt to generate as much Twitter activity, or “Tweet Fuel” as possible for their journey to Dallas. Over a three-day period, they will earn points not only for collecting Tweet Fuel, but for their performance on a series of social media-related challenges they will face along the way.”
So how do you help Todd, Team S, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital?
It’s simple:
Spread the word about Team S (Short for “StudentAffairs”) and be ready to provide copious amounts of tweet fuel for #MBteamS between February 2nd and February 4th.
I’m pleased to announce that I will once again be teaming up with NACAS to present information/strategies for campus auxiliary services marketers:
Are you or your staff tasked with managing or leveraging your organization’s social media / marketing ventures?
Social media is no longer an add-on for campus auxiliary marketers. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are now part of the traditional marketing mix. This two-part short course will teach you how to successfully leverage social media tools, mobile apps, and location-based services for sustainable auxiliary services marketing.
You’ll learn the latest strategies for creating a social media listening station and will learn how to effectively utilize: Facebook Places, Twitter Fast Follow, Foursquare, YouTube, SCVNGR, and QR Codes.
I’ve been blogging for Inside Higher Ed (IHE) for 6 months. The word cloud represents the most-used words in the 45 posts that I’ve written for my “Student Affairs and Technology” blog. Twitter has been one of my favorite topics to write about. It’s such a wonderfully versatile social media tool.
I’m thoroughly enjoying my ride as a blogger for IHE. I write at least 2 posts per week. As a seasoned blogger, having deadlines and a post quota has been incredibly motivating. My editor has a fantastic sense of humor. He has been a delightful boss. I can’t wait to see if I can crack 100 posts in 2011.
The only caveat of course has been that this blog has been a bit neglected. I’ve been much more active on Twitter in 2010. With a paid blogging gig and Twitter taking up more of my publishing time, I do try to put something up on this site from time to time. Stay tuned for significant site updates. I plan on incorporating more of my consulting endeavors on this blog as I continue to navigate the “Stoller Coaster.”
Leslie Dare is one of my favorite student affairs techies. I remember reading Leslie’s call to action regarding the NASPA Technology Knowledge Community in 2006: “Technology in Student Affairs: Seeking Knowledge, Craving Community.” Having been present for the disbanding of the original KC, I was encouraged by Leslie’s leadership and insight into student affairs technology.
Leslie has created a poll that I think asks an important question for anyone who works in student affairs. This poll indicates to me that the relationship between technology and student affairs is complicated and emerging. Leslie and I would both love to know your answer to this question:
ACPA and NASPA are the largest higher education associations for student affairs practitioners. With a total membership of almost 20,000 student affairs professionals, these two associations play a pivotal role in the future of the profession. The topic du jour for most association members has been the conversation taking place regarding the issue of consolidation. Taking two associations and turning them into one mega-student-affairs association is no small task. According to the latest consolidation proposal, unification has been an ongoing conversation topic for the past 30 years. However, this latest attempt at creating a single association has achieved a momentum that hasn’t occurred in prior years. It would appear that we are at the cusp of the creation of a brand new organization. With a tentative consolidation vote to take place in the spring of 2011, student affairs professionals are scrambling to find out information about the future of ACPA and NASPA.
Both associations have created centralized information portals for their members:
With so much information being presented on both association sites, it can be a bit overwhelming. I know that I have had a heck of a time keeping track of all of the various communication channels that have been used to disseminate information and to capture member feedback. As a friend and member of both associations, I am hesitant to critique the communication strategy of this process, but I think things need to be more streamlined. The conversation seems to be getting quite fragmented due to too many disparate channels. An upcoming webinar on consolidation (For ACPA members, Monday, December 13, 2010, 2pm–3:30pm EST, Registration is required) should hopefully clarify some of the recent proposals. I know that I will be “attending.”
Having said that, here are a few of the information pieces / feedback forums that I have found to be quite helpful as I formulate my own opinions regarding consolidation:
I think that consolidation will eventually happen. Both associations have served their members well and a newly formed association will continue the traditions and legacies of both organizations. I applaud all of the leaders involved in the process as most of them are employed at institutions throughout the country. Their service is inspiring as they help to transform the future of student affairs.
What do you think…is consolidation going to happen? Why? Why not?
I had an amazing time being on Seth Odell’s Higher Ed Live weekly web show. I was asked to talk about higher education and web accessibility. We just barely scratched the surface of what it means to have an accessible web. However, I think that this was a great conversation starter and I look forward to coming on the show to talk about accessibility in 2011.
The back channel conversation provided a lot of questions and insight. It was great to see so many higher education professionals engaging in a conversation on web accessibility and higher education.
Seth and I put together a terrific list of accessibility resources for folks to peruse over at his website. Like I said last night: We all go together or we don’t go at all. Accessibility is an ethical mandate. Accessibility might not be the sexy topic du jour (eg: social media), but it is necessary.
I’ll be the guest on Higher Ed Live this Sunday at 4PM PST / 7PM EST. The topic is web accessibility and higher education websites. I’m really excited to be on the show!
Ensuring our websites are usable by people of all abilities and disabilities is a legal and moral obligation many higher ed institutions have failed to live up to. Eric Stoller, an Oregon-based student affairs technology expert, national speaker, and blogger for Inside HigherEd, joins Higher Ed Live to talk about accessibility on the high ed web, including legal requirements, who’s doing it right and all the tools a school needs to get it up to speed.
So how do you help Todd, Team S, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital?
