Comments on: Cornell Student Blogs Crashing and Burning http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/ all the exciting parts, none of the heavy debt burden Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:06:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: shelly http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-400 shelly Mon, 11 Dec 2006 17:30:52 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-400 college isnt such a bad thing you just need to focus on the good things in life college isnt such a bad thing you just need to focus on the good things in life

]]> By: shelly http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-399 shelly Mon, 11 Dec 2006 17:28:36 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-399 i like the whole college experiance good and bad you always make it through i like the whole college experiance good and bad you always make it through

]]> By: Donor dollars trump interests of prospective students in student blogging arena at the Sam Jackson College Experience http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-103 Donor dollars trump interests of prospective students in student blogging arena at the Sam Jackson College Experience Sat, 30 Sep 2006 13:54:02 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-103 [...] Now, moving on to the content again… here is the comment Morgan made, excerpted from my recent post”Cornell Student Blogs Crashing and Burning.” The comment is on student blogging generally and why, despite my begging, the world won’t see too many truly honest student blogs blessed and promoted by colleges anytime soon. “authenticity is more important for good PR than anything else” [...] [...] Now, moving on to the content again… here is the comment Morgan made, excerpted from my recent post”Cornell Student Blogs Crashing and Burning.” The comment is on student blogging generally and why, despite my begging, the world won’t see too many truly honest student blogs blessed and promoted by colleges anytime soon. “authenticity is more important for good PR than anything else” [...]

]]> By: Sam Jackson http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-81 Sam Jackson Thu, 07 Sep 2006 04:44:08 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-81 Alex, Thanks for reading. I don't expect you to have read all the comments on the Cornell posts on my site, but I've elaborated in them my feelings on the issue in conversations with some of your fellow bloggers and excerpts from emails with your peers. I wrote Caroline something on her blog and had a little e-mail comment chat with Jenna. The Jenna dialogue covers much of it all... that's available here: http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/31/donor-dollars-trump-interests-prospective-students-student-blogging-arena/#comment-78 I still read your blog, by the way. I just wish you'd use a few more line breaks to make it easier for me TO read. I still read it, though, rest assured. What I am trying to convey is that it is not so much that I feel it is neither a "propaganda" feel nor a lack of authenticity prima facie which hamstrings the usefulness of the blog project; I'm just disappointed with some of the choices I have seen you bloggers make in terms of what you choose to write about. But, blogs are blogs, and yours is yours--write about whatever you like. I just sometimes wish they could be a little less superficial seeming and in being more reflective reveal more about real life at Cornell. Quoting from my other comment... Don’t make things black and white. You can offer more insight into life at Cornell than you do now without tarnishing the school’s name. Don’t think so poorly of your audience that we can’t understand or don’t want to read about something besides superficial fluff. But, really, my last question: Did you actually read this entry you just replied to? I didnt' say anything particularly negative about any of you bloggers in this post. It was just a collection of sentiments on the internet / from daily sun / etc demonstrating the backlash the blogs were receiving in some quarters. Now, other posts of mine have a little bit more bite to them... or were you addressing those at the same time? Because really, I do give you guys credit for trying, and I'm still reading, hoping things will improve. One of your fellow bloggers, after we spoke, agreed that there were some ways to improve their blog and thanked me for my input, especially since as a prospective student I'm part of your target audience. I'm sorry if I come off as unduly harsh, but your blog isn't perfect (neither is mine) and I still think you should be thinking more about your audience. Thanks again for stopping by. Alex,
Thanks for reading.

I don’t expect you to have read all the comments on the Cornell posts on my site, but I’ve elaborated in them my feelings on the issue in conversations with some of your fellow bloggers and excerpts from emails with your peers. I wrote Caroline something on her blog and had a little e-mail comment chat with Jenna. The Jenna dialogue covers much of it all… that’s available here: http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/31/donor-dollars-trump-interests-prospective-students-student-blogging-arena/#comment-78

I still read your blog, by the way. I just wish you’d use a few more line breaks to make it easier for me TO read. I still read it, though, rest assured.

What I am trying to convey is that it is not so much that I feel it is neither a “propaganda” feel nor a lack of authenticity prima facie which hamstrings the usefulness of the blog project; I’m just disappointed with some of the choices I have seen you bloggers make in terms of what you choose to write about. But, blogs are blogs, and yours is yours–write about whatever you like. I just sometimes wish they could be a little less superficial seeming and in being more reflective reveal more about real life at Cornell.

Quoting from my other comment…

Don’t make things black and white. You can offer more insight into life at Cornell than you do now without tarnishing the school’s name. Don’t think so poorly of your audience that we can’t understand or don’t want to read about something besides superficial fluff.

But, really, my last question: Did you actually read this entry you just replied to? I didnt’ say anything particularly negative about any of you bloggers in this post. It was just a collection of sentiments on the internet / from daily sun / etc demonstrating the backlash the blogs were receiving in some quarters. Now, other posts of mine have a little bit more bite to them… or were you addressing those at the same time? Because really, I do give you guys credit for trying, and I’m still reading, hoping things will improve. One of your fellow bloggers, after we spoke, agreed that there were some ways to improve their blog and thanked me for my input, especially since as a prospective student I’m part of your target audience. I’m sorry if I come off as unduly harsh, but your blog isn’t perfect (neither is mine) and I still think you should be thinking more about your audience.

Thanks again for stopping by.

]]> By: alex payne http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-80 alex payne Thu, 07 Sep 2006 03:54:07 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-80 I'm one of those cornell bloggers you'd like to roast over a fire. Honestly though bring yourself over to my blog (don't let your inflated ego weigh you down) read the disclaimer that I wrote first - it's the second to most recent entry - then read as much as you'd like and tell me the propaganda and lack of authenticity I'm spurting out. I’m one of those cornell bloggers you’d like to roast over a fire. Honestly though bring yourself over to my blog (don’t let your inflated ego weigh you down) read the disclaimer that I wrote first - it’s the second to most recent entry - then read as much as you’d like and tell me the propaganda and lack of authenticity I’m spurting out.

]]> By: Life on the Hill: the Community Responds « president of facebook http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-61 Life on the Hill: the Community Responds « president of facebook Thu, 31 Aug 2006 14:46:57 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-61 [...] Let’s see what prospective students think. Sam Jackson: This seeming failure to launch brings us back to what I keep saying and trying to stress to some of my institutional readers–authenticity is more important for good PR than anything else. [...] [...] Let’s see what prospective students think. Sam Jackson: This seeming failure to launch brings us back to what I keep saying and trying to stress to some of my institutional readers–authenticity is more important for good PR than anything else. [...]

]]> By: Joe Gaylor http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-55 Joe Gaylor Thu, 31 Aug 2006 03:43:47 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-55 Sounds good Sam, look forward to it as always Sounds good Sam, look forward to it as always

]]> By: Sam Jackson http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-54 Sam Jackson Thu, 31 Aug 2006 03:32:48 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-54 Hey, I realized I was really nonspecific with my use of the word "it" in my last comment, such was my urgency to post it. Extra-sad since I broke my AJAX comments somehow, something like that. I woke up this morning and they were very angry with me and have been on and off all day. I am planning to try a big update tonight anyways so we'll see... what happens with that. What I MEANT to say, Joe, was that my email will be made into a POST tonight or tomorrow morning! So you, and everyone else, will of course get to see it. Let me just edit it for clarity a little bit. Patience! Sneak site update preview? Comment subscription. Ooooh, ahhh. Hey, I realized I was really nonspecific with my use of the word “it” in my last comment, such was my urgency to post it. Extra-sad since I broke my AJAX comments somehow, something like that. I woke up this morning and they were very angry with me and have been on and off all day. I am planning to try a big update tonight anyways so we’ll see… what happens with that.

What I MEANT to say, Joe, was that my email will be made into a POST tonight or tomorrow morning! So you, and everyone else, will of course get to see it. Let me just edit it for clarity a little bit. Patience!

Sneak site update preview? Comment subscription. Ooooh, ahhh.

]]> By: Joe Gaylor http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-53 Joe Gaylor Thu, 31 Aug 2006 03:26:05 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-53 Sam, I would love to see your response to Morgan's comment if that's OK... I totally agree with what Morgan has said "it's parental, donor, administrator, and media opinions that drive these decisions" Sam, I would love to see your response to Morgan’s comment if that’s OK… I totally agree with what Morgan has said “it’s parental, donor, administrator, and media opinions that drive these decisions”

]]> By: Sam Jackson http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-52 Sam Jackson Thu, 31 Aug 2006 02:23:15 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-52 Morgan, thank you so much for your insight. I'm just going to add a comment here to what, acknowledge that I check comments? I'm not sure. I sent you a long e-mail comment response, because it was as long as some of my longer POSTS, let alone comments. So: thank you for the inspiration. Expect to see it tomorrow or perhaps later tonight. Morgan, thank you so much for your insight. I’m just going to add a comment here to what, acknowledge that I check comments? I’m not sure. I sent you a long e-mail comment response, because it was as long as some of my longer POSTS, let alone comments. So: thank you for the inspiration. Expect to see it tomorrow or perhaps later tonight.

]]> By: Morgan http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-50 Morgan Wed, 30 Aug 2006 23:23:39 +0000 http://www.samjackson.org/college/2006/08/30/cornell-student-blogs-crashing-and-burning/#comment-50 "authenticity is more important for good PR than anything else" Amen. Authenticity is still really scary for a lot of Admission and PR folks. We don't use blogs at my school precisely because we know they would have to be *real.* We go out and look at our students MySpace and LiveJournal writings and imagine them with the college logo blazoned across the top. More often than not, we come away scared. I did that today and found two things frightening: 1) The MySpace user group for our school features two main images: pigs screwing and some guy in a closed motorcycle helmet smoking 2) Clicking to the first MySpace journal page off of that group and I find that the biggest graphic in the whole layout is a picture of a guy slurping on his resin-brown bong. RUN AWAY!!! Sure, there's lots of good stuff too, and even the bad stuff is RELEVANT and AUTHENTIC, but I don't think many institutions are ready to invite real-life, open discussion of the good and bad in campus culture to their official namespace. And, honestly, the reason is not to fool or deny prospective students at all--it's parental, donor, administrator, and media opinions that drive these decisions (sad but true). So the best bet for learning about colleges via blogging will probably remain third-party and personal sites. Officially sanctioned blogs are most likely going to read like viewbooks in first person and without the glossy photos. “authenticity is more important for good PR than anything else”

Amen.

Authenticity is still really scary for a lot of Admission and PR folks. We don’t use blogs at my school precisely because we know they would have to be *real.* We go out and look at our students MySpace and LiveJournal writings and imagine them with the college logo blazoned across the top. More often than not, we come away scared. I did that today and found two things frightening: 1) The MySpace user group for our school features two main images: pigs screwing and some guy in a closed motorcycle helmet smoking 2) Clicking to the first MySpace journal page off of that group and I find that the biggest graphic in the whole layout is a picture of a guy slurping on his resin-brown bong.

RUN AWAY!!!

Sure, there’s lots of good stuff too, and even the bad stuff is RELEVANT and AUTHENTIC, but I don’t think many institutions are ready to invite real-life, open discussion of the good and bad in campus culture to their official namespace. And, honestly, the reason is not to fool or deny prospective students at all–it’s parental, donor, administrator, and media opinions that drive these decisions (sad but true).

So the best bet for learning about colleges via blogging will probably remain third-party and personal sites. Officially sanctioned blogs are most likely going to read like viewbooks in first person and without the glossy photos.

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