+ Hofstra Universitys Office of Parent and Family Programs Meeting Goals and Missions Through a Social Media Strategic Plan Hofstra University Team Leader:

+

Hofstra University’s Office of Parent and Family Programs

Meeting Goals and Missions Through a Social Media Strategic Plan

Hofstra UniversityTeam Leader: David PrevostTeam Members: Christina King, Jacklyn Blaney, Joseph Bennethum

+Social media:

Students as our demographic

Average Age of aHofstra Student: 18-

34

18-34 age group is 51%

of current Facebook users

+Social media:

Parents as our demographic

Average Age of a Hofstra Parent: 45+

45+ age group is 20% of current Facebook users

We need to bridge the

gap!

+ Office of Parent and Family Programs

Mission

Hofstra’s Office of Parent and Family Programs, in collaboration with offices across the University, serves as a resource for parents and families while they support their students to take increasing responsibility for their journey in learning and personal growth. Our programs, publications and events strive to make parents and families part of our community.

We are committed to:•Providing Hofstra parents with timely information about Hofstra's services, programs and opportunities that could further their student’s academic success and well-being as well as benefit members of their family.•Courteously serving as the first-stop inquiry center for Hofstra parents and families.•Promoting meaningful engagement of parents and families in the life of campus by developing programs and events of interest to parents, especially those that help with the transition to college.

http://www.hofstra.edu/parfam/, Retrieved February 2011.

+Current Technology-Based Services

• Website: www.hofstra.edu/parents

• E-newsletter: monthly e-mail to parents Students have to sign up parents for newsletter during

admissions process!

• Family Connection: newsletter published each semester PDF accessible online (via office home page)

• Parent and Family Handbook: Handbook of “all things Hofstra” sent to parents, for parents.

NO SOCIAL MEDIA!!

+ Consider the Possibilities …

+Our Proposal• Expand what the Office of Parent and Family Programs is already

doing to incorporate social media.

• Create social media accounts in several platforms (Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Blogspot, etc.) to achieve short-term goals and facilitate long-term goals.

• Create a long-term plan to extend value of social media incorporation into the Office of Parent and Family Programs.

• Reflectively assess programs and re-align goals upon assessment.

+Expand on What We Already Do• Parent and Family Handbook (updated twice a year):

Include section on social media: How our office is currently using it, including account information.

Expand HofstraSpeak (a glossary of Hofstra-specific terms) to HofstraSpeak of the Week across all social media platforms.

• Parent Orientation: Include an interactive parent tutorial and market the help that is

available to parents via social media. Have parents create Facebook and Twitter accounts to receive

information; provide on-site technical support at the conclusion of orientation.

• Parent Survey: Expand Parent Survey to include questions about social media to

enhance services to parents/families. Solicit quantitative and qualitative feedback from parents via

discussion forum and data polling.• Parent Voice:

Add “Parent Voice” (articles written by parents) to Blogspot and Tumblr.

+Short-Term Goals

• Enhanced Response to Campus News Serve to replace or expand call center in event of

campus emergencies Increase timeliness and effectiveness of crisis

communication by posting notifications via social media platforms.

Assessment: # of hits website gets; focus group with parents; percentage of parents using website for campus alerts track at the conclusion of every semester

+Short-Term Goals (continued)

• More Effective Advertising for Events/Programs Create events via Facebook. Upload pictures/recap on Tumblr within 24 hours of

event. Provide countdowns to events on Twitter. Invite parents to submit blog entries regarding their

personal experiences at events.

Assessment: # of those who attended events; # of RSVPs on Facebook

+Short-Term Goals (continued)

• More Efficient Communication With and Among Parents and Families Create Facebook group (i.e., “2013 Parents”) to

monitor discussion board and hold real-time chat with administrators.

Send out daily updates and reminders (i.e., “Room Selection Is Today!”) via Facebook and Twitter statuses.

Establish a parent advice column or discussion board via Facebook on college parent issues.

Assessment: parent/family poll (track at the end of each semester)

+Short-Term Goals (continued)

• Increase Sibling Involvement (Especially teenagers – potential recruitment opportunity)

Create discussion thread on Facebook for Hofstra family teens.

Direct invites on Facebook for sibling/family events to teens.

Assessment: # of incoming first-year students that are related to current Hofstra students (track once per academic year); # of siblings who attend family events

+Long-Term Outcomes/Goals• Retain alumni who become parents.

How? Encourage feedback through social media; encourage alumni participation in family events organized through our office.

Future outcomes? Recruitment; increased fund-raising Assessment? # of alumni who participate; # of children whose parents

are alumni• Create a full-time social media coordinator for Office of Parent and Family

Programs. How? Hire and train a professional with social media and/or

marketing experience; higher education experience is preferred! Future outcomes? Other student services offices/departments can

retain full-time social media administrators.• Establish a personal identity for Hofstra siblings.

How? Through social media and events targeted at siblings Future outcomes? Increased enrollment and family satisfaction! Assessment? # of Hofstra siblings who enroll for studies

+Benefits of Proposal

Provides instant notification/campus updates for parents/families. Statistically driven – can determine effectiveness and necessity of

individual platforms by finding out how many use it! Supports “going green” efforts and sustainability -> the more done

online, the less printed on paper! Increased empowerment of parents -> they will feel more part of the

campus culture and community! Increased satisfaction increased generosity? An informed parent decreases unnecessary parent

involvement in other offices! Lowered costs -> more done online for free! Informs parents without violating FERPA Increased parent self-efficacy

+Potential Challenges

Many parents are still unfamiliar with or may be resistant to computers/Internet/social media.

Extra work for an already small staff

Maintaining and moderating comments for relevance and appropriateness

Not enough content during slow times of year Many prefer a reliable, consistent posting schedule.

Too much content during busy times of year Parents may become overwhelmed with too many posts in a short period of time (and may overwhelm their student!)

+ How to Overcome Challenges• Many parents are still unfamiliar with or may be resistant to

computers/Internet/social media. Learn and implement full, accurate use of social media features by

office staff to demonstrate uses and benefits to parents/families. Include an “Introduction to Social Media” component during Parent

Orientation. Introduce various services and their features, demonstrate their use, and assist with social media account creation.

Post “Helpful Hints” for using social media post across platforms. Still provide all traditionally printed materials, with the option to “opt out” of

paper mailings.

+ How to Overcome Challenges (cont.)• Maintaining and moderating comments for relevance and

appropriateness

Encourage office staff to regularly contribute to ongoing discourse across social media platforms.

Make office goal of getting back to all parents within 1 to 2 business days.

Marketing intern, undergraduate and/or graduate assistant and office staff will check accounts on a regular basis (consistently) to ensure content and comments are relevant and appropriate.

+ How to Overcome Challenges (cont.)

• Not enough content during slow times of year Many prefer a reliable, consistent posting schedule.

Allow parents to submit content (contingent upon office staff approval).

Create informational posts in advance (i.e., Hofstra stats/facts, fun trivia, history of campus, etc.).

Schedule to automatically post at a later, specified date; keep on file for slow periods.

Provide updates on simple points of pride on campus.

Post about cultural events offered on campus throughout summer and January intercession.

+ How to Overcome Challenges (cont.)

• Too much content during busy times of year Parents may become overwhelmed with too many posts in a short period of time (and may overwhelm their student!)

Offer an undergraduate and/or graduate internship (preferably a PR/marketing/graphic design major) to maintain social media accounts.

Provides relevant “real-world” experience to a Hofstra student. Can serve as a pilot program for other offices/departments on

campus to implement similar positions. Consolidate efforts and use available services (i.e., TweetDeck,

HootSuite, or other built-in features) to post to multiple platforms simultaneously.

Share login/account information with all office staff; make office staff “administrators for accounts.

+ Goals and Missions, Revisited!

We are committed to:

•Providing Hofstra parents with timely information about Hofstra's services, programs and opportunities that could further their student’s academic success and well-being as well as benefit members of their family.

Timely information is now INSTANT!

•Courteously serving as the first-stop inquiry center for Hofstra parents and families.

Inquiry center is now convenient, 24-hours-a-day, and GREEN!

•Promoting meaningful engagement of parents and families in the life of campus by developing programs and events of interest to parents, especially those that help with the transition to college.

Advertising of events is available, and programs are tailored to help parents catch up to and work with their millennial student!

http://www.hofstra.edu/parfam/; Retrieved February 2011.

+ References

December Data on Facebook’s US Growth by Age and Gender: Beyond 100 Million. InsideFacebook.com., Retrieved 2/12/11http://www.insidefacebook.com/2010/01/04/december-data-on-facebook%E2%80%99s-us-growth-by-age-and-gender-beyond-100-million/

“Our Mission.” Office of Parent and Family Programs Web page. http://www.hofstra.edu/parfam/, Retrieved February 2011.