Students may want to think about double-checking their Facebook privacy settings because friends, family and future employers are not the only people scanning social networking sites.
Students now have Miami University to add to the list of potential page viewers.
The university has responded publically to two Facebook group events in the past year. A Facebook event entitled "The Annual Ghetto Fest" stirred up some mixed reactions in April 2010, and in November another Facebook event called "Indian Party" riled others.
The university addressed both events after it received complaints.
After receiving a complaint from Miami alumna Teresa Zaffiro, the university addressed and investigated the "Indian Theme Party" Facebook event.
Part of that investigation included taking a snap shot of attendees of the Facebook "Indian Theme Party."
In an e-mail from Dean of Students Susan Mosley-Howard to Director of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution Susan Vaughn, Mosley-Howard asked for Vaughn to send her information about the public page. "Susan, Can you get some images from the Facebook page … and a snapshot of invitees?" the e-mail read.
After getting a snapshot, Vaughn then directed the guest list to Assistant Director of Greek Life Tillie Good.
"Would you please let me know if any of the individuals named in the attached guest list are affliated with a Greek organization?" Vaughn asked. "The Facebook page has been removed so the snapshot is the best I can do."
Good then verified that the individuals who created the page were members of Delta Upsilon Fraternity. She also attached the address affiliated with the individuals.
Following a chat between the students affiliated with the event and members of the university, Mosley-Howard and Vice President of Institutional Diversity Ron Scott sent an e-mail to all undergraduates expressing concern for the themed party and its potentially racist implications.
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Vaughn said this practice is not a common occurrence in the Office of Student Ethics and Conflict Resolution (OESCR).
"We see very, very few reports of any kind of e-mail, Internet, social networking violations," Vaughn said.
OESCR only responds to a violation if there is a complaint, Vaughn said.
"Our office receives complaints, so we do not go looking for anything, that's just not what our office does," Vaughn said.
Vaughn said her office does investigate complaints it receives. She said in the past her office has received complaints concerning stolen property via a social networking site.
Vaughn said students can only be formally disciplined by the university for their actions on a social network if they have violated the Student Code of Conduct.
The university does not have a formal or written policy concerning social networking sites. Vaughn said the only computer policy the university has is the Abuse of Computing Resources, section 112 of the Student Code of Conduct.
This policy states that users of any Miami network or computer must follow all federal and state laws as well as university policies and rules.
The handbook states "users must respect the right of others to be free from harassment or intimidation."
The policy also states that people who violate this policy are subject to sanctions from the university.
Vaughn said the university does not keep documentation of social networking complaints.
"We only maintain records if a student is found responsible for violating the code, that's the only type of record we would keep on file," Vaughn said.
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