The University is jumping on the bandwagon of social networking tools, "tweeting" so frequently that it is among the top 30 universities in terms of usage, according to a recent UniversitiesandColleges.org survey.
The University ranked 29th among the top 100 universities in terms of Twitter followers, with one-third less than Harvard University, which came in first place. Among the 10 institutional accounts - covering everything from public relations to athletics to business - the University tweets on average about 25 times a day and has earned more than 5,000 followers.
"It's so hard to get out the institution's message because people are not doing things like reading newspapers the way they used to," University spokeperson Carol Wood said. "We thought it was important to be in all these different areas [Twitter, Facebook], experimenting with putting out information to alumni, parents and friends of the University. We are building audience in all these areas."
University "tweets" from last week included the rescheduling of the ring ceremony, congratulations on the success of Pancakes for Parkinson's and a post about the rainy weather.
Marian Anderfuren, director of media relations and in charge of the University's Twitter, said many alumni find the Twitter account particularly appealing. "We have a very loyal alumni group that considers that 'this was the best four years of my life.'" she said. "They've moved on now, they're living in Texas or California, and here's this voice at Charlottesville telling you what's going on at the University. If you enjoyed your four years here, it might be a fun thing to do."
Students, on the other hand, might follow the University because its Twitter feed is a good source of news, Anderfuren said. Wood added, however, that the University's account is directed mainly at alumni.
Third-year Engineering student Eddie Verrilli said he understands why the University has a Twitter feed but does not use it himself. "If I wanted news, I would just go to the Web site," he said.
Anderfuren acknowledged that the Twitter feed is not the only source of news, noting that the University's Facebook account and multiple blogs also are updated frequently. Some students, such as third-year College student Flora Tsui, find the Facebook profile to be more comprehensive than the Twitter.
As an institutional account, the University uses Twitter more to push information out, rather than necessarily to get into conversations, Anderfuren said. Several students also expressed that their own personal Twitter feeds have this same, almost self-centered purpose. "It's more like a way to talk about yourself and update your life," Tsui said.
But Anderfuren said the account managers do follow students and sometimes enter into conversations.
"It's a neat way to keep a finger on the pulse of the University," Anderfuren said. "It's personalizing the University to the people who follow and the people who we respond to. Even though it's going out with an institutional U.Va. name on it, there are real people out there at public affairs who put that out"
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