Adding Professors as a friend on Facebook? Forum

[Extension_Cord]

Maybe I'm wrong but this just kind of seems inappropriate while you are a student in their class. I noticed a couple of people have added a professor as a friend during finals. The professors facebook is nonacademic related, just a personal Facebook page.

I don't care what they do, it just seems like it would be awkward for the professor when they receive the request. I think if completely acceptable if its after you have take the class and grades are posted, but personal seems kind of inappropriate if done before.

Thoughts?

[random5483]

I don't see a significant difference between adding them before grades or after grades since grading is anonymous. The only difference is that after grades, you might not have them as a professor again.

With that said, I would not feel comfortable sending a facebook request to any of my professors. Maybe if I knew they were open to adding students. Still, I prefer using LinkedIn or an alternate networking site for my professional contacts. I would rather not have professors seeing all the posts my friends make (especially since my law school friends sometimes complain about specific professors).

[Extension_Cord]

I don't see a significant difference between adding them before grades or after grades since grading is anonymous. The only difference is that after grades, you might not have them as a professor again.

With that said, I would not feel comfortable sending a facebook request to any of my professors. Maybe if I knew they were open to adding students. Still, I prefer using LinkedIn or an alternate networking site for my professional contacts. I would rather not have professors seeing all the posts my friends make (especially since my law school friends sometimes complain about specific professors).

Thats true, this could "out" certain students. Guess we have to learn one way or another that nothing is private.

[PDaddy]

Maybe I'm wrong but this just kind of seems inappropriate while you are a student in their class. I noticed a couple of people have added a professor as a friend during finals. The professors facebook is nonacademic related, just a personal Facebook page.

I don't care what they do, it just seems like it would be awkward for the professor when they receive the request. I think if completely acceptable if its after you have take the class and grades are posted, but personal seems kind of inappropriate if done before.

Thoughts?

I agree, and further believe it inappropriate until after graduation. Never add as a social network "friend" any person who even slightly controls your academic or professional prospects (teachers, coaches, supervisors, etc.).

It can prejudice the situation either way, by either leading a prof to pass negative judgment on you or injecting favoritism into the process. Either way, it's a very bad idea, and even the profs should know better. I question their motives for making the requests.

This is no different than lawyers having ex-parte communications with judges, which is obviously against the rules of professional ethics.

[Extension_Cord]

Maybe I'm wrong but this just kind of seems inappropriate while you are a student in their class. I noticed a couple of people have added a professor as a friend during finals. The professors facebook is nonacademic related, just a personal Facebook page.

I don't care what they do, it just seems like it would be awkward for the professor when they receive the request. I think if completely acceptable if its after you have take the class and grades are posted, but personal seems kind of inappropriate if done before.

Thoughts?

I agree, and further believe it inappropriate until after graduation. Never add as a social network "friend" any person who even slightly controls your academic or professional prospects (teachers, coaches, supervisors, etc.).

It can prejudice the situation either way, by either leading a prof to pass negative judgment on you or injecting favoritism into the process. Either way, it's a very bad idea, and even the profs should know better. I question their motives for making the requests.

This is no different than lawyers having ex-parte communications with judges, which is obviously against the rules of professional ethics.

I agree, and the professor Im speaking of is very professional and I have no doubt that no favoritism is being passed. I cringe when I think how awkward it is for the professor to receive facebook friend requests from current students. How out of touch can a law student be? I don't blame the professor.

[Ludo!]

I'm friends with one prof on Facebook. I added him after class was over, when I noticed a lot of other people from class were adding him. He's a cool guy and he posts funny shit on Facebook. The few times I've posted something I didn't want him to read I just blocked him from the post.

[Guchster]

Let's be honest, I need as many friends as I can get.

[Arbinshire]

My Civ Pro Prof specifically stated, "Don't friend me on facebook. That's weird."

[bartleby]

i agree, that shit is weird. i'm tight with some of my UG profs on GoodReads but def not facebook (though i of course have stalked them)

[AJaKe]

I'm friends with a prof on fb, there are about half a dozen profs on fb that I know of.

They are friends with a *lot* of current students.

No one thinks it is weird, as far as I know.

[deebs]

How else do you let him see some pics and ask if he wants more for that A?

[arvcondor]

I think it's just gunnerdom using social networks.

edit: 400th post. For what it's worth. Which is nothing.

[sundance95]

My Civ Pro Prof specifically stated, "Don't friend me on facebook. That's weird."

+1. Why would anyone want their professors to see their profile? Bizarre.