Yesterday, my friend and higher ed web colleague Mike Petroff, launched FollowEDU with a big splash! I’m very excited about this launch for what it means for those of us in Higher Education who are active on Twitter.

According to the FollowEDU ‘About’ page: “FollowEDU is a searchable directory of Twitter users in Higher Ed. It allows users to Sign In via Twitter and create an account, list their profile under Interests within higher ed, schools, companies, and more. FollowEDU was created by Mike Petroff and was designed and built in collaboration with Stamats Catchfire.”

The launch of this site is timely.  With more and more of Higher Education professionals connecting and engaging on Twitter, FollowEDU easily facilitates connections.  As Student Affairs professionals, this directory will allow us to branch outside our areas and connect with others in Higher Ed who may provide us with alternative views for a broader perspective.  While Twitter lists have helped with this, FollowEDU simplifies the search process.

To all my colleagues and friends in Higher Education, please help Mike out and join the FollowEDU community by:

1.  Logging into FollowEDU.com and sign in using Twitter.
2.  Completely fill out your profile by filling out your interests, hashtags, etc.
3.  Follow @WhotoFollowEDU on Twitter and tweet them with additional suggestions (e.g. additional interests, hashtags, etc.), suggested user interface updates and features, any challenges you are experiencing with FollowEDU, etc.
4.  Encourage others in Higher Education to join this new online community on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, and/or LinkedIn.

Kudos to Mike and the folks at Stamats Catchfire on this endeavor.  I admire your hard work, passion, and follow through!  Thanks for providing this network to help connect all of us who work in Higher Education!

What are your initial takes on FollowEDU? How will you use this new Higher Ed online community?

I’m excited to share some fantastic news with you all today, which is the culmination of 13 months of work!  As many of you already know, in November of 2010, I started the #saGROW e-mentoring program, via Twitter, to connect Student Affairs graduate students with Student Affairs professionals.  Over the past year, over 130 pairings were made and the conversation continues online.  Along the way, we tried to connect Student Affairs professionals with Senior Student Affairs Officers and we did raise money for Student Affairs Graduate Student Scholarships.

Recently, however, I’ve realized that I could no longer sustain the management of the program.  I care deeply about the work the community has done to build this e-mentoring program, and didn’t want to see it fade away, especially after so many had “grown” from it.  Last Fall, I was approached by ACPA about their interest in creating an online mentoring program, similar to #saGROW, and we talked about the possibility of the Association taking the program over.  After numerous conversations, I’m happy to let you all know that it is now a reality!

Effective today, ACPA will facilitate and manage the #saGROW mentoring program.  I will remain involved as an advisor during its initial transition to ACPA and its staff will manage it.  What’s great is that  you DO NOT have to be a member of ACPA to be involved with the program.  ACPA will still need volunteers to serve as mentors, help spread the word, etc., so if you are interested, please contact Kristan Cilente Skendall at ACPA directly.

I am proud and excited that ACPA will be taking #saGROW to the next level and give it the administrative support it desperately needs.  Now, more than ever, we need your help to continue growing the Student Affairs profession by sharing our ideas and support through mentoring.  To those whom have served or participated in #saGROW in the past, I sincerely thank you and hope that you remain connected as we move the program forward.

What has your experience been with online mentoring programs? What can ACPA do to make #saGROW a model for others to follow?

References:
#saGROW Blog Post #1: “Mentoring SA Grads“

#saGROW Blog Post #2: “Growing the Profession“

#saGROW Blog Post #3: “The Evolution of #saGROW“

#saGROW Blog Post #4: “#saGROW Scholarships“

#saGROW Blog Post #5: “Being E-Mentored Through  #saGROW“

#saGROW Blog Post #6: “#saGROW Scholarship Winners

#saGROW Blog Post #7: “#saGROW Reflection: Katie O’Brien“

#saGROW spreadsheets/docs: Mentor Spreadsheet, Protegee Spreadsheet

Over the last week, I have been inspired by the #oneword2012 hashtag.  So many wonderful folks on Twitter are sharing a meaningful word that will help shape their respective 2012′s and I have decided to join in the fun.  Like some of you, it was difficult for me to choose just one word that will help guide me this year, especially after an amazing 2011, highlighted by:

1.  Accumulating 35,000 airlines miles for both personal and professional travel, including trips to Disney World, New Orleans, Tucson, Austin, Chicago, Gainesville, and “The Mitten” just to name a few!
2.  Conducting some Student Affairs and Social Media research via #thinkingsocial with Rey Junco, Greg Heiberger, Liz Gross, TJ Logan, and Jeanna Mastrodicasa at the University of Florida.
3.  Seeing my oldest daughter, Ema, start Kindergarten in a Spanish-English immersion classroom.
4. Raising $1,000 for Student Affairs Graduate Student Scholarships via the #saGROW program. (Katie O’Brien’s reflection was fantastic. I know that Kelley McCarthy’s will be excellent as well!)
5. Organizing and executing the first Student Affairs Technology UNconference at Boston University, with the help of many amazing friends and colleagues.
6. Attending my first South by Southwest Interactive Conference (SXSW)… and it was as advertised
7. Achieving #InboxZero… consistently.
8. I broke down and purchased a MacBook Pro.. and LOVE it
9.  I upgraded to the Droid RAZR… and also LOVE it

… and so much more!

With 2011 now complete, I see 2012 as a year to rethink many things, both personally and professionally:

- Rethink, how I want this blog to look and feel. Time for a change?
- Rethink, how I get to and from places. Is it time to switch up my routes to not allow my brain to become complacent? (side note: I’ve had some of the best ideas come about when I have to think about my route.)
- Rethink, how I use technology personally. Time to gain more balance and turn things off (outside of vacation)
- Rethink, how I use technology professionally. Do I really need ALL these … things?
- Rethink, how I manage and operate the Rondileau Campus Center.  Is it time to change things up a bit?
- Rethink, how I choose my speaking engagements. I will be more selective in 2012

This year will be about rethinking how and why I do the things I do and making necessary adjustments. For those that know me well, complacency is not part of my vocabulary.  Just because something is working well now, doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t be rethought. I hope you will all challenge me throughout the year if things still seem … the same  Happy New Year to all!!!

What will you “rethink” this year? How will this affect the way your 2012 is shaped?

Image credit

Almost two years ago, I wrote a post called “Teaching Twitter to Higher Education Colleagues” as a way to help people understand the self-proclaimed “information network.”  Surprisingly, it continues to be my most viewed post with (15,000+)!  From the feedback I’ve gotten, many folks felt that it helped simplify Twitter and get them thinking about it NOT with a “Facebook” brain.  Since then, Twitter has changed its user-interface twice, once this past summer and once again this past week, which has garnered many different opinions as it slowly rolls out! Today, I wanted to share some thoughts on the new interface and why I think that there are no longer any excuses why anyone who works in Higher Education shouldn’t be on Twitter connecting with students and colleagues alike.

Overview

1.  New Twitter Looks … Familiar
If anyone has ever told you, “Twitter is way too complicated” or “I just don’t get it”, they will be quite pleased with Twitter’s new user interface because it feels like Facebook, Google Plus, and LinkedIn.  By making it “look and feel” familiar, new users may not feel as intimidated as they start using Twitter.  This is a smart move on Twitter’s part as they continue to grow and find ways to monetize their product.  Truthfully, I didn’t like the new interface that much when I first saw it, but I realized quickly that this wasn’t targeted for me, it was targeted for new and future users.

2.  Twitter Lexicon is Simplified
Home: The home screen is simplified to include what’s important to the general user: Profile Overview, Tweet Box, Twitter Timeline, Suggestions on Who to Follow, and current trends.  What’s more is how you experience on Twitter via the web will be the same as you experience on the Twitter  via mobile apps.  The new Twitter app for Android and iPhone has even built in multiple account support to lure you away from apps like Seesmic, Osfoora, Plume, etc.  Again, this is done to simplify and grow consistency for the new user.  Conversations, pictures, and videos are all part of each “tweet” by simply clicking on it within the Twitter timeline.  You may have also noticed that Twitter accounts, links, and hashtags are colored grey, while everything else in the Tweet is in black. I suspect this is to help new users still read and understand the tweet content without getting confused with some of Twitter’s other lexicon. Oh, and kudos to Twitter for using a birdhouse for the “home” icon

For advanced users or those who still want to view multiple Twitter columns/feeds, “Twitter Pro” is being connected to long time favorite, Tweetdeck which is still  available after Twitter purchased it last May.

Connect: The old “mentions” and subsequent “activity” tab has been replaced with the more appropriate “connect” link which houses all the tweets that contain your Twitter username as well as anyone interacting with your tweets via retweets, replies, tweets that have been ‘favorited’, what ‘Lists’ you have been added to, and who your new followers are.  This centralizes all the Twitter connection pieces quite nicely and focuses your Twitter experience on THE CONVERSATION.  I am disappointed that the numbers associated with Lists have now gone away and are now less important in this iteration of Twitter.

Discover: Twitter promotes the new “Discover” link as “Simplicity Meets Serendipity.” I’m not sure how much I believe this description of the revamped “hashtag,” but certainly this is Twitter’s way of centralizing trending “stories”, twitter follower activities, who to follow, and what categories are trending, beyond topics. I can see new users finding this section interesting as they build their follower base and lurk versus engage.

3. Revamped Twitter Profiles
The new layout of your Twitter profile puts more emphasis on describing who you are, making your picture, bio, and website front and center.  Everything else is streamlined, making the experience a bit more intuitive for users of all levels.  The old twitter profile focused more on the Tweets.  While these are important, Twitter recognizes that the Tweets are only as important as the person sending them.  On Twitter, trust is built between users by building a profile that does a good job describing one’s interests and who they are looking to connect with. I do wish that DMs and Lists were still easily accessible, but now they are located one click away under the profile icon. My guess is that Twitter wants to direct more of the conversation public versus via direct message.

4.  Embed Tweets Anywhere, Easier

As someone who likes to share content from Twitter, this new feature makes it easier to do so. By clicking on a specific tweet in your Twitter timeline, you will notice a “details” link which takes you its specific URL.  From here, click on the “embed this tweet” link and it gives you choices on how (e.g. via email, webpage, blog, etc.)

The neat thing is that embedding tweets now allow for real time interaction without having to leave your webpage or blog. So if you embed a tweet, you can now reply, retweet, or favorite the tweet right from it (very cool!)

Twitter also took a step forward in Twitter button development. Now, you can create buttons for your blog or website that easily helps people Tweet a link, follow you, share hashtag conversations, and mention you in a Tweet with a single click.

Implications for Higher Education

1.  Call to Action: Share Your Twitter Story with a Friend or Colleague
With “New, New Twitter” being more “familiar” and easier to understand and with more Higher Education colleagues on it, now is the time to join, lurk, and engage.  If you have been on Twitter for a while, encourage others around you to create an account and jump in.  Support them through their initial learning curve, which should now be minimal, especially if they are used to other online networks.  Breakdown negative stereotypes about about Twitter by showing them how incredibly useful and powerful it can be by sharing your Twitter story and what made you go, “I get it now!”

2.  Use Twitter Beyond Conferences
This year, during professional conferences, I noticed an unbelievable spike in new Higher Education Twitter users.  Unfortunately, after the conferences were over, most of those new “Tweeps” no longer engaged in conversations.  Encourage those who are new-er to Twitter to reengage and find people and/or topics they really want to learn more about.  Suggest Twitter as a “personalized Google/Bing search” where answers to questions are human responses as opposed to search engine automated, page-ranked responses. If they have a smartphone, encourage them to download a Twitter app and continue their participation on the go

3.  Find a Use for Twitter in Your Next Department Program, Academic Class, or Current Service
If you haven’t used Twitter yet for your administrative or academic area, find a way to do so.  The best way to broaden one’s understanding is to implement Twitter however you can. Some ways to do this are:
a.  Creating Hashtags for Campus Conversations, Classes, or Services (e.g. #bsulife, #comm240, #bsucommutes)
b.  Gather Data Using Twtpoll (e.g. Halloween Costume Contest)
c.  Share Pictures and Videos from Events
d. Provide timely customer service and solicit feedback for future events.
e.  … and many more (just ask Student Affairs Chat!)

4.  Encourage Your Students To Join and Engage in Twitter
If the students in your area are not on Twitter, encourage them to join once you are well acclimated.  Teach them how to use it for professional networking and centralizing news/other information important to them, as their natural inclination will be to use it like Facebook.  If they are already on Twitter, connect with them (follow them, mention them in tweets, add them to lists, etc.) and if their Tweets are “protected,” engage in conversation with them as to why (e.g. for class, for personal reasons, etc.) In either way, its a great way to start Digital Identity conversations, which we must do more of in 2012.

What do you think of “new, new Twitter” and how will you use it to engage students, staff, and faculty alike?

Email can be a daunting task, especially if your inbox has hundreds (or dare I say thousands) of messages in it.  Achieving “Inbox Zero” is challenging, but not impossible.  Last year, I wondered how others had accomplished it and have worked hard to get my inbox under control.  I’ve managed to achieve a clean email inbox (both personal and professional) and keep it to less than 10 messages at any given time consistently. Having an unnecessarily large inbox not only creates undue stress, but it doesn’t reflect your actual productivity (and in some cases, lack of!)

Today, I hope to get you inspired to move towards a more manageable inbox.  Here are some email management tips and ideas that have worked for me this year. I hope that as 2012 begins in a few short weeks, you will be at zero!

1.  Your Inbox Is NOT A To-Do List, Your Tasks Are
Contrary to popular belief, your email inbox is not a to-do list.  While it may feel this way, your inbox is a communication tool. Emails are one-one or one-many communication pieces that inform, solicit help, or entertain.  Each garner some level of importance (perceived or real) and will require you to make judgment calls on what to respond to first. No matter how you determine importance, please realize that if it was truly urgent, you would get a phone call.  Email is simply a medium.

If an email requires an action item completed or thoughtful / researched feedback, flag (Outlook) or task (Gmail) these emails so they end up in your email Tasks List (your true email to-do list.)  Once you respond to and file away the other emails in your Inbox, then you can tackle your Tasks as you would any other to-do list.

2.  Filter CC and BCC Emails To Its Own Folder
In theory, the “CC” and “BCC” emails you receive are “for your information” only and do not typically require a response.  Because of this, filtering them out of your inbox into its own folder can help reduce your inbox clutter.  If you have a smartphone, an added bonus is that you won’t see these emails unless you search your mobile email folders to find them.  It is still your responsibility to follow up with these emails, so don’t forget about them!

While your at it, create filters (Gmail) or rules (Outlook) for other emails that come into your inbox from email subscriptions, listservs, certain people, or anything else that does not need your immediate attention.  If you need to learn this, there are a few great tutorials here for Outlook and Gmail.  Finally, remember to mark (not just delete) all spam email to reduce the chances of it hitting your inbox again.

3.  Filing and Archiving Old Email
After you’ve read and responded to an email, its important to get it out of your inbox and filed away using a few different methods.  If you’re using Outlook, the easiest is to create subfolders under your Inbox and file messages away in appropriate folders.  Another method is to create a “Read” email folder and file all your “read” emails in there and use the search bar to find emails you need retrieved.  In Gmail, using the Send and Archive feature in Gmail automatically archives emails once you respond, saving you a few clicks.

Other Email Recommendations

1.  If Replying To Email at Night, Send in the Morning
I’m not proud of this, but I still answer email on evenings and weekends.  While I think I’m “getting ahead” of the email pile, I was unknowingly creating expectations that I could not keep up with.  As I responded to these emails, half of them would also get responses so I was netting more emails than I originally started with!  While I still respond to emails at those times, I now save them as drafts and before sending them off in the morning.  When using Outlook, I simply schedule them for delivery between 9am and 10am.  Next step is to cut down on reading emails when I’m not in the office.

2.  Mobile Email Signatures
With more of us sending emails from mobile phones and tablets, its important to think about what your mobile email signature reflects.  For a while I thought it was great that emails from my mobile devices read, “Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Phone” or “Sent from my iPhone” or “Sent from my iPad”, but now, not so much.  Consider creating a new mobile signature that takes basic information from your general Outlook or Gmail signatures (e.g. Name, Institution, Email, Office Phone).  This is easily done in your mobile mail settings.  Emails with this signature style will blend in nicely with the content and frankly, do you really care what device the email came from?

3.  Attachments
Whether you or someone else is hosting a meeting, consider sending any handouts in electronic format (I recommend .PDF) ahead of time.  This way, those coming to the meeting can print out the material themselves, or read it on their mobile device.  To take this a step further, instead of attaching anything to an email, consider posting your documents to the cloud via DropBox or Google Docs.  Sharing a shortened link (e.g. http://bit.ly) to that file in an email will spare your recipients valuable inbox space.

4.  Meeting Requests
If you use Outlook for keeping your Calendar, consider sending out appointments for meetings, events, etc. from here instead of email. Often, I still find colleagues emailing me, “Ed, our meeting is scheduled for Friday, December 2 at 12pm in the Campus Center, room 202.”  After receiving this, I now have to open a new appointment in my calendar, fill in the attached info, and save it.  To streamline the process, open up a new Outlook Calendar appointment, fill in the appropriate information, then add any participants whom you are inviting.  They can then accept the meeting, which would automatically be added into their calendar, or decline it.

And finally, please do not hit Reply-All unless absolutely necessary. Seriously, I sometimes wonder if people just miss the Reply button by accident!

What are you favorite email management tips? How do you get to and remain at Inbox Zero?