Internet Profiles

More than ever, people are learning and meeting others online through sites like FaceBook and MySpace. Individuals will create profiles detailing their likes/dislikes, pictures of friends, and get acquainted with people they would have never met in person. Chapters are also using these profiles to recruit new members or give reports on service and leadership in their communities.

Using these sites as a 'face' for yourself or your chapter can certainly open doors, we must still be responsible for what is posted on these sites. The National Office has recently revealed that on random searches, several chapters were found misrepresenting themselves as the Fraternity as a whole, posting compromising images of Brothers, and other irresponsible profiles.

Even at the individual level, many employers now include web searches as part of their interview/recruitment process. Bryon Glock, our Section 53 Treasurer and a member of Western Michigan University staff, has changed his mind on hiring someone after finding negative and/or irresponsible profiles even after successful interviews. The time each of us has put into our studies and service obligations is worth too much to be deemed worthless after seeing an accidental picture on the Internet.

It is said that bad news travels further faster than good news. With that said, chapter profiles need to be examined as well for how well they are being portrayed on the Internet. There are chapters presently being investigated because of their use of Internet profiles. Some chapters are even having their charters reviewed as a the result of detrimental information posted on web pages.

From the perspective of the National Fraternity, here are a few things to watch for when you are creating a profile for your chapter:

• When naming your profile, be sure to include your chapter name in the title rather than the generic "Alpha Phi Omega". None of our chapters can claim the name of "Alpha Phi Omega", but should be specific to each chapter: "Alpha Phi Omega - Nu Beta Chapter" or "Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega".
• When posting pictures, please make sure that only Brothers are wearing letters. Also, be sure that none of the pictures are portraying anyone in a demeaning or compromising manner. Examples: drunkenness, sexually explicit poses would be inappropriate, even in the 'friendship' category.

With a little common sense and forward thinking, Internet profile pages can lead to new friends, greater influence in your community, larger membership, greater communication with alumni, and a source of pride for you and your chapter.

Last Edited: Sunday February 04, 2007
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