The current generation of college students is wired into online communication, and a new study says the Internet makes coordination easier for groups.
A survey by the Pew Research Center shows group communication through the Internet is more effective in organizing events, meetings and information for members.
Tools like e-mail and social media have helped groups increase participation and achieve goals, as well as help people find organizations that share their common interests, according to the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project.
Fifty-nine percent of all Americans said the Internet has a major impact on the ability of groups to organize activities, compared to 65 percent of just Internet users, according to the survey. Fifty-three percent of the online Americans active in groups say the Internet has had a major impact on their ability to keep up with news and information about their groups.
The Office of Academic Affairs, Office of Communications and University Relations and the Office of the Chancellor utilize Internet communication to inform students of relevant campus and safety information.
Using different methods, like e-mail, Facebook and Twitter, the University is able to keep students up-to-date with accurate and fast information.
With the viral capability to spread information, social media is perfect for getting messages out, said Kristine Calongne, assistant vice chancellor for communications.
“We’ll put everything from budget cuts to athletic news on Facebook — all kinds of things that we think would be interesting to people. LSU has one of the most popular Facebook pages of any university — I believe it’s second in the nation,” Calongne said.
The Broadcast Center can get a message out to the student population in about 30 minutes, which is convenient and effective in an emergency situation, but all messages need to be concise and relevant so students don’t ignore them, said Stephenie Werline, assistant to the vice provost for Academic Affairs.
“We want to be respectful in sending out messages,” Werline said. “You are receiving the messages that are critical and important enough to use the broadcast function, but we don’t want to bombard inboxes.”
The Internet is an amazing tool, but it is still the responsibility of a group or organization to create interesting content and events, Calongne said.
“It’s definitely helpful to get the word out to more people,” Calongne said. “That’s what the Internet does, is help us to reach more people. But you still need to have a good event to get people to show up.”
Student Government is one University organization using the Internet to connect with students.
Facebook and broadcast e-mails are two ways SG spreads information, said SG President J Hudson.
“Facebook is great because you don’t have to go searching for information: It pops up on the news feed,” Hudson said. “And e-mail, of course, is a primary form of communication we use at Student Government.”
SG also uses electronic communication in the form of screen savers in computer labs, access screens in the Student Union and the SG website.
“Everything now is replacing old with new,” Hudson said. “I don’t think Student Government would be able to do many things if it weren’t for Internet communication.”
Individuals also use social media to organize smaller personal events.
Lauren Noel, accounting sophomore, said Internet communication is useful for organizing school work.
“E-mail is awesome for group projects,” she said. “I can work with other group members without having to talk to them on the personal level of a text message.”
 
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Contact Morgan Searles at [email protected]