LONDON
For students at the University
of Oxford, Facebook is a great way
to keep posted on gossip and parties. For university authorities, it’s a way to
find and fine troublemakers.
After exams,
students at the historic English university traditionally drop their serious
ways and indulge in a spasm of “trashings” — rowdy revels that include getting
covered in foam, eggs and flour by their classmates.
In recent years,
students have taken to posting photos of the mess on the social networking site
Facebook.com.
Martin
McCluskey, president of the Oxford University Student Union, told The
Associated Press today that disciplinary officers at the 800-year-old
university began e-mailing and fining students whose Facebook profiles
contained pictures of trashings. The fines range from approximately $80 to
$200.
McCluskey sent
e-mails to all members warning them that they are being spied upon.
“It’s fairly
disgraceful and underhand,” he says. “Disciplinary procedures are supposed to
be transparent.”
