We're also getting into message boards, since that's a really good way for people to discuss what matters to them, often as simple as recommendations for local stuff like a good restaurant or dry cleaner. With some luck, we hope to use board software, which makes it really obvious that you're conversing with people, not just posting messages. That means that when you're looking at a thread of conversation, you see who's participating, with profiles that might include their face, a name, maybe a neighborhood. While Craig has not taken his community concept to the halls of academia , parallels can be drawn between craigslist.org and institutions of higher education's attempts to develop community. For example, student affairs professionals currently seek to open and maintain lines of communication with undergraduates and help them feel more connected to the campus environs.
Administrators seek students' opinions and recommendations about campus policies and procedures.
These features, along with others of craigslist.org, provide a roadmap for initiating online communities. By embracing the concepts and design features of the site, a blueprint is now available for student affairs practitioners to begin construction.