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Social networking is a tool being explored by many institutions as a means of connecting to and communicating with students. This study explores whether or not students' use of social networking services (SNSs) has significant effects on social connectedness, college adjustment, academic engagement, and institutional commitment. Students' use of SNSs did not have significant negative effects on academic performance or engagement. Results suggested that students' use of SNS with students has a strong positive effect on their feelings of Social Connectedness. However, students' use of SNSs with faculty or staff was negatively related to feelings of social connectedness, even when age, enrollment status, credits earned, and college GPA were accounted for. Students' use of SNS or Traditional Technologies (e.g., university e-mail or course-based system) with faculty or staff was significantly positively related to levels of Academic Engagement. Students prefer to use SNSs to establish social connections with friends and family rather than for academic purposes. (Contains 9 tables.)

The widespread popularity of programs for first-year students is due, in large part, to studies showing that participation in first-year programs is significantly related to students' academic success. Because students choose to participate in first-year programs, self-selection effects prevent researchers from making causal claims about the outcomes of those programs. The present research examined the effects on first-semester grades of students participating in themed learning communities at a research university in the Midwest. Results indicated that membership in themed learning communities was positively associated with higher grade point averages, even after controlling for entering ability, motivation, gender, and first-generation/low-income status. However, when instrumental variables were introduced to account for self-selection, the effects of themed learning communities on grades were not statistically significant. The results have implications for campus leaders and assessment practitioners who are working to develop methods for understanding the effects of programs designed to enhance the undergraduate educational experiences on their campuses. (Contains 3 tables.)