These sessions, which begin Sunday, will brief students about the dangers of giving out too much personal information on sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Typically, members of online networking communities post their bios, blogs, photos and contact information there.
"Our main concern is privacy. We want to increase students' awareness of the potential perils of disclosing too much personal information online," said Dedra Chamberlin, UC Berkeley manager of residential computing.
Millions of college and high school students belong to online communities, posting information that can include intimate details from journals, suggestive photos, addresses and phone numbers. Authorities say this information can be exploited by cyberstalkers and other predators. Employers and police have also been known to patrol these sites for background checks and detective work.
At least 6,000 students moving into the campus's residence halls are expected to sign up for in-room Internet service. The hour-long workshops will be held Sunday, Aug. 20, through Wednesday, Aug. 23, and target incoming freshmen and transfer students.
Most students who live in graduate or year-round housing have already received their Internet connections and are not required to attend the workshops. Approximately 8,000 people live in campus housing at UC Berkeley, including graduate students and faculty members.
The social networking briefings are the latest addition to the Cal Connect residential computing service workshops for incoming students. They are part of Move-in Weekend (Aug 19-20) and Welcome Week (Aug. 21-25), when thousands of students attend workshops, lectures, tours and receptions offered by some 100 campus departments. Classes begin Monday, Aug. 28.
UC Berkeley expects a total of 33,650 students to enroll for the fall semester, including 4,200 freshmen, 2,000 new transfer students and 2,775 new graduate students.
The Cal Connect orientations will be held at various residence hall recreation rooms and computing centers and are led by residential computing staff members. A 20-minute video outlining the perils of disclosing personal information online will include sketches demonstrating how the authors of online profiles are frequently imposters.
Other Welcome Week highlights include:
- Fall Convocation: Monday, Aug. 21, 3:45-6 p.m. All new freshman, transfer and extension students are invited to hear from Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and enjoy a picnic dinner. Memorial Glade.
- Chancellor's Receptions for New Undergraduates: Tuesday, Aug. 22, through Thursday, Aug. 24, 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. University House.
- Sunset at the Campanile: Tours open to new students, Tuesday, Aug. 22, and Thursday, Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
- Office of Student Life Open House: Wednesday, Aug. 23, 3-5 p.m. Meet Genaro Padilla, vice chancellor for student affairs, and Jonathan Poullard, UC Berkeley's new dean of students. 102 Sproul Hall.
- Calapalooza, an activity and resource fair for UC Berkeley students, Thursday, Aug. 24, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Memorial Glade.
- Caltopia, a college lifestyle festival, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 25-26, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Events include Caltopia Idol talent show, Thursday, Aug. 24, 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Recreational Sports Facility on Bancroft Way.
- Late-Night Options, alcohol-free, admission-free events open to all students:
- Sunday, Aug. 2: Screen on the Green movies, 8 p.m.-midnight, Memorial Glade
- Tuesday Aug. 22: Greek Carnival, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Lower Sproul
- Thursday, Aug. 24: Residence Hall Assembly Dance and Casino night, 9 p.m.-12:30 p.m., Pauley Ballroom and Martin Luther King Student Union
- Friday, Aug. 25: Rip the Runway fashion show, 8 p.m.-midnight, Lower Sproul; Noche de Salsa, 8 p.m.-1 a.m., Rochdale Village, Haste Street