Facebook page “UNBF and STU Confessions and Compliments,” is set to shut down amid a legal inquiry spurred by alleged harassment on the page. The announcement came Wednesday night, but administrator Matt Kelly said the page can take up to 14 days to be removed from the Web. He said no new posts will be made in that time, though commenting may continue.
St. Thomas University began working with law firm Cox & Palmer to explore its options to stop the harassment, after a student emailed UNB and STU administrators last week.
St. Thomas spokesman Jeffrey Carleton said a number of posts on the page represent a violation of the school’s student code of conduct, and its harassment and discrimination policy.
It is unclear whether the school will continue to pursue the matter.
“We have small campuses and everyone knows who is being targeted by these posts,” said Carleton. “This person [who sent the email] felt that there was bullying taking place on the site and felt that the administration should step in and do something about it.”
The page gained over 1,300 “likes” since it’s October inception, though a large minority of the posts sexually harass individuals, and many other posts are discriminatory or otherwise incendiary statements.
One post described someone mentioned by name as a “hot piece of ass.” Another told a female student she had a “nice chest.”
These examples and many others could fall under “personal/psychological harassment,” outlined in the harassment policy as, “repeated and hostile or unwanted conduct, verbal comments, actions or gestures, that affects an individual’s dignity… and that results in a harmful work or learning environment for that individual.”
The University of New Brunswick has been in contact with Kelly, a UNB student, and STU has been working with them to address their issues with the page. The confessions page has recently made an effort to filter new posts, after initially stating they would remain uncensored.
Carleton said last November the administration of Facebook page “Spotted at STU,” was approached to take the STU logo and word mark off the page and to filter its content. The school was satisfied with its changes, but feels further action is now needed because cyberbullying is, “continuing to be an issue.”
St. Thomas’ harassment and discrimination policy makes clear that it is applicable to electronic messages between students, as well as all other contact on and off campus.
“What was particularly concerning was that it was anonymously targeting people, but also people who would comment on an anonymous post were being identified as well,” Carleton said.
