Barnhart warns athletes about Facebook photos
Athletic director 'definitely not kidding,' athlete says
By: Tim Wiseman and Adam Sichko
Issue date: 1/30/06 Section: Campus News
The Kentucky Kernel (The University of Kentucky)
UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart gathered all of UK's student-athletes in Memorial Coliseum in a late-night meeting Wednesday and warned them about posting inappropriate photos on the Internet Web site Facebook.com.
Barnhart had been planning the meeting for a couple of weeks, said UK Athletics spokesman Scott Stricklin. UK has about 500 student-athletes, counting scholarship athletes and walk-ons, he said.
"This was not spur-of-the-moment," Stricklin said.
"He wanted to make sure they knew what was expected of them and that they understood what their responsibilities were as far as wearing the Blue and White," he said. "As much as there may have been problems, he wanted to make sure there weren't any problems, to make sure they know people are watching.
"He wanted to make sure he had their attention."
The Kernel first reported this story Friday afternoon on its Web site,
www.kykernel.com.
Facebook is a social network Web site that allows students, faculty and staff of colleges across the nation to post profiles and pictures, link themselves to "friends" and join social groups.
In its Dec. 9 issue, The Kernel reported how UK's administration has been using incriminating Facebook photos to convict students of alcohol-related violations.
"(Barnhart) had some things he shared with them to make sure they knew how he felt about it," Stricklin said. "He keeps pretty good tabs on what's going on, both good and bad."
Softball junior Brooke Marnitz said Barnhart's message carried a serious tone.
"He didn't give any specifics other than he can take away your financial aid or suspend you indefinitely," Marnitz said. "No matter what the coaches say, he said it's under his discretion.
"He made it seem like he was definitely not kidding around," she said.
Barnhart expressed concerns about the bad publicity that could result from misconduct displayed on the Internet, Marnitz said.
"I think some people, their conduct is not what it should be, and that upset him the most," Marnitz said. "He doesn't want the athletic department to become a headline. You see a lot of people jump on, 'Oh, an athlete did this.'
"He's just trying to protect the athletes, the school and the department," she said.
Student-athletes should respond to this warning, Marnitz said.
"I hope people take him seriously," she said. "I hope they open their eyes."
Gymnastics senior Staci O'Keefe said Barnhart told the student-athletes he doesn't want to ban their use of such Internet sites as Facebook.com.
"He just doesn't want anything portrayed that shouldn't be," O'Keefe said. "He told us to look at what's on the Internet, and if it's not representing UK well, then it shouldn't be out there."
O'Keefe said she doesn't think many people are having to make major changes.
"It's not like people are erasing everything," she said. "I'm not changing anything."
Stricklin said the meeting served as a reminder of the responsibilities that come with being a student-athlete at UK.
"Five hundred individuals between 18 and 22, there's always the need to remind all of them," Stricklin said.
"We have people who are monitoring these sites. So don't put anything up there you don't want us to know."