How to build a simple Web site
Creating a simple Web site is easy to do, and starting a blog is even easier. A blog is probably all you need if you just want to be able to post updates and photos. A variety of services exist that will allow you to set up a blog for free; one is Blogger.com.
For sites that will be larger, or permanent, or need a more complicated architecture, Web space is easy and cheap to buy, and many Web hosting services supply templates that you can, to a limited extent, personalize. A couple of well-known Web hosting services are Yahoo and GoDaddy; you can find comparisons and reviews for many more at CNET.com. Even if your university offers you Web space, it is often a good idea to have your Web site hosted independently. This is true especially if you may end up criticizing the administration. Even if relationships are good now, if the university hosts the site the university ultimately controls the site.
How to use existing sites
Existing social-networking and video-sharing sites can be extremely helpful in spreading the word about financial crises and building coalitions, perhaps especially if you are reaching out to students as well as faculty. For such such sites, you need to create an account and can then post information, photos, and/or videos. On social networking sites such as Facebook, you can create a group that other Facebook users can join.
Some examples of academic activism on the Web:
A video about part-time faculty at CUNY
Marc Bousquet’s YouTube channel, which features dozens of video interviews with academics about academic labor issues
Facebook group (students, faculty, and others) devoted to fighting for funding for Tennessee’s public institutions
Sign up for Facebook.
Sign up for YouTube.
(4/15/09)