Do University Staff Read This Blog? Go Undercover As Students?

[GradSchoolGrad]

In something else regarding advice giving I do, I caught a University staff pretending to be a student in order to gather information. This has made me wonder on do you think:

1. University staff read this and utilize this forum to any degree?
 

2. Ever caught or suspect a University staff participate in this or pretend to be a student?
*I have encountered Student Ambassadors and Alumni Ambassadors but I don't count them as staff. 

Edited May 11, 2020 by GradSchoolGrad

[Sigaba]

On 5/11/2020 at 9:30 AM, GradSchoolGrad said:

1. University staff read this and utilize this forum to any degree?

Yes.  Faculty and staff come to the Grad Cafe. The reception of the guidance they provide is often hostile.

[Modulus]

I was called out (just gentle teasing) by my mentor who was able to identify me on here when browsing. This faculty member's impression is that some faculty might glance on here--especially if they have given informal interview offers with strict instructions not to pass widely--but very few would spend any significant amount of time here.

I know for sure that there is at least one DCT on here for a clinical psychology program. I won't call them out, but they are clear about their role and position and are not pretending to be a student.

[Sigaba]

9 hours ago, Modulus said:

but very few would spend any significant amount of time here.

With Google Alerts, faculty, staff, and other interested parties don't need to spend much time here.

[Artifex_Archer]

I'm sure it happens, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Obviously you don't want to be too self-disclosing—just general internet advice, really—but think about it this way: Professors don't have oodles of time to trawl the GC forums, and admissions committees have a much easier time identifying applicants by checking their social media profiles than they do scrolling through one anonymous post after another and cross-checking those posts with the information in applicants' files. The opportunity costs are way too high, and the payoff is dubious at best.

[GradSchoolGrad]

13 minutes ago, Artifex_Archer said:

I'm sure it happens, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Obviously you don't want to be too self-disclosing—just general internet advice, really—but think about it this way: Professors don't have oodles of time to trawl the GC forums, and admissions committees have a much easier time identifying applicants by checking their social media profiles than they do scrolling through one anonymous post after another and cross-checking those posts with the information in applicants' files. The opportunity costs are way too high, and the payoff is dubious at best.

I am not so much concerned by professors (agree with you on opportunity costs) per se but admissions offices with time on their hands. 

[Artifex_Archer]

50 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

I am not so much concerned by professors (agree with you on opportunity costs) per se but admissions offices with time on their hands. 

I see. Even so, I still think the answer is 'it's unlikely,' for the reasons described... And I'm afraid I'm showing my ignorance here, but in my experience, it's the professors who make up, and make, the major calls on grad school adcomms—not general admissions officers. This may not apply to all fields, though.

[GradSchoolGrad]

7 hours ago, Artifex_Archer said:

I see. Even so, I still think the answer is 'it's unlikely,' for the reasons described... And I'm afraid I'm showing my ignorance here, but in my experience, it's the professors who make up, and make, the major calls on grad school adcomms—not general admissions officers. This may not apply to all fields, though.

I think you are referring to PhD programs, which you are absolutely correct. I think a professor is assigned for recruiting/admissions (or at least to lead it). For master's programs (especially bigger ones that are considered terminal degrees) they have admissions teams where there are a lot of resources available.