The Impact of Cell Phone Use on Building Community

By Cheryl A. Barnard, Ph.D.
cheryl.barnard@quinnipiac.edu
Associate Dean of Student Affairs
Quinnipiac University

Posted: October, 2003 Student Affairs Online, vol. 4 no. 4 - Fall 2003

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Technology seems to be on my mind a lot lately.� I recently have found myself asking if it is a friend or foe.� This Summer I had the unfortunate experience of having a member of my family diagnosed with a terminal illness.� For the entire duration of this experience, my cell phone became my lifeline to the situation.� In fact, at one point I vividly remember my brother saying to me, �What would we have done during this if we weren�t able to talk to each other on cell phones.�� My answer was �I don�t know, but thank good we have them!�� Since this time, I have noticed that I am using my cell phone more, especially in my down time when I am either driving to and from work or waiting patiently for someone who is running late.��

Recent research proves that I am not the only one who has started to depend upon a cell phone more.� In a poll conducted at the end of 2000, by Cahner�s In-Stat Group, a market research firm, it was stated that there were 11 million cell phone users between the ages of 10 - 24 years of age and it is estimated that this demographic is expected to grow to 43 million by the year of 2004 (Barnes, 2000).� Some may say that this growth is in response to the 9/11 tragedy and the need for parents to feel that they have immediate access to their son or daughter, if necessary.� Teens themselves have indicated that they feel safer and more secure with a cell phone, especially while driving.� The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) confirms this fact with the startling statistic that there are approximately 156,000 wireless 911 calls made per day (CTIA, 2002). Whatever the cause for this growth by the youth of today, it certainly is a phenomenon we as University administrators can�t ignore.�

In the past month as I have welcomed the students back to campus, I have begun to wonder about the impact that cell phones have on the senses of community we are trying to build on campus.� I am sure that if you walk on any campus you will see the majority of students walking to and from classes while chatting on their cell phones.� Sometimes I ask myself, �Who could be so important that they need to call in the 5 minutes they have between their classes?�� Is it their parents?� Friends? Roommates?� Significant Other?� It certainly isn�t �911.��

Two years ago on my campus, we instituted a policy that during Orientation new students could only use their cell phones from 6:00 pm to Midnight.� The premise for this change in policy was that new students were spending more time talking to the people they already knew as opposed to the people who would be their future classmates.�� Unlike the days of old, today�s new students have no reason to search out the location of the pay phones on campus nor do they have the unexpected pleasure of waiting in line with other new students who are experiencing the exact same feelings.� Instead, they have the capability to instantly make calls home to friends to ease the uncomfortableness of being in a new place.�� Even worse, their parents, many of whom are more nervous than their children, have the ability to stay in constant contact to make sure all is going well.� These interruptions not only make it harder for Johnny and Suzy to connect with their classmates, it makes it difficult for the staff to set the foundation for the community we hoped would begin to form during this important transitional period.�

This Fall, as I watched my cell phone use increase, I truly began to worry that today�s students are no longer informally interacting on the stroll to and from class.� I remember back to my College Days (longer ago than I like to remember) and meeting new people and friends walking up the 180 steps from the Tree Dorms at Bentley College to the Classroom Buildings.� I can remember students yelling important news either up the stairs or down the stairs to friends as they passed.� Oftentimes this was the way you found out about events, gossip, etc.� Usually by the end of the first month, you started talking to the familiar faces next to you, even if you did not know them.� These casual interactions resulted in new people to sit with in the cafeteria, to study with or even to hang out with on the weekend.� So I guess my question is�Does cell phone use by college students diminish the �true� college experience?� Are students of today missing out on expanding their social group or connecting with others by foregoing the opportunity for such informal interaction?� If they left their phones in their rooms, would they feel more a part of campus?� I wish I had a solution, but unfortunately, my cell phone is ringing and I need to answer it!��

References

Barnes, C. (2000, December 19). Half of U.S. teens to own cell phones by 2004. CNET TECH NEWS. Retreived October 1, 2003 from http://news.com.com/2100-1040-250086.html?legacy=cnet&tag=st.ne.1002.thed.ni.

Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, (2002, May 22). Wireless emergency service calls near 156,000 per day, 108 per minute. Retrived October 1, 2003 from http://www.wow-com.com/news/press/body.cfm?record_id=1103.