I think this is a problem more on the faculty side than the student side. Students have proven that they’re more than willing to adopt new services if it helps

I think this is a problem more on the faculty side than the student side. Students have proven that they’re more than willing to adopt new services if it helps them become more efficient communicators. Facebook and Twitter are examples of that. Ultimately, it’s up to school staff to decide which platforms the institution as a whole should adopt. That’s where things can be lacking across all higher ed universities, not just HBCUs. There are some HBCUs, like Hampton University, that recognize the potential of technology on a campus. My company, Localist.com, is working with Hampton to help engage their students more on campus by offering a social calendar system. It plugs into all the services students already use (Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare), but provides the much-needed school context. We’re going to be launching in the next couple weeks! Anyway, like I said, I think the issue of students not engaging enough is a problem at the staff level. Students have already figured out how to solve the issue.