Even though faculty members are making an effort to reach out, students are more likely "to friend" deans.

When asked how deans react to students "friending" them, Neigeborn said "Students do friend me and I'm always excited when it happens. I never friend students unless I talk to them about it first."

She added, "I don't want students to feel pressured because of my position as a dean. Facebook is a social environment and I don't want to cramp anyone's style. I'd definitely friend you back if you asked and I'd read your profile and try to come up with something to put on your wall. I wouldn't make a habit of it, just once as a way of letting you know that I'm happy to know you."

By now, I bet almost everybody knows somebody who has joined a social networking Web site like MySpace.com, with more than 90 million members, or Facebook.com, a college-based Web site that has become a high-school favorite, too. That means most people probably also know that ''friend'' is no longer just a noun, but a verb, one that entails minimal exertion: ''to friend'' a person involves an exchange of mouse clicks, one to request a spot on someone's (often very lengthy) list of people granted access to his or her online profile, and a click in response to accept the petitioner.

This week s procrastination buzz comes out of Fairfield, where the school was recently added to The Facebook [www.thefacebook.com], a Web site that is oddly addictive considering how simple it really is. Students post profiles of themselves, go on a frenzy looking for friends on the system, and friending them on the site. If their friend does the same friending process, they're listed on each other's profiles.