By JULIE MILLER

Associate Editor

Last Thursday, students woke up to some exciting news in their e-mail inboxes.

The Facebook, a college networking site created by Mark Zuckerberg, a former student of Harvard, added Tech as one of its newest schools to the network of over 450 colleges.

"I was ecstatic," Jill Rowlett, a senior political science major, said. "All of my friends [from other schools] have been talking about it for a long time, and I was jealous of them for having it."

Rowlett said she felt like she was part of the exclusive club when Tech was finally added to the site.

Those who register at http://www.thefacebook.com are asked to make a profile which includes information like residence hall location, political views and relationship status. Members can also upload a picture of themselves in the profile. The site allows students to find their friends from Tech and other participating colleges.

Students can message their friends or "poke" them to get their attention. There is also an electronic wall where friends can leave messages for everyone that goes to the profile to see.

"I check it probably about three times a day," Rowlett said. "The first day I checked it about every hour." Rowlett said she thinks the site will bring the campus closer.

"It's so much easier to find people you have stuff in common with," she said. "The population of Tech is now at your computer screen."

Rowlett has had about 12 people she did not know ask to be her Facebook friend.

"If they're really sketchy, I'll probably reject them," she said. "But, I think it's great to meet new people."

Rowlett created seven groups on the Tech network including "Dr. Pepper Is Wayyy Better Than Coke," "People from Shreveport," and "I love Ian Richards," which has 17 members.Ê

"There isn't a day that goes by that Ian hasn't made me laugh," she said. "That's why I started the club.

Ian Richards, a senior marketing major, said he thought it was very funny.

"I never knew I had that many fans," he said. Rowlett convinced Richards to join Facebook, and although he was reluctant at first, he said he is addicted now.

"It looks like I've been checking it every day now," he said. "I've been meeting a lot of new friends."

Richards said he has seen a change on campus since Facebook arrived.

"I sit in the student activities office in Tolliver and every time I look up, people are looking at Facebook. It's growing popular among students," he said.

The first day Facebook opened to Tech, over 200 students had joined. As of press time, one week later, more than 1,000 were members.

"This is the most happening Web site at Tech," Richards said. "Maybe even in America É"