Some students may have seen it – and that’s what the university is hoping for.

Recently, Facebook displayed a Flyer ad for Winterim classes, that urged students to register for the term and “freeze (their) classes off.”

It’s true – Facebook is becoming another outlet for businesses looking to spread their information.

Mike Rindo, executive director of University Communications, said this was the first time Academic Affairs used Facebook to place such an ad.

“We put our toe in the water on this one,” he said. “(But), we’ve used online advertising in the past.”

Advertisements for Winterim courses have popped up in other places, too, such as signs on the city busses or ads in the Leader Telegram, Rindo said. University Communications works with Academic Affairs in creating advertisements for current students and with Admissions when marketing towards prospective students.

Connie Russell, associate registrar for Registration Services, said her job in the registration campaign is to send out two mass e-mails notifying current students of the details to registration. Usually she does this in October, she said.

Senior Michelle Heim said she has never taken a Winterim class, but has seen the advertising around campus for the session.

The success of the Flyer ad won’t be known until after registration for Winterim is complete, Rindo said. Even then, it’s hard to measure the effectiveness of one form of advertising.

“The reality is . we realized that there’s a lot of new media that current students and prospective students are using,” Rindo said, adding it’s just another way to get the university’s messages out there.

But, it seems the university may not have a chance to create another Facebook Flyer.

A Nov. 6 Facebook press release revealed the Web site’s plan for the new Facebook Ads, or Social Ads.

Just like a Facebook user, businesses can start with a blank canvas and add all the information and content they want, including photos, videos, music and Facebook Platform applications, according to the press release. Other applications have been created for the companies’ pages, such as the customers’ ability to book reservations, buy movie tickets or write reviews directly on the Facebook page.

This opens up Facebook to another string of networks, which Heim said makes her worried about her privacy.

“It’s probably not good because (Facebook) is part of our personal life,” Heim said, adding, however, she doesn’t pay that much attention to the advertising on Facebook anyway.

A Facebook search for Flyers showed that this form of advertising will be completely replaced by the Facebook/Social Ads.

Flyers Basic is no longer available for purchasing ads on Facebook, according to the press release. Self-serve advertisements are still available through Facebook Ads.

Facebook launched more than 100,000 new pages, according to the press release. The Ads included companies such as Fandango and iLike.