Franklin & Marshall College

Working from home retains its appeal
Lancaster Newspapers
March 31
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's recent decision to ban telecommuting has ignited a national debate about the benefits and drawbacks of the practice. Carol J. Auster, professor of sociology at Franklin & Marshall College, says, in part, that "telecommuting may not improve work-family balance as much as employees think." But if employees perceive telecommuting as a positive, "they tend to have higher work satisfaction" which leads to less employee turnover. 

What's so good about Good Friday?
Lancaster Newspapers
March 28
Writer Patrick Burns ponders the question of how Good Friday got its name. "It's a legitimate question, but nobody knows the answer," says Stephen A. Cooper, professor of religious studies at Franklin & Marshall College. There is a perception that it was originally referred to as "God's Friday," Cooper says. "It is suggested that "God" was extended to "Good," but no one is sure about this."

Learning While Doing
Independent School Magazine
Spring 2013
Were he around today, Shakespeare might describe the relationship between independent schools and liberal arts colleges as a "marriage of true minds," writes Franklin & Marshall College President Daniel R. Porterfield in this guest essay for the magazine's experiential learning issue. Both institutions teach, cultivate, and empower students for lives of meaning. Both emphasize intellectual rigor, faculty mentoring, creativity and higher-order thinking, holistic development, community, diversity, and the individuality of each student. These shared values may explain why liberal arts colleges like Franklin & Marshall College so actively recruit students from independent schools. 

The Good Book finds a good-sized television audience
Lancaster Newspapers
March 22
The History channel's miniseries "The Bible" has reached more than 68 million viewers, counting repeats on History and Lifetime channels, according to the website Multichannel News. Stephen A. Cooper, professor of religious studies at Franklin & Marshall College, said the high numbers for the show should not be a surprise. Whatever your take, Cooper said, there is a fascination with the Bible. Christians, who care how the Bible is presented, will tune in, as well as others who watch for other reasons. 

Spending billions to detect asteroids? The government's considering it (With Video)
CBS 21 News
March 20
Fronefield Crawford III, an associate professor of astronomy at Franklin & Marshall, weighs in on the government proposal to detect asteroids in the hope of preventing incidents such as the recent asteroid explosion over Russia. “These asteroids can be potentially very dangerous,” Crawford said, adding that future incidents could be more serious.

Why History Channel's 'The Bible' draws boffo ratings despite reviews (+video)
The Christian Science Monitor
March 18
Reviews of History Channel's "The Bible" are lukewarm at best, but the Easter-season series is scoring high ratings, pointing to what some call an overlooked appetite for religious storytelling. The show’s producers are quick to point out that they consulted a bevy of experts, some 40 in all ranging from scholars to archeologists. But religious historian Stephen Cooper, a professor of religion at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., says it is the very absence of such talking heads that makes this show appealing.

HIGHER EDUCATION TODAY-F&M College Prep (Video)
UDC TV
March 15
Host Steven Roy Goodman talks with F&M President Daniel R. Porterfield and Shawn Jenkins, Special Assistant to the Dean of the College for Strategic Projects, about F&M College Prep and other key College initiatives, including the loan relief program for the middle bracket, the Office of Student and Post-Graduate Development and a commitment to provide students with the resources they need to succeed before, during and after their experience at F&M.

Benefits of the College House System
Bisnow
March 14
Dozens of schools—including Baylor and Trinity College—have announced a switch to a college house (AKA residential college) system. Considering joining the ranks? You might look to Franklin & Marshall. It implemented the model in 2005, delivered a new college house in 2011, and Dean of the College Kent Trachte is seeing a significant impact.

From Multan to Philly, Umer Piracha found his calling
International Herald Tribune (Express Tribune)
March 12
For many, art in any form is an expression of one’s sentiments, thoughts and inhibitions. Whether it is the spoken word or a dance performance, artists have different ways of expressing themselves. Similarly, a boy from Multan found a way to express his thoughts in a land far away from his hometown. Umer Piracha left Pakistan in 2003 to go to Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania, where his journey through the liberal arts school allowed him to explore his love for music. With an inclination toward philosophy and an undying need to be practical, Piracha found himself majoring in business.

The Liberal Arts College as a Springboard to Opportunity
Huffington Post
March 12
Great colleges will respond to the evolving needs of 20-something searchers and help them launch well into opportunity and growth, writes Franklin & Marshall College President Daniel R. Porterfield in his latest blog post. Liberal arts colleges are especially well positioned to do so, because our students feel personally known, valued, challenged and supported by the educators who work here. That's why F&M has transformed the way it delivers what is traditionally called "career services" -- as part of our mission to provide a world-class liberal arts education that empowers students to pursue their goals and dreams for life.

Experience For Advisor Want-To-Bes
Financial Advisor
March 11
Student-managed investment portfolios are becoming more common at universities in this country and around the world. The University of Wisconsin has one of the biggest student-run fund programs as does the University of Minnesota. But only a handful of schools -- including Franklin & Marshall - have students managing money in socially responsible funds.

Frazier, Linn, F&M coach Robinson on state hall ballot
CBS 21 News
March 6
Former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, Olympic swimming gold medalist Jeremy Linn and Franklin & Marshall head basketball coach Glenn Robinson are among 26 candidates for induction into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. Robinson is the all-time wins leader in Division III college men's basketball.

The Papal Prayer Machine
Religious Dispatches
March 6
In the days following Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement that he would resign last month, the Catholic men’s organization the Knights of Columbus offered a novel way for the faithful to take part in their church’s transition from one leader to the next by posting their prayers on Twitter. Such uses of Twitter make it part of a long tradition of technology’s tendency to remake faith in its own image, according to F&M Associate Professor of Religious Studies John Lardas Modern, who’s writing a book on “prayer machines” ranging from the Catholic rosary to Scientology’s e-meter.

What is coworking?; How did we become so divided? (AUDIO)
WITF Radio Smart Talk
March 4
Stephen Medvic, associate professor of government and department chair at Franklin & Marshall College, talks with WITF's Scott Lamar about sequestration on Monday's edition of Radio Smart Talk about the federal budget sequester - the latest in a series of crises or cliffs that materialized because Democrats and Republicans can’t come together for the good of the country. The segment begins at the 24:53 mark.

If elected, Bryan Tate would be the third openly gay state lawmaker in Pennsylvania
York Daily Record
March 2
If Republican Bryan Tate were to win the 95th state House race, he would become the third openly gay lawmaker in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. In a Franklin & Marshall College Poll released in February, 52 percent of respondents said they favored allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally. "This, in 20 years, is not going to be an issue. The demographics are remarkable on this, with huge percentages of people from 18 to 35 in support of it," said F&M's Terry Madonna, who runs the poll.

Iroquois village once inhabited by Madame Montour unearthed
Wiliamsport Sun-Gazette
March 2
Digging in a farmer's field near the West Branch of the Susquehanna River has yielded proof of a long-lost Indian village once home to "Madame" Catherine Montour. Montour - celebrated traveling emissary who brought peace to American Indians and fur-trading settlers in the 18th century - has been recorded as living in Otstonwakin, a site in Loyalsock Township unearthed by a Mary Ann Levine, associate professor of anthropology at Franklin & Marshall College, and her students.

ABC Keystone members receive national recognition
Central Penn Business Journal
Feb. 22
Nine local contractors received national recognition from the Keystone Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. Companies were honored for outstanding construction projects of the past year as well as exemplary safety records include Witmer Masonry Inc. in Rapho Township, which received the Pyramid Award for exterior work on Franklin & Marshall College’s New College House.

Who's watching whom? 'Observing' the culture of surveillance at Phillips Museum
Lancaster Newspapers
Feb. 21
"On the Observing of the Observer of the Observers," now at the Phillips Museum of Art in the Steinman College Center, Franklin & Marshall College, is an exhibit in flux. The concept remains the same, but the execution varies, depending on what you do and who is there at the time. James Coupe, a former F&M postdoctoral fellow and the artist behind the multi-room installation, derives his theme from the line, "I am being observed," from the final entry in a character's diary in the Friedrich Durrenmatt novella, "The Assignment."

Cornel West brings provocative message to Franklin & Marshall College
Lancaster Newspapers
Feb. 21
Activist and scholar Cornel West told a packed gymnasium Thursday during a guest lecture at Franklin & Marshall College to resist violence in all forms, support the poor and downtrodden of all colors, creeds and genders, confront calamity and cherish every hour. West, who graduated from Harvard University, is a Princeton University professor emeritus and professor of philosophy and Christian practice at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He delivered his "The Struggle Continues" lecture as part of F&M's Common Hour event series.

Interview with Fronefield Crawford, Astronomer
Fox43 News
Feb. 15
In this segment, F&M astronomy Fronefield Crawford III talks about two unusual events: the meteor that exploded over Russia and the asteroid that passed by earth on Feb. 15. 

Pa. gov's transportation plan gets Senate hearing
Associated Press/NBCNews.com
Feb. 13
Pa. Gov. Tom Corbett's transportation secretary said Tuesday that he doesn't know how much of a proposed wholesale gas tax increase would borne by consumers, but he defended his boss' multibillion-dollar transportation funding plan as cheaper than the cost of sitting on congested roadways. In a Franklin & Marshall College poll taken Jan. 29 through Feb. 2, 82 percent of the people surveyed said the state should be spending more on roads and transit. But 47 percent said they would oppose a plan to raise taxes and fees, while 43 percent said they would support it.

Richmond Fed president: Bank bailouts bred instability
Central Penn Business Journal
Feb. 13
The Federal Reserve's bailouts of the financial system in 2007-09 did not help contain the crisis, but instead exacerbated it, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey Lacker said Tuesday in a speech delivered at his Lancaster alma mater, Franklin & Marshall College.

Fed's Lacker: Perception Government Will Bail Out Financial Firms Has Grown Since Crisis
Dow Jones Business News
Feb. 12
Belief that the government will bail out the financial sector has grown since the extraordinary rescue efforts during the 2008 financial crisis, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond said Tuesday. The Fed president, Jeffrey Lacker, said the most recent estimates by his staff show that at the end of 2011, 57% of financial sector liabilities benefit from perceived government support, up from 45% more than a decade ago. "In my view, this growth in government support for the financial sector is not sustainable," Mr. Lacker said in a speech at Franklin & Marshall College, which he attended as an undergraduate student. See Also: Related F&M News Story

Lacker says early Fed rescues made crisis worse
Reuters
Feb. 12
A top U.S. Federal Reserve official known for his vocal disagreement on policy said on Tuesday the central bank's early interventions in the financial crisis made things worse. "At the time of the August 2007 discount rate cut, I questioned the presumption that the markets were suffering from a problem for which increased Fed credit was the solution," Jeffrey Lacker, president of the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank, said in remarks prepared for delivery to students and academics at Franklin & Marshall College.

Fed’s Lacker Says Crisis in 2007 Worsened by Rescue Policy
Bloomberg
Feb. 12
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey Lacker said the financial system was weakened further as it began to fall into crisis in 2007 and 2008 by an “ambiguous rescue policy.” The Richmond Fed president has been one of the biggest critics of an expanded safety net which he says reduces market discipline and creates more risk by raising expectations of bailouts. Lacker made the comments during a speech at his alma mater, Franklin & Marshall College.

The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Feb. 10th, 2013
KPFK 90.7 FM
Feb. 10
Three guests including Bennett W. Helm, Professor of Philosophy at Franklin & Marshall join The Scholars’ Circle radio program to discuss questions such as what is love? Is it emotional? Biological? Can it be summarized by rational decision? How does it play out in society? Helm's books include, “Love, Friendship, and the Self: Intimate Identification and the Sociality of Persons,” and “Emotional Reason: Deliberation, Motivation, and the Nature of Value.”

An Open Letter to Mark Cuban
Huffington Post
Feb. 7
F&M President Daniel R. Porterfield takes on Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and and his claims in his Huffington Post column "Will Your College Go Out of Business Before You Graduate?", in which Cuban told high school juniors "the days of picking a school because that is the school you always wanted to go to are gone." Porterfield says, in part, "No, those days are not gone -- and we shouldn't wring our hands and tell today's 16-year-olds that they'll have to settle for a lesser education."

Governor Corbett’s Approval Rating Hits New Low In Latest Poll
CBS Philly
Feb. 7
Governor Corbett’s job approval ratings hit some record lows in a new poll released today by Franklin & Marshall College. According to poll director Terry Madonna, just 26-percent of those surveyed say Governor Corbett is doing an “excellent” or “good” job. “This is the lowest job performance for a governor – certainly the last two governors, Governors Ridge and Rendell – that the Franklin & Marshall College Poll has recorded,” said Madonna. The poll also shows what Madonna calls a “stunning” level of opposition – 64-percent – to the governor’s efforts to privatize the management of the Pennsylvania Lottery.

Squash and Schooling
The Wall Street Journal
Feb. 5
Franklin & Marshall is mentioned in this column about the Green StreetSquash Center in Harlem, which has a program that combines academic tutoring for middle- and high-schoolers with after-school squash. The program serves as a passport to college, with 100 percent of those who complete the group's College Access and Success program going to colleges including F&M. Of those who currently play squash at their colleges, two are at Franklin & Marshall.

Radio Smart Talk: Corbett budget analysis
WITF
Feb. 5
Gov. Tom Corbett has announced his $28.4 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.  As many expected, the plan addresses issues like pension reform, transportation infrastructure, and public education. Radio Smart Talk discusses the proposal with F&M'sTerry Madonna, director of the Franklin and Marshall College Poll, and others.

Barletta's opposition to 'path to citizenship' might be what voters expect, expert says
Times-Tribune
Feb. 3
Lou Barletta has fought for six years to stem illegal immigration and enforce existing federal immigration laws, first as the mayor of Hazleton and now as a second-term congressman. As many of his fellow Republicans soften their stance on immigration in reaction to Mitt Romney's tepid support from Hispanics in November, Barletta is doubling down. A "no" vote on an immigration reform compromise would fortify Barletta's bona fides within the anti-illegal immigration movement without costing him support or favor in the House of Representatives, F&M's Terry Madonna said. 

Investigation to Focus on Governor’s Handling of Penn State Abuse Case
The New York Times
Jan. 31
Pennsylvania’s new attorney general is set to name a special prosecutor in the coming days to investigate Gov. Tom Corbett’s handling of the Penn State sexual abuse case, specifically why nearly three years elapsed before criminal charges were brought. Corbett’s approval ratings are historically low for a first-term governor of his state. “I don’t think there’s any doubt” that Mr. Corbett’s handling of the case is “a contributing factor in his poor job performance” in polls, said Terry Madonna, who directs the Franklin & Marshall College Poll.

‘No Excuses’ Kids Go to College
Education Next
Jan. 31
Low-income black and Hispanic students are by far the least likely U.S. students to graduate from high school and attend a four-year college. But the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) and other organizations are teaching their students the "habits of mind" and steering them to colleges that are the right match to help them succeed. Franklin & Marshall was the first college to enter into a formal partnership with KIPP aimed at improving college persistence and graduation rates of KIPP alumni. Shawn Jenkins '10, special assistant to the dean of the college for strategic projects, explains "F&M College Prep," a precollege summer-immersion program. F&M President Daniel R. Porterfield is mentioned.

Pressure builds for schools to help grads get jobs
USA Today/Hechinger Report
Jan. 29
F&M is among a small group of colleges that have changed the focus of their career services offices to helping graduates find jobs, amid intensifying pressure that universities do more for students with debt after graduation. Beth Throne, associate vice president of student and postgraduate development at F&M, says t students and their parents expect "a return on their investment." F&M offers non-credit workshops to provide job-searching tips and drop-in hours for students to meet with career counselors. It has recruited 690 mentors from among parents and alumni, reinforcing the traditional networking process.

No Pain Too Deep: The Theatre for Transformation
WITF
Jan. 28
Amanda Kemp, F&M visiting scholar of Africana studies, discusses the Theatre for Transformation, which she founded in 2007, to explore her experiences as a teacher of cultural studies and her background in performance studies. "All of the work I do is about African-Americans, it's all about people who are on the margins," she said, adding that she hopes that people carry away the feeling that "there's nothing too difficult that can't be overcome or any pain too deep that can't be healed." The story is being broadcast several times today.

‘The Book of Why,’ by Nicholas Montemarano
The Washington Post
Jan. 28
In this review, F&M Associate Professor of English Nicholas Montemarano's latest book, "The Book of Why," is called "extraordinarily interesting." Montemaro, the reviewer says, "allows himself flights of fancy with words, and goes beyond the typical in exploring New Age themes.

Muslim comedian hopes to change world with laughs
Lancaster Newspapers
Jan. 27
Negin Farsad writes about the stuff of life — as she sees it. It's not her intent to be political; it's just kind of her lot in life. The New York City-based comedian, the daughter of Iranian immigrant parents, will perform Friday, Feb. 8, to conclude Franklin & Marshall College's Multi-Faith Week programming.

Moment of crossed paths is one for the history books
Lancaster Newspapers
Jan. 20
During the second inauguration of President Barack Obama on Monday, Obama will use a Bible that belonged to King, along with another that belonged to President Abraham Lincoln. The Bibles will be held by Michelle Obama, a descendant of a slave and now the first lady of a nation marking the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. F&M students Darrius Moore and Isaiah Cromwell, both officers in the College's Black Student Union discuss the historical significance of the nations' first black president being sworn into office for a second time.

The Enduring Ideals of Dr. King
Huffington Post
Jan. 18
F&M President Daniel R. Porterfield reflects on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. on the day the nation celebrates King's birthday. Growing up in Baltimore, Porterfield said, black and white children considered King a hero before and after his assassination in 1968, and King's influence continues today. "As an educator, I share Dr. King's belief that providing all with equal access to an empowering education is the essential investment a democracy makes in its people and its future," Porterfield says.

Dillerville rail yard to be split into 9 lots
Lancaster Newspapers
Jan. 16
The Lancaster city planning commission on Wednesday approved the subdivision of 28 acres of the Dillerville rail yard. The long, narrow tract has been used to park trains and switch rail cars for more than a century. The land and an adjoining tract are now slated for the $46 million future development of athletic fields for Franklin & Marshall College and educational facilities for Lancaster General Health, although formal plans have not been developed.

A helping hand from the East
The Balstrop Advertiser
Jan. 15
A group of student volunteers from Franklin & Marshall College were helping out last week in the continuing recovery in Balstrop, Texas, where a fire that began on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 4, 2011 destroyed more than 1,700 homes. F&M librarian Andy Gulati, the adult supervisor of the group, said students during an upcoming spring break will travel to the New Jersey shore to help victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Local leaders set goals for 2013
Lancaster Newspapers
Jan. 14
A three-person reporting team interviewed more than 30 Lancaster County leaders about their goals for the year, including F&M President Daniel R. Porterfield, who says 2013 "will be a year for celebrating citizenship and community as F&M strengthens our service to Lancaster."

Whistle-blowing tour stopping at F&M
Lancaster Newspapers
Jan. 13
The Government Accountability Project's American Whistleblower Tour will stop at Franklin & Marshall at 11:30 a.m. Thursday as part of the college's Common Hour series held in Mayser Gymnasium.

Nicholas Montemarano: Wishful Thinking
The Huffington Post
Jan. 10
F&M Associate Professor of English Nicholas Montemarano discusses his writing process and the inspiration behind his latest book, "The Book of Why," which is told from the perspective of a self-help author and inspirational speaker. Montemarano concedes his interest in self-help books and his complicated relationship with them, predates the idea for his novel.

Project at Lancaster's Central Market wins national honor
Lancaster Newspapers
Jan. 10
A comprehensive study that informed a $7 million renovation of Lancaster's Central Market has won the American Planning Association's 2013 National Planning Excellence Award for Urban Design. The plan's lead consultants are Linda Aleci, associate professor of art history at F&M, and her architect husband, Eugene.