E-Newsletter, June/July 2011
Dear Parents,
Franklin & Marshall’s Reunion Weekend in early June was such an exciting time! More than 1,000 alumni and their families returned to campus to renew bonds with classmates and professors. One of the enduring benefits of a Franklin & Marshall education is this network of friends and classmates that results from four years of studying, learning and growing together.
After the beginning of the fall semester on Wednesday, Aug. 31, the next big campus event is one that we really encourage parents to attend. Inauguration Weekend will be held on Sept. 23–25, 2011. Our traditional Family Weekend and Homecoming activities this year will be part of Inauguration Weekend, marking the official installation of our new president, Daniel R. Porterfield, Ph.D.
The schedule for the weekend and registration materials will be sent to you in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I suggest that you go ahead and make your hotel reservations (ask for the Franklin & Marshall rate). Two good sources of accommodation information are:
Enjoy the warm summer weather.
All the best,
Each year, the entire F&M community eagerly awaits news regarding the incoming first-year class. Thanks to your help with word-of-mouth marketing, we have had an extremely successful admission year. Here’s a first look at the terrific Class of ’15:
- F&M received more than 5,000 applications for the 600 openings, a 3 percent increase over last year.
- The College admitted 38 percent of this year’s applicants.
- The average SAT (reading and math) score of the Class of ’15 is 1,318, up from 1,306 last year.
- First-generation college students make up 13 percent of the class, about the same as last year.
- There is an increase in the geographic diversity of applicants, especially students from California.
- In terms of ethnic diversity, U.S. students of color make up 16 percent of the class, up from 13 percent last year.
- International students make up 13 percent of the Class of ’15, compared with 10 percent last year. The largest numbers of international students come from China, India, Vietnam, Korea and Ghana.
- 13 percent of the Class has a legacy connection to the College, up from 11 percent last year.
Please continue to refer bright young people to F&M!
Each summer, Franklin & Marshall alumni, current families and friends gather at regional Send-Off Parties to welcome our newest students and their families to the F&M community.
For new students and their families, Send-Off Parties are a fun, relaxing way to meet other new F&M families, as well as alumni, current students and parents. Attendees make new friends and enjoy a taste of what the Franklin & Marshall community is all about.
Current students and parents play an important role in welcoming our new students and their parents and in helping them prepare for their Franklin & Marshall experience. Sharing your fond memories and knowledge of F&M is a gift to our new student families.
Send-Off Party Dates and Locations
Please follow the link above and register soon. Final details will be sent to you by email a week prior to the event.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law intended to protect the privacy of students’ educational records. Under FERPA, college students have control over their educational records. While parents held these rights on behalf of their children during elementary through high school, this law transfers the rights directly to students when they turn 18.
Colleges must have written permission from the student in order to release information from a student's education record. This means parents may not call the College and request records without written consent from their students.
At Franklin & Marshall, we partner with parents in meaningful ways that benefit students. In emergency situations, we do not hesitate to contact parents, and we automatically contact parents in the case of certain disciplinary infractions. In non-emergency situations, however, we must abide by this privacy law.
Many parents say it is essential to maintain an open dialogue with their students regarding academic progress and financial responsibilities. Beyond that, students who want their parents to have access to private information must sign a release form in the Dean’s Office, the Registrar’s Office or with their College House prefect.
Franklin & Marshall College is one of several schools noted in a recent U.S. News and World Report article* for offering vegetarian dining options and courses to their students. According to sources quoted in the article, the proportion of college-aged vegetarians is on the rise. A Bon Appetit Management Company survey from 2009-2010 puts the number at approximately 12 percent, while Goucher University in nearby Baltimore reports that approximately 30 percent of their students say they are vegetarian.
At F&M, the main student dining area, the Restaurants at Ben Franklin, includes several special cooking and serving stations that provide a nutritious and appetizing variety of foods. One of the most specialized of these stations is KIVO. The acronym stands for Kosher, International, Vegan, Organic. It is the place for students who want kosher meals, vegan dishes or strictly organic produce. KIVO is Star-K Kosher certified, meaning all of its products meet strict kosher dietary law, supervised by an on-site, full-time manager who is trained and certified in kosher dietary practices.
Authentically prepared international dishes are also available here, as are gluten-free meal options. Menus change daily to reflect seasonal fresh ingredients. And in case your student has any nut allergies, the entire Restaurants at Ben Franklin dining area is a Nut-Free Facility.
Other dining options include Pandini’s in the Steinman College Center and Jazzman’s Café next to the bookstore in Distler House. Pandini’s offers handmade gourmet pizza, pastas, grilled sandwiches and salads. Jazzman’s Café is the campus coffee shop, serving a variety of hot and iced coffees and teas, made to order. The café also carries a variety of sandwiches, salads, yogurts and pastries.
All of these dining options are available to students with F&M campus meal plans. More information regarding dining options and special dietary needs can be found at www.fandmdining.com.
*Katy Hopkins. "Colleges that offer Courses, Choices for Vegetarians," U.S. News and World Report, 7 June, 2001. <www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/06/07/colleges-that-offer-courses-choices-for-vegetarians?>
Answer: Associate Dean David Stameshkin, prefect of Bonchek College House, provides some pointers for parents:
- Remember that you want them to grow up and leave the nest. College is a great time for students to become independent and navigate the world by themselves, to fight their own battles and to solve their own problems (with your advice and support, and the advice and support of others, of course.)
- Most of the time, they just want you to listen and/or to be supportive.
They may at times sound forlorn, sad and lost. Be sympathetic, be understanding. Be an active listener. Urge them to talk to their professor (or coach or roommate or prefect) about the matter. Do not volunteer to talk with the coach, professor, roommate, etc., for them. - They sometimes experiment with their identities. Don’t freak out.
"What do you mean you’re not going to be a doctor?" "You don’t want to play in the orchestra, after we paid thousands for flutophone lessons?" "What is this bill from a tattoo/piercing parlor?" (See first point.) - Choosing a particular major is not as important as you may think.
American business leaders did not all major in Business. Liberal arts students learn how to read, think and write critically. A liberal arts education prepares them to be lifelong learners and handle complex issues in a variety of fields. - You are paying a lot of money for them to attend this school. Try to encourage them to take advantage of what you are paying for.
Recommend that they visit the Career Services Office, Counseling Services Office, Writing Center, Off-Campus Study Office, academic adviser, and, of course, their prefect. - Show you are interested and knowledgeable about what’s happening at F&M. Subscribe to The Diplomat and The College Reporter. Read President Porterfield’s emails and tweets, check out the F&M website periodically and come to campus.
Though the academic year ended last month, development efforts are in full swing through the last week of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2011. Each year, parents are a critical part of the College’s fundraising success. Your gift to the Franklin & Marshall Fund contributes to the quality of educational programs at the College and ensures the enduring value of your student’s diploma. All gifts are valued and appreciated.
Thank you to the 939 parents who have contributed more than $638,788 to the Franklin & Marshall Fund to date. There is still time to join the list of generous parent donors!
Visit our secure on-line site to make a gift by June 30 or contact Maura at or 717-291-3888 to discuss ways you can show your support.
