Franklin & Marshall College is a scholarly community whose aim is to create an environment for human learning. Toward this end, students and faculty working together in close relationship pursue not only knowledge but also wisdom. In their mutual devotion to intellectual discovery, each stimulates the other. The prerequisite for the continuing success of this endeavor is academic freedom—the freedom to teach and learn. As full members of the College community, therefore, students, like faculty, are encouraged to develop their capacity for critical judgment and to engage in a sustained and independent search for truth. The rights, freedoms and responsibilities of students outlined below are essentials for the realization of this goal.

Academic freedom depends for its vitality upon appropriate conditions in the classroom, on the campus and in the larger community. The responsibility to secure and maintain these conditions is shared by students, faculty and administration. 

Handbook Article

In the Classroom

Members of the Franklin & Marshall College faculty, in the classroom and in conference, are expected to encourage free inquiry. Student performance is to be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not...

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Student Records

 Franklin & Marshall College has a policy of maintaining academic, disciplinary, health and financial records for its students. The recording of such information is necessary to protect the rights of...

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Student Participation in Governance

Franklin & Marshall College observes a form of collegial responsibility in the governance of academic and other campus affairs. The College encourages student participation in campus governance,...

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Engagement with the Academic Process

It is the expectation of the College that an enrolled student will remain fully engaged with their academic program. If a student fails to meet their academic requirements (class attendance;...

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Other College Policies

Residency and College House Guidelines All regularly enrolled first- and second-year students, except approved commuting students* who live at home or with a legal guardian within a 50-mile radius,...

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Residential Life

Room Changes Room changes can be made only with the approval of the House Dean, in the case of special interest housing the Housing Office. In most cases, room changes are not allowed during the...

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Withdrawals and Leaves of Absence

The federal government prescribes the treatment of Title IV aid in the event a student withdraws. At Franklin & Marshall, all leaves of absences, whether informal or formal, are treated as...

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Class Absence and Short Term Leave Policies

Class Absence Notification Policy The Student Wellness Center (SWC) recognizes that students are responsible for adhering to professors’ attendance policies and that only faculty members can excuse...

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Non-Smoking Policy

In order to promote the health and safety, comfort and well-being of all members of the College community, Franklin & Marshall prohibits smoking: inside all buildings on campus, including...

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Parking and Motor Vehicles

General Statement Bringing a car to campus is a privilege, not a right. Operation of a personal car is not a requirement of any College program, and students bring and operate cars at their own...

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