Margaret Hazlett mhazlett@fandm.edu
Tue, Jun 9, 4:48 PM
Hello, Franklin & Marshall students,
These are challenging days as we engage in our communities around racial injustices, care for ourselves and family members as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and bring structure and purpose to a summer that has been upended for numerous reasons. My student affairs colleagues and I also know there is great interest by students, faculty and professional staff about F&M’s fall semester. I write today to share the work underway and invite your feedback and participation in the planning.
Move-Out Complete
Our campus residence halls closed May 10, with 185 students moving out to head home or to other locations around the country. We then launched an 18-day move-out process to help close to 1,000 students gradually and systematically return to collect their belongings or have them packed, shipped or stored for the summer. The in-person move-out ended last week; now we are going through the residence halls to ensure that all belongings have been removed and their owners have a plan for summer storage.
This was a significant undertaking. Thanks to all students and family members who were able to return. Your patience and consideration were a wonderful testimony to our commitment to a supportive community. I also want to thank the Office of Housing and the College House administrative staff for organizing and implementing the move-out, as well as the more than 20 student affairs staff volunteers, including house deans, coaches, and staff members from the Office of Student and Post-Graduate Development and the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership, who welcomed back and assisted students and family members as they retrieved their belongings.
How You Can Help Us Plan for Fall
Whether classes are in person or not this fall, we know that the upcoming semester will be different as we navigate a new term with COVID-19 protocols in place and with a shared responsibility for health and safety. The College will continue to follow guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pennsylvania Department of Health as we plan to re-open and eventually allow employees and students to return.
In student affairs, we have identified several areas that we know need our especially thoughtful consideration as we prepare for fall. We are creating eight working groups to examine those areas; in addition to student affairs staff, the members will be faculty and student volunteers. We hope you will get involved! Working group topics are:
*orientation
*housing
*community development, including student engagement and the College House system
*diversity, equity and inclusion
*wellness
*athletics
*student conduct processes
*student social life
We will work closely with the Diplomatic Congress on these initiatives, and are seeking student volunteers from across campus to serve. Look for an email from Dean Colette Shaw soon with details about how you can volunteer. A survey will be sent to you later this week; it is the first phase of seeking your feedback about your online experience this spring. Your input will be solicited throughout the summer in different forms as we creatively rethink our Franklin & Marshall experience during this pandemic period.
This fall at F&M is going to be like no other! I am excited by the opportunities it presents us as a community to reimagine the student experience with an increased diligence regarding health and safety by all. Please engage with us as we work to make this fall not only a positive experience, but an exceptional one for all our students.
Take care and be well.
— Dean Hazlett