November 2023

Families,

We have passed the mid-point of the semester which is an indicator that the holiday season is just around the corner. In a few short weeks, we will host one of our favorite campus traditions as faculty and staff serve Thanksgiving dinner to all of our Bulldogs in the Smith Dining Center. It is so important to have opportunities to come together as a campus to simply enjoy each other's company. Not sure about you but while turkey is good, I've always been partial to the side dishes!

This is always a great time to check in with your students to see how they are doing in all phases of the college experience. Be sure to encourage them to make use of all Dean's resources whether it's tutoring in a particular class or visiting student activities to engage in campus events, recreation, and organizations. Many of these connections are noted below. We also know that stressors can arise at any time about school, home, friendships as well as national or world events. Taking care of oneself is essential and whether it's taking a nice walk, listening to music, or checking in with one of our counselors on campus, all can be beneficial during those difficult moments. The good news for many students is that we 'fall back' and gain an hour of rest this weekend! Research has shown that many college-aged students rarely get the recommended sleep that they need.

Remember that many of the articles and photos in this newsletter have clickable links to provide quick access to information and websites. Also, at the close of each newsletter, you will find listed important offices and their phone numbers should you have any questions.

Continue to enjoy the College's many platforms on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to view other terrific highlights of the college experience. Wishing all of our Bulldogs and their families a Happy Thanksgiving!

Best,

Dave Drucker, M. Ed.

Associate Vice President, Student Life & Dean of Students

Homecoming for Alumni and Families

Although Mother Nature did not fully cooperate with providing sunshine, it could not dampen the spirit of the weekend and we were so thrilled to welcome many families and proud alumni back to Dean. Our athletic contests throughout the weekend were terrific and the performances at Showcase were fantastic. We hope you had a great weekend and hope to see you again soon!

The Office of Residence Life-

Important Information for Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks

The Office of Residence Life has been creating a home-away-from-home for your students with themed events and cocurricular programs to get involved beyond the classroom. This semester, we have offered programs and events designed to foster personal growth, build mutual respect, and celebrate our community including Fall Fest, National Coming Out Day Celebration, the Annual Haunted House, Let’s Taco about Roommate Agreements, and many more. Our dedicated residential staff has seen over 500 students in attendance so far, and we’re committed to building a safe and supportive environment for students to thrive near the end of the Fall semester!

Please see below for upcoming break information:

Thanksgiving Break:

The residence halls will close on Tuesday, November 21 at 6:30pm for Thanksgiving break. Need to request a late departure or stay on campus over break? Students must submit their break request via the Thanksgiving Break Request Microsoft Form located on their Residence Hall Teams page by Wednesday, November 15th.

After the break, we look forward to welcoming students back on Sunday, November 26. The residence halls will re-open at 12pm, noon. Please note: the Smith Dining Center will be closed during Thanksgiving break and will re-open on Sunday, November 29 at 3pm.

Winter Break:

Students are required to depart two hours after the completion of their last exam – all residence halls will close at 6:30pm on Friday, December 15th for Winter Break. Students may leave all their belongings in their rooms for the duration of the break. We ask everyone to clean out their fridges, unplug appliances, and exercise caution when leaving any valuables in their room. If students need to request a late departure for winter break, the request form will be available after Thanksgiving break.

Plan Ahead: Residence halls re-open for the Spring semester on Sunday, January 21, and classes will begin on Monday, January 22. Students will receive more information regarding the move-in process over Winter break.

If you have additional questions, please reach out to the

Office of Residence Life- 508.541.1838 

Health Services - Flu Vaccine Clinic Wednesday, November 1

Protect yourself for the flu season! The College will host CVS for a flu vaccine clinic on Wednesday, November 1 from 11am - 3pm in the Dr. Paula M. Rooney Student Center Concourse. There are a limited number of vaccines, and students can preregister using a QR code listed on the student portal and on posters in the Student Center. Students must have the health insurance information to take part in the clinic.

Spring 2024 Course Registration

Registration for Spring 2024 courses starts soon! All students have received emails from the Registrar's Office with their registration date and time, and from their Success & Career Advisor with more information on planning courses. Registration starts on November 7th. Encourage your student to outreach to their Success & Career Advisor to make sure they're ready to go!

A great way for your student to create an amazing resume is to participate in Dean College’s Study Away Program. Studies have shown that studying away has a positive impact on developing top-notch 21st-century career skills and expands career possibilities not only immediately after graduation but throughout one’s career. In fact, a recent Dean participant stated that studying in London for a semester was the reason she was hired for a competitive summer internship in her field. And, it’s fun! 

Dean College’s Study Away Program includes three options to meet a variety of interests and needs in the U.S. and over 50 countries around the world: (1) Dean College courses that include a short, 7-10-day trip abroad or in the U.S. -Spring 2024, the course offering will be a trip to Italy during spring break; (2) 2-week to 6-week experiences in the U.S. or abroad in January or during the summer; and (3) full-semester or academic year opportunities in the U.S. or abroad.

Students generally study away anytime between the second semester of their sophomore year to the first semester of their senior year and need to have a 3.000 cumulative GPA. Students must first complete the internal pre-approval application, and then they will need to complete the external study away application. The internal application deadline to study away for summer 2024 or fall 2024 is February 1, 2024. 

Interested students should plan to attend an information session about our study abroad exchange opportunities on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 5pm in the Campanella Board Room. Students may also meet with Melissa Read, Director of the Study Away Program. Melissa holds office hours on Tuesdays, from 3-5pm, in Dean Hall, Room 203.

For more information, students can speak with their Success & Career Advisor and with Melissa Read, Director of the Study Away Program at [email protected]. 

We were excited to welcome more than 40 graduate programs/employers/study away representatives to campus last week for our fall Opportunities Fair. Representatives had great feedback regarding our student's level of preparedness and interest in the event.



Did your student miss it? We have employers on campus nearly every Wednesday for our "Where Do You Want to Work Wednesday" Employer Showcase Series, and we will host another large-scale fair in the spring. As always, the office is available for 1:1 conversations about future career and internship options. Students should reach out to Thea Cerio, Director of Career Planning and Internships @ [email protected], with any questions.

Student Financial Planning

The FAFSA is changing….

Due to the passing of the FAFSA Simplification Act on December 27, 2020, the FAFSA is changing starting with the 2024-2025 aid year. The FAFSA application process will be streamlined and easier for students and parents to complete. For more information, click here studentaid.gov.



The 2024-2025 FAFSA will be available in December 2023. As we receive more information from the Department of Education and Federal Student Aid, we will continue to share. Dean College is committed to keeping students, families, and our community updated.

Spring 2024 Bills

Bills for the Spring 2024 semester will be available the first week of December on the Student Account Portal and will be due by January 4th.



If you do not have access already, your student can provide you with access by logging into their Student Account Portal and clicking “Add an Authorized Party” on their home screen. You will then receive an electronic invitation to set up your very own credentials.

Fresh Check Day

The college had its 6th annual Fresh Check Day in support of the Jordan Portco Foundation (pictured above and below). The event is an uplifting mental health program that supports mental health promotion and suicide prevention through interactive booths, and peer-to-peer messaging and assists students to engage in the important dialogue of wellness and mental health resources*. Booths were staffed by several student organizations and departments from the college. It was a fantastic day with over 200 students taking part in support of a great cause and we look forward to continuing this tradition next fall.

*- messaging from the freshcheckday website

Morton Family Learning Center

The Morton Family Learning Center offers a wide variety of academic supports that will help students throughout the semester. Study labs, workshops, and tutoring through our Theodore & Cynthia Berenson Center for Writing, Mathematics and Presentation Excellence are among the many complementary services offered. We encourage students to head over to the Learning Center page on Today@Dean for more information.

Academic Coaching, a specialized, fee-based service is also available through the Learning Center in both individual and group forms. Students may register by clicking on the following links: Individual Academic Coaching; and Group Academic Coaching. Families may also email [email protected] to register their student and/or gain more information about setting up weekly meetings with an Academic Coach who can help students with note-taking, time management, organization, study strategies, and test preparation. 

Calendar Planning

When seeking information about Dean College calendar dates, please use the Official Academic Calendar that is listed on the Dean College website under the heading Academics. Please do not use Google or other internet search engines for the calendar as it is likely to produce outdated and incorrect information.

Key Dates for the Fall Semester:

Wednesday, November 22- Friday, November 24 Thanksgiving Break

Tuesday, December 12- Friday, December 15 Finals Week

Student Activities and Leadership Development (SALD)- Get Involved!

Whether it's joining a student organization (above) or simply having fun at campus events (below and right), engagement is an important part of the college experience. Remind your student to follow our social media, view the student portal and see our campus postings about events and activities on campus. They can visit the SALD office in the lower level of the Atrium with any questions. We are happy to assist!

Dance and Theatre Performances

Don't miss out on all of our theatrical and dance performances throughout the year! Visit the Dean College Box Office on the front of the Dean College website to purchase your tickets now. Encore!

RENT (November 15- 19)

The iconic musical RENT is finally coming to Dean College! RENT opened on Broadway in April 1996. The Pulitzer Prize-winning show ran for 12 years and was nominated for 10 Tony awards, winning five, including Best Musical.

Based loosely on Puccini's La Boheme, Jonathan Larson's RENT follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

Rehearsals have begun with Direction and Choreography by Professor Ali Angelone, Musical Direction by Susan Alves, Set Design by Professor Rachel Rose Burke, and Costume Design by Professor Daniel Kozar, with Lucy Young serving as Stage Manager.

The cast includes:

Myles Luongo, Patrick McKinney, Delainey Boyd, Aiden Day, Kevin Politz, Sean Miller, Trish Dobson, Breanna Combs, Christopher-David Caraballo, Mateo Villarreal, Dylana Deignan, Mary Crowley, Isis Wilson, Julia Lavoie, Heather Pape, Bella D’Auteuil, Kayleigh Lyons, Ethan Pflomm, Ashleigh Masengill, Ari Hovis-Afflerbach, and Nya Dekrines.

In addition, the post-show discussion for RENT (November 18th, after the 2:00 matinee) – will focus on the legacy of the AIDS epidemic 40 years later, and its influence on queer identity in the 21st century. Guests will include Dr. Kristen Holster and Dr. Helen Lewis-Michaelson.

Performance Schedule:

Arts Mosaic - Guidrey Center

November 3- 4

RENT - Fall Musical - Main Stage

November 15- 19

New Thespian Showcase - Main Stage November 30 and December 2

New Dancer Showcase - Main Stage

December 1-2

Faculty Dance Works - Main Stage

December 7-8

She Loves Me - Main Stage

February 28-March 3

Choreographers’ Concert - Main Stage

March 22- 23

Pocatello - Spring Drama - Main Stage

April 3- 7

Dance Senior Showcase - Main Stage

April 12- 13

Theatre Senior Showcase - Main Stage

April 19- 20

Dance Company - Main Stage

April 25- 28

Getting Around Town- Free Shuttle for Students- GATRA GO

Students can download the Gatra Go United app for a free rideshare service available to them Monday through Friday 7am-6pm and Saturday from 9am-6pm. We will provide directions on the student portal as there is a special Dean College code for our community.

There is a three-passenger maximum for each trip. Students can use the service for Franklin and the neighboring towns of Foxboro, Wrentham, Norfolk, and Bellingham. Students have the opportunity to visit grocery stores, retail shopping centers, restaurants, and movie theatres. This includes Wrentham Outlets (Wrentham) and Patriot Place (Foxboro).

Students who choose to leave and return to campus before and after the hours provided by Gatra Go must obtain their own transportation (friend, rideshare, etc.). Campus Police and Safety cannot leave campus for non-emergent transportation needs.

After some terrific action this season from our fall athletic teams, November marks the transition into basketball season. The men's soccer team has qualified for GNAC postseason play and will visit the University of St. Joseph as the 6th seed in the quarterfinals on Saturday, October 28. **Publisher update: Dean's men's Soccer fell to third-seed University of St. Joseph (CT) 3-1.

Let's Go Bulldogs!

The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Council of Presidents and Commissioner Angela Baumann are excited to announce the addition of Dean College as a football affiliate beginning during the 2025 season.

Dean will join Anna Maria College, Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Plymouth State University, UMass Dartmouth, Vermont State University-Castleton, Western Connecticut, Westfield State University and Worcester State University as football programs in the MASCAC. For the full article click here.

A Spook-tacular Guide to Navigating the Student Conduct Process

Boo there, Dean College families! As Halloween approaches, we know that college can sometimes feel a bit like navigating a haunted house of academic and personal challenges. One of the trickiest paths to navigate is the student conduct process. But fear not, we're here to provide you with a spellbinding guide on how to support and advocate for your student during this or other spooky seasons.

Creepy Communication: When your student is dealing with the student conduct process, it's important to encourage open and honest communication. Ghostly secrets can only lead to trouble, so encourage your student to be transparent.

Witch Hunt vs. Advocacy: Instead of going on a witch hunt for someone to blame, be an advocate for your student. Encourage them to learn from their mistakes and take responsibility. Support them in understanding the college's code of conduct and how to navigate it effectively.

Ghoulish Guidance: Sometimes, students may not fully grasp the consequences of their actions. As a family, offer guidance and perspective. Share your own experiences and lessons learned, so they can make informed decisions moving forward.

Spooky Solutions: If your student is facing disciplinary actions, help them explore possible solutions and consequences. This can be a valuable learning experience. Remember, it's okay to ask for assistance from the college's student conduct office or other support services.

Monstrous Mediation: If the situation gets hair-raising, encourage your student to consider mediation or conflict resolution supports which are available on campus.

Chilling Consequences: Be prepared for the possibility of consequences. Discuss with your student the importance of understanding and accepting any disciplinary actions and encourage them to fulfill any required steps for resolution.

Haunted Healing: While the student conduct process can be challenging, it can also lead to personal growth and development. Share stories of resilience and how overcoming adversity can lead to a brighter future.

Remember, the college years are a time for exploration and learning, both academically and personally. The student conduct process is part of that journey. With your support, your student can navigate it successfully and emerge from this spooky chapter stronger and wiser.

Whether you're dressing up as a supportive parent, a helpful ghost, or just a well-informed mentor, use this Halloween season to remind your student that they have a whole team of allies in their corner. Together, you'll conquer any potential goblins and ghouls of the student conduct process and emerge victorious.

Happy Halloween and Happy Advocating!

Show off that Bulldog Spirit for the holidays!

Whether you are shopping for your favorite Bulldog or outfitting the entire family, don't forget to visit our Bookstore in the Dr. Paula M. Rooney Student Center, first floor or online to check out our gear. Go Bulldogs!