Fall Parents Town Hall Recap
Wednesday, October 9

This written recap of the Parents Town Hall that was held on October 9 at 7 p.m. EST has been condensed for brevity. If you have any questions, please contact Alexa Donegan ’16 G’20 (adonegan@lasell.edu), director of parent and community relations.

President Eric M. Turner

• The year is off to a great start! The energy is terrific and covid feels like it is primarily behind us.
• Enrollment update- We have the largest first year class in 5-6 years. New student enrollment increased by 8.5% this year. This builds on a 4% growth last year.
• Our graduate program is also doing well.
• We are trying out workforce development and dual enrollment partnerships.
• Next Friday is the Presidential Inauguration and the kickoff to Friends, Family, and Alumni Weekend (FFAW). We hope to see you there!

Register for Inauguration >>

Register for Family, Friends, and Alumni Weekend >>

Dave Hennessey, Associate Vice President & Dean of Student Affairs

• There is return to normalcy on campus.
• We recently hosted a well-attended Activities Fair and Study Abroad Fair.
• We held a vaccine clinic at the end of September and offered the flu shot and the covid shot. We will offer another round of these Oct. 22. There is no cost for this, and no appointment is necessary. Students should bring their health insurance card.
• Mental health/Health Services updates:
  • Counseling Center has been fairly busy. Students who are feeling challenged with getting acclimated are coming by to get some help. We also have therapy dogs on campus, and they have been making the rounds. Students really enjoy spending time with them.
  • Health Services – things have been going pretty well. There have been a small number of Covid cases and some cases of the flu and some respiratory illnesses, but the level of illness has not been concerning.
  • Students can find out about employment here.
    

Submitted question:
Q: Can the return campus after holidays/breaks be on a weekend please?
A: We have about 1,000 students who reside on campus. We have some logistical challenges about coming back on the weekend including ensuring the cafeteria being open. If you have a specific challenge with the return date, please feel free to reach out and we will do our best to make accommodations.

Karina Fontanez, Director of Retention (Class of 2003)

• Karina supports students by ensuring students know about resources like counseling center and academic achievement center, financial aid and ensuring they are meeting with their student advisor.
• She also surveys students and makes changes based on the survey results.
• Parents are welcome on campus anytime.
• The best ways for parents to support their students:
  • Ask them questions- how classes are going etc. and provide emotional support. Fall is challenging once they have settled in- the newness has worn off and assignments may be more challenging than they thought.
  • Encourage them to make connections with tutors for example or reach out to their professor. It is important to share with them that asking for help is a good thing.
  • When bills come out this can be a stressful time for students and parents. It is important to have good communication around who is monitoring when bills are coming out and what the plan for payment is- this alleviates a lot of stress.
  • Ask your student how they are doing in each class and ensure they are monitoring how things are going academically.

Latoya C. Johnson-Pride, Associate Dean of Student Affairs

• Latoya oversees student housing, student activities, and student conduct.
• Student handbook changes- updates have been made around protesting and Title IX.
• The Student Activities Fair had a great turnout. New clubs are forming as we speak including a cooking club.
• We hope to see you at Friends, Family and Alumni weekend!
• SchoolDude is the way for students to address dorm room/resident hall issues. This tracks work order requests from students.
• Shuttle schedule

Submitted questions:
Q: Will there be any more weekend events planned for students?
A: Examples of recent/upcoming events include open mic night, six flags trip, and a glow night. If students have suggestions for events, they should submit them to CAB by emailing studentactivities@lasell.edu.

Q: How do I get my son motivated to get out of his room and involved? What happened to the golf club?
A: Resident Hall Advisors have hosted over thirty-five programs so far. Please encourage your student reach out to their RA. They can also check in with CAB and SGA to see what is being offered. There is a weekly update that is emailed to all students. Posters around campus are old-fashioned but also a resource students cite as how they find out what is going on. Students can also look up Laser Involvement on MyLasell to see the schedule of upcoming events.

Courtney Crudden, Director of Lasell Dining Services

• New additions: Farmer's Fridge, Costa Coffee, and Hershey's Icecream. 
• Coming soon: Just Baked Smart Bistro
• Mobile ordering available on the Boost Mobile App. 
• Action Station open for dinner Sunday-Thursday for another dining option that students can customize to their liking
• Pure Eats Station for allergen friendly meals
• Global Station offering more cultural options from around the globe
• Tractor Beverages in Valentine - these drinsk are organic, non-GMO, and contain no artificial ingredients, flavors, or colors.
• Student satisfaction increased from 70% (Spring 2024) to 75% (Fall 2024)
• If students have feedback to share, we encourage you as their parent to have them share it in the following ways: 
  • Contact a representative of the Student Government Association (SGA) or attend a Food Comittee meeting (held every other Thursday beginning on October 3 from 3-4 p.m. in the Valentine Dining Hall). Both are student-run and meet to discuss ideas and answer questions/concerns directly from the student body.  
  • Talk to the two directors of Dining Services, the executive chef, or hourly supervisors who work daily in the dining hall. 
  • Send an email to laselldining@lasell.edu. 
  • Use "Text to Chat," where students can send an anonymous and free text message to a Dining Services Manager. The number to text and additional information can be found on all napkin holders located on tables in Valentine Dining Hall. 
  • Write an anonymous note on a napkin or sheet of paper and pin it to the bulletin board located at the front of Valentine Dining Hall. 

Jamie Marcoux, Assistant Vice President, Athletics

• All the teams are doing excellent so far this fall.
• You can live stream games here.
• You can follow athletics and the schedule here. 
• We are close to hiring a new softball coach.

Family, Friends, and Alumni Weekend
Friday, October 18 - Sunday, October 20

Registration is now OPEN! Please register for events during the weekend here. 

Room Block Information

We have rooms available at the Four Points Sheraton Boston Newton hotel (320 Washington Street Newton, Massachusetts 02458). Click here to book. If you have any questions about your stay, please contact the hotel directly. 

Here is a list of additional nearby hotels.