6.1 The Residential College Community
Swarthmore College is committed to student learning in and out of the classroom and thus supports the personal and leadership development of students through extracurricular activities. Swarthmore’s housing philosophy is based on the belief that residence-hall living enhances education by contributing to an individual’s academic, social, and personal development. If residential communities are to provide an environment for personal growth, residents must accept responsibility for their own actions and demonstrate respect for the rights and concerns of others and for the property of the College.
6.1.1 Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Code of Conduct
General housing policies and regulations described below are established by the Dean’s Office and the Office of Student Engagement. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the policies and rules concerning their conduct in the residence halls. Acceptance of space in College housing constitutes your knowledge of, willingness and agreement to abide by these housing policies. Living in College housing is a privilege and not a right. The Dean’s Office and/or Office of Student Engagement may, at any time and at its own discretion, withdraw this privilege due to behavior, which does not rise to the standards outlined below. Students who lose their housing privileges are not typically entitled to a refund of their room and board charges for the remaining weeks of the semester.
6.2 Residential Life
Swarthmore is a primarily residential college, conducted on the assumption that the close association of students and instructors is an important element in education. Most students live in college residence halls all eight (8) semesters. New students are required to live in the residence halls during their first two (2) semesters. Transfer students are required to live in the residence halls during their first (1) semester. After their first year at the College, students are permitted to live in non-College housing.
6.2.1 Housing
Seventeen residence halls, ranging in capacity from 8 to 214 students, offer a diversity of housing styles. Several of the residence halls are a 5 to 15-minute walk to the center of campus. Swarthmore’s residence halls are Alice Paul; Dana; David Kemp (the gift of Giles Kemp ‘72 and Barbara Guss Kemp, in honor of Giles’ grandfather); Hallowell; Kyle House (named in honor of Fred and Elena Kyle ‘55); Lodges; Mary Lyon; Mertz Hall (the gift of Harold and Esther Mertz); Palmer; Pittenger; Roberts; the upper floors in the wings of Parrish Hall; PPR Apartments; Wharton Hall (named in honor of its donor, Joseph Wharton, a one-time president of the Board of Managers); Willets Hall (made possible largely by a bequest from Phebe Seaman and named in honor of her mother and aunts); Woolman House; Worth Hall (the gift of William P. and J. Sharples Worth, as a memorial to their parents).
All new students are assigned roommate(s) and a residence hall room by the Office of Student Engagement. Efforts are made to follow the preferences indicated and to accommodate special needs, such as documented disabilities.
During the spring semester, rising senior, junior and sophomore students select rooms for the following fall. Each student receives a lottery number, based on their official class year, which dictates their priority status in lottery room selection. The College guarantees housing for all students who participate in the housing selection process in a timely manner. While many seniors and some juniors live in single-type rooms, the College cannot guarantee that a single will be available for any student. First-year, sophomore, and junior students generally live in doubles, triple, or quad-style rooms.
A mixture of class years live in each residence hall. About 90 percent of residence hall areas are designated as gender-neutral housing either by floor, section, or building. The remaining areas are single-gender housing. Although single-gender options are offered, they are not always available and as such cannot be guaranteed.
Requests for room changes can be requested by contacting the Office of Student Engagement. Making a room change request does not ensure that a room change will be made. Students are expected to work through roommate and other housing conflicts with the involved parties, with the help of resident assistants (RAs), residential community coordinators (RCCs), Office of Student Engagement professional staff, or deans.
All students are expected to occupy the rooms to which they are assigned or which they have selected through the regular room choosing process. Prior approval from the Office of Student Engagement is required of any student making a room change. Student are restricted from occupying, moving into, or using as storage any vacant resident hall room, without express permission from the Office of Student Engagement. Students who switch rooms without the consent of the Office of Student Engagement may be fined and/or not be permitted to participate in the next housing lottery.
Resident assistants, selected from the junior and senior classes, are assigned to each of the residence halls. These leaders help create activities for students, serve as support advisers to their hall-mates, and help enforce College rules for the comfort and safety of the residents.
Residence halls remain open during fall break, Thanksgiving, and spring break, but are closed to student occupancy during winter vacation. Specific winter vacation dates are set each year, but generally include a 4-5 week period from mid-December through mid-January. Limited meal options are available during fall and spring breaks.
Guests-Residence hall rooms are designed for sleeping and studying on the part of the occupants. Guests of Swarthmore students are welcome to visit campus when the College is in session. Guests are defined as non-Swarthmore students and friends, family, and prospective college-aged students. Individuals or groups contracted to perform specific functions at the College (e.g., performers, speakers, etc.) are not permitted to stay overnight in the residence halls. If a guest of a student will be staying in a residence hall overnight, the resident assistant (RA) must be notified, and all roommates must agree to any overnight stay.
A guest is not permitted to stay in a residence hall more than a total of four (4) nights each term, and they must be accompanied by their host at all times while in the residence halls. A guest is never permitted to sleep or reside in any public location (such as a residence hall lounge, basement, or other public space). Requests for exceptions must be made to the Office of Student Engagement.
Student hosts are responsible for the conduct of their guests on campus and will be held accountable for any violation of the student code of conduct or other rules of the College committed by a guest.
The Dean’s Office and/or Office of Student Engagement reserves the right to require a guest to immediately leave campus if their behavior begins to have an impact on the campus community or is otherwise disruptive.
Before inviting a guest into the room, the student must secure the permission of all roommates. If the roommate does not give permission, the inviter may not have the guest in the room. Usually, roommates can agree about the presence and timing of guests. If no agreement can be reached, the basic principle is that the room is for study and sleeping by the assigned occupants.
More detailed housing rules and regulations are found in the Student Handbook, and on the housing website: www.swarthmore.edu/housing.
6.2.2 Storage and Insurance
College storage is not available during the summer term, or while a student is taking part in off-campus study. Students should make arrangements for transporting personal items to and from campus and for storing those items when the residence halls are closed (with the exception of winter break). Please contact the Office of Student Engagement for a list of suggested storage vendors. There are many locations off-campus that offer students summer and winter break storage options. Students must work with these companies directly as they are not managed by the College.
A limited amount of storage may be available to international students who are not able to travel home during the summer term and others with extenuating circumstances. Please contact the Office of Student Engagement to determine eligibility for this option.
The insurance program for the College is designed to provide protection for College property and does not include the property of students or others. Students and their parents are strongly urged to review their insurance plan to be sure that coverage is extended to include personal effects while at college. The College assumes no responsibility for stored items; students store items at their own risk.
6.2.3 Dining
Swarthmore Dining Service oversees the College’s Dining Center, Essie Mae’s Snack Bar, Kohlberg Coffee Bar, Science Center Coffee Bar, Mary Lyon’s Breakfast Room, a weekday Grab-N-Go lunch program, and provides catering services to campus. We are open seven days a week from early morning to late at night. Students may choose between an unlimited dine-in meal or a single takeout container is available. https://www.swarthmore.edu/swarthmore-dining/dining-locations-hours
Students select their meal plan at the start of each semester and have two weeks to make changes to their plan, after which no further changes can be made. The College offers four main meal plans and two additional plans tailored to students residing in PPR Apartments and students commuting to campus. https://www.swarthmore.edu/swarthmore-dining/meal-plans. All students living in campus housing must subscribe to a meal plan; students commuting to campus may choose to opt out. Meal plans consist of varying combinations of meals including Dining Dollars and Swat Points. These can be spent at campus dining locations, the Swarthmore Campus & Community Store and at participating borough merchants. Students eating in any College dining location must present their OneCard identification in order to use their meal credit or points. These policies are in effect to protect each student’s personal meal plan account.
Swarthmore’s dining program strives to uphold the College’s commitment to sustainability by sourcing locally produced foods, reducing waste, and conserving resources. In addition to buying directly from local food producers, Dining Services is proud to work with a number of local, privately owned and operated food distributors. Each of these companies feature locally produced items, provide employment to area residents, and support their communities. A full list of the food distributors and producers used can be found on the Dining Services website.
A sincere effort is made to meet the dietary needs of all Swarthmore students. Meal items,with the top major food allergens contained within, are identified at each buffet line at the Dining Center. Vegetarian and vegan options are offered at every meal. There are also packaged gluten-free products available at the Dining Center and at each of the campus coffee bars and at Essie Mae’s snack bar. Beyond these broad accommodations, the Dining Services team works collaboratively with individual students with documented medical conditions to identify options that will meet their needs within the institutional setting. When visiting our dining facilities, please ask to speak to a manager if you have questions about menu items or ingredients.
Swarthmore students may obtain passes to eat at the Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College dining halls from the checkers at the Dining Center. For information on additional dining services, including catering, cakes, and barbeques, please visit the Dining Services website. https://www.swarthmore.edu/swarthmore-dining
6.2.4 Parking
All members of the campus community (faculty, staff, students, and visitors) are expected to follow the College’s parking and transportation polices. These policies are enacted in order to increase campus safety and to preserve parking for Swarthmore College employees and students who are issued permits.
There are a limited amount of parking spaces on campus for current students. For reasons of sustainability and community, students are not allowed to bring a car to Swarthmore College without explicit approval from the Parking Committee. Approximately 160 parking permits are set aside for members of the student body with extenuating needs or circumstances that will require a car. The number of student permit requests usually outnumbers the spaces we have set aside for students. As such, student parking permits applications will be prioritized by established and existing criteria: class year, extenuating need, and special medical accommodations.
Students should not plan on bringing a car to campus unless they receive explicit permission to do so. Parking regulations are enforced at all times during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Students found in violation of campus transportation polices may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
6.3 Health & Wellness
6.3.1 Student Health and Wellness Services (SHWS)
The health and wellness team supports the needs of our diverse student body by providing individualized holistic care and campus-wide education. The Health & Wellness Center offers myriad wellness promotion, counseling, education, and prevention services.
Students may call 610-328-8058 to schedule an appointment for a health evaluation by a registered nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, dietitian, or alcohol and other drug counselor. Our physicians are members of the Crozer Health System, a full-service teaching hospital and trauma center. The Health & Wellness Center provides acute care, allergy injections, alcohol and other drug counseling, first aid treatment, interpersonal relationship education, nutrition counseling, referral services, reproductive health services, simple diagnostic screenings, travel health consultations, vaccinations, and wellness visits. Our operational hours are based on when the need is highest, and are supplemented by an after-hours on call system that provides students with access to a registered nurse.
All visits to the Health & Wellness Center are free of cost. A nominal fee is applied for simple diagnostic tests and most medications dispensed at the Health & Wellness Center. Laboratory specimens are sent to LabCorp and are billed by the lab to the student’s health insurance. A small dispensary of commonly used prescription medications is maintained. Students who need prescription medication may purchase them through their insurance with a pharmacy or through the Health & Wellness Center for a fee. A delivery service from a local pharmacy is available to students.
The Swarthmore College Student Health Portal is available for managing your on-campus health needs and forms. You can access your Student Health Portal through your mySwarthmore account. Click on Worth Health Center, then, click on Student Health Portal.
More information on the Student Health & Wellness Center is available at www.swarthmore.edu/health
6.3.2 Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Services for students include individual & group counseling and psychotherapy, emergency-on-call consultation, consultation regarding the use of psychiatric drugs in conjunction with ongoing psychotherapy, psychological testing, and educational programming. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) participates in training resident assistants and student academic mentors as well as other student support groups and provides consultation to staff, faculty, and parents.
CAPS is staffed by a diverse group of psychological, social work, and psychiatric professionals. The director and staff collectively provide regular appointment times Monday through Friday. Students may be referred to outside mental health practitioners at their request or when long-term or highly specialized services are needed. CAPS main office is located in the Worth Health Center, North Wing.
Treatment at CAPS is voluntary and confidential. Where there may be a significant question of imminent threat to someone’s life or safety, CAPS reserves the right to break confidentiality in order to ensure safety.
Appointment requests may be made on-line at https://www.swarthmore.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services/caps-request-to-schedule-appointment or in person or by phone (610-328-8059) between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Telephone consultation is available 24/7/365 at 610-328-7768.
For more detailed information about CAPS, visit the website at www.swarthmore.edu/caps.xml.
6.3.3 Health Insurance
Health insurance is required for all Swarthmore students. Please be certain that your private or state sponsored health insurance plan will cover a student away from home. Services away from home, such as blood tests, MRI’s, x-rays, behavioral health and care from specialists are often not covered under a private or state sponsored insurance plan.
All students are enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) annually. Before August 1st, students may waive out of the plan if they meet the requirements of the College and provide proof of insurance. If your insurance status changes, notify student health services immediately. Enrollment to the Student Health Insurance Plan must be done within 31 days of the loss of other coverage. Financially aided students should be aware that there is a sliding scale in place for the Student Health Insurance Plan premium. For further information, please consult the Student Health Insurance Plan Coordinator (health@swarthmore.edu). The College provides supplemental health insurance for students who are actively participating in intercollegiate and club sports. All athletes with questions related to insurance coverage with sports injuries should contact Marie Mancini (mmancin1@swarthmore.edu).
6.4 Campus Safety
The Department of Public Safety is located in the Benjamin West House. The department provides round-the-clock uniformed patrol of the campus buildings and grounds. Public safety officers are PA State Certified under Act 235 and receive a variety of training such as, CPR/First Aid and AED, trauma informed response, implicit bias, de-escalation, Clery and Title IX. Public safety officers provide a prompt, professional presence and can help students with emergency issues as well as general advice on crime prevention and awareness programs. Students are encouraged to call the department at 610-328-8281 any time they feel Public Safety can be of assistance. All emergencies should be reported by contacting the department’s emergency telephone line 610-328-8333. Any crime or suspected crime should be reported immediately to the Department of Public Safety.
Swarthmore College’s Annual Fire Safety and Security Report is written to comply with the (Pa.) College and University Security Information Act: 24 P.S., Sec. 2502-3©, the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, and the Campus Fire Safety Right to Know Act. This annual report includes statistics for the previous 3 years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings owned or controlled by Swarthmore College, and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The College’s Fire Safety Report contains a variety of fire safety related information in addition to campus fire statistics for the most recent three calendar years. To obtain a full copy of this document, visit www.swarthmore.edu/sites/default/files/assets/documents/public-safety/DPSAnnualReport2018.pdf.
6.5 Cocurricular Opportunities
6.5.1 Student Government
The Student Organization (SGO) is the chief body of student government and exists to serve and represent the students of Swarthmore College. Its members are elected semiannually. The powers and responsibilities of the Student Council are (1) the administration of the Student Activities Account; (2) the appointment of students to those committees within the College community upon which student representatives are to serve; (3) the oversight of those students of those committees; (4) the administration of student organizations; (5) the operation of just elections; (6) the execution of referendums; (7) the representation of the student body to the faculty, staff, and administration, and to outside groups, as deemed appropriate; and (8) the formulation of rules needed to exercise these powers and to fulfill these responsibilities. SGO provides a forum for student opinion and is willing to hear and, when judged appropriate, act upon the ideas, grievances, or proposals of any Swarthmore student.
The Student Budget Committee (SBC) allocates and administers the Student Activity Fund. The SBC allocates funds to all campus events, maintains a balanced social calendar, and is responsible for organizing formals and various other activities that are designed to appeal to a variety of interests and are open to all students free of charge.
Service on College Committees is determined by the Appointments Committee of SGO that selects qualified student representatives.
6.5.2 The Arts
Creative arts activities take place in conjunction with the departments of art, English, music and dance, and theater. There are also many student groups that organize creative activities. Professional performers and artists are brought to campus regularly, both to perform/exhibit and to offer master classes. Campus facilities include practice and performance spaces available for student use.
6.5.3 Athletics/Physical Activities
The Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation’s program is varied, offering every student the opportunity to participate in a wide range of sports, including intercollegiate, club and intramural teams, and recreation and wellness programs.
6.5.4 Publications and Media
The Phoenix, the weekly student newspaper; Voices, a daily student run news and media publication; Small Craft Warnings, a literary journal; and WSRN, the campus radio station, are completely student-run organizations. Lodge 6 houses War News Radio. The campus Media Center supports student initiatives in video and web formats. Several other student publications include literary magazines and newsletters. For more information, contact the Office of Student Engagement.
6.5.5 Service and Activism
Service and activism activities are an integral part of the lives of many students, faculty, and staff members. The Office of Student Engagement and the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility (see 6.6.6) support many of these endeavors.
6.5.6 Student Organizations
Students are encouraged to get involved in extracurricular activities at Swarthmore. More than 100 clubs and organizations span a broad range of interests such as community service; athletics; political action; and religious, cultural, and social activities. If there isn’t a club or organization that meets a student’s interest, he or she may form one with the guidance of SGO.
6.6 Student Centers
6.6.1 Black Cultural Center
The Black Cultural Center (BCC), located in the Caroline Hadley Robinson House, provides a library, classroom, computer room, TV lounge, kitchen, all-purpose room, a living room/gallery, two study rooms, and administrative offices. The BCC offers programming, activities, and resources designed to stimulate and sustain the cultural, intellectual and social growth of Swarthmore’s black students, their organizations and community. Further, the BCC functions as a catalyst for change and support to the College’s effort to achieve pluralism. The BCC’s programs are open to all members of the College community. The BCC is guided by the assistant dean, with the assistance of a committee of black students, faculty, and administrators.
6.6.2 Center for Innovation and Leadership
The Center for Innovation and Leadership (CIL) engages innovative thinking to foster student leadership practice. Focusing specifically on student leadership development, innovative programing, and alumni and parent engagement the CIL provides opportunities for students to lead, inspire, listen, and learn, in order to meet the challenges of our time and reflect the values of our community. The CIL can help students cultivate mentoring relationships, build their skill sets in entrepreneurship and leadership, and encourage experimentation, collaboration, and reflection.
6.6.3 Intercultural Center
The Intercultural Center (IC) provides programs, advocacy, and support for Asian/Pacific Islander American, Latino@, multiracial, Native American, LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bi/pansexual, trans*, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual), low-income, international, and first-generation college students at Swarthmore College. In addition, the IC promotes systemic change toward intersectional perspectives across the institution and fosters collaboration and coalition building among communities both within and outside the IC and the College. Resources and programs include faculty-student-staff events, lectures, concerts, films, poetry slams, workshops and dialogues that explore race, class, gender, sexuality, citizenship, intersectional identities, and equity with a particular emphasis on social justice education and leadership. More information is available at www.swarthmore.edu/ic.
6.6.4 Interfaith Center
Religious advisers are located in the Interfaith Center in Sproul Hall and currently consist of Muslim, Jewish and Christian staff members and affiliate advisors from other traditions. The advisors and the Interfaith Center provide members of the Swarthmore community opportunities and resources, in an atmosphere free from the dynamics of persuasion, in which they can explore a variety of spiritual, ethical, and moral meanings; pursue religious and cultural identities; and engage in interfaith education and dialogue. The center comprises offices in Sproul Hall, a large common worship room in Bond Hall, and a meditation room on the lower level of Sproul.
Student groups of many faiths also exist for the purpose of communal prayer and observance of religious traditions, studying religious texts, participating in community service projects and exploring common concerns of religious faith, spirituality, and culture.
Various services are available on campus, and area religious communities welcome Swarthmore students.
6.6.5 Eugene M. Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility
The Lang Center, located at 3-5 Whittier Place, supports Swarthmore’s mission to “help students realize their fullest intellectual and personal potential combined with a deep sense of ethical and social concern” through a variety of Engaged Scholarship initiatives. The Lang Center supports the College’s commitment to social responsibility in the context of academic excellence by providing financial, administrative, advisory, and logistical support for a wide range of opportunities that connect scholarly work to broader, public concerns. In short, the Lang Center connects the campus, curriculum, and communities- both local and global. Its key programs include:
Engaged Scholarship - Engaged Scholarship refers to research and teaching that orient the College’s energies toward pressing social, environmental, ethical, and public problems; it includes Community-Based Learning and Research but also public-facing scholarship and coursework. The Lang Center supports faculty teaching and research grounded in Engaged Scholarship through Curriculum Development grants, Faculty-Led Engaged Research grants, and other support. The Lang Center also houses programs that encourage interdisciplinary learning and Engaged Scholarship led by faculty experts: Arts in Action, Global Affairs, Health & Societies, and Urban Inequality & Incarceration. Finally, the Lang Center provides special support for interdisciplinary academic programs oriented toward Engaged Scholarship, which includes Environmental Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, and Educational Studies.
The Eugene M. Lang Visiting Professorship for Issues of Social Change - The professorship was endowed in 1981 by Eugene M. Lang ‘38 to bring to the College an outstanding social scientist, political leader, or other suitably qualified person who has achieved professional or occupational prominence for sustained engagement with issues, causes, and programs directly concerned with social justice, civil liberties, human rights, or democracy.
Social Innovation Lab - Founded by Lang Visiting Professor for Issues of Social Change Denise Crossan, the Social Innovation Lab at the Lang Center provides students, faculty, staff, and community partners with an on-site “makerspace” to grow their ideas. The Lab unites a fledgling community of Swarthmore Social Innovators and community stakeholders invested in creative collaboration for the wider good. The Lab hosts courses and programs that teach participants innovation skills such as human-centered design thinking methods, strategic and project planning, and social entrepreneurship skills. The Lab and its programming also connects directly with faculty across the College to enrich engaged scholarship pursuits utilizing social innovation processes.
President’s Sustainability Research Fellowship (PSRF) -This high-impact learning program, jointly hosted by the President’s Office, the Office of Sustainability, the Environmental Studies Program, and the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility, matches small teams of advanced students with staff and faculty mentors to research, develop, and implement sustainability projects in a year-long course and associated internship.
Lang Opportunity Scholarship Program - Up to six students, during the first semester of their sophomore year, are selected to participate in this program, which includes a paid summer internship, the opportunity to apply for a substantial grant that supports the implementation of a major project with significant social value, and other benefits. Lang Center staff work closely with Lang Scholars as they develop and carry out their projects.
Student Service and Activist Groups - Lang Center staff provide many student groups with guidance and support. Supported groups include Dare 2 Soar, a tutoring program in Chester; Let’s Get Ready, a college preparation and success program; Chester Youth Court Volunteers, a restorative justice program; War News Radio, an alternative news coverage outlet; a voter engagement group, Swarthmore Political Access Network; and Crazy 8s, a math club at Jackson Elementary.
The Swarthmore Foundation - A small philanthropic body formed by Swarthmore College in 1987 with endowments from alumni, foundations, and others, the Swarthmore Foundation supports students, staff, and faculty involvement in Engaged Scholarship, collaborative action, and social innovation. For instance, summer grants provide living expenses and summer earnings for full-time, 10-week summer opportunities with faculty, non-profit organizations, grassroots advocacy groups, and public service agencies that best allow students to connect their academic interests with action toward social good. Lang Center staff provide guidance as students find placements, advising throughout their experiences, and opportunities to share what they’ve learned back with the campus community.
The Project Pericles Fund of Swarthmore College - Eugene M. Lang ‘38 and the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College created the Project Pericles Fund of Swarthmore College in 2005 to support groups of Swarthmore students who propose and implement social and civic action projects that are significant in scope. Projects supported this last year included: StoryBoard, an intensive filmmaking program that emphasizes social justice in Los Angeles; and The Sesame Street Project, literacy, leadership, and chess programming for those affected by the school-to-prison pipeline in Chester, PA.
6.6.6 Tarble Social Center
The Tarble Social Center in Clothier Memorial Hall was provided through the generosity of Newton E. Tarble of the Class of 1913 and his widow, Louise A. Tarble. The facility includes a snack bar, a lounge space, Paces (a student-run café and party space), an all-campus space, meeting rooms, the Swarthmore College Computer Society media lounge and various student organization offices.
6.6.7 Women’s Resource Center
The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) is located in a lodge on the west side of campus; it is open to all women on campus. It is organized and run by a student board of directors to bring together women of the community with multiple interests and concerns. The resources of the center include a library, kitchen, various meeting spaces, computer, and phone. The WRC also sponsors events throughout the year that are open to any member of the College community.
6.7 Student Advising
6.7.1 Class Deans
The Office of the Dean for Academic Affairs oversees the advising system. The deans are available to all students for advice on any academic or personal matter. A dean is assigned to each class in order to specialize in advising matters that are particular to that year. Students, however, may approach any dean for advising, support, or to learn about College resources.
6.7.2 Academic Advising
Each first-year student is assigned to a faculty member or administrator who serves as the student’s academic adviser. Once students are accepted by an academic department for their major, normally at the end of the sophomore year, the advising responsibility shifts to the chair, or the chair’s designate, of that department. Requests for a change of adviser in the first two years will be freely granted subject only to availability and equity in the number of advisees assigned to individual advisers.
6.7.3 Academic Support
Academic support can be accessed through the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, through the Office of Student Disability Services, through academic departments (peer mentors, clinics, and review sessions), through the Writing Center (Writing Associates), and in dormitories (Student Academic Mentors). Tutors can be arranged through departments or through the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. No fees are required for any of these services.
Academic Programming
Throughout each year, the Office of Academic Affairs coordinates programming designed to support all students’ academic success. Examples of this programming include workshops on time management, procrastination, effective class participation, and study strategies across various academic disciplines.
Student Academic Mentors (SAMs) are students specially selected and trained to work with students on the development of skills necessary for academic success including time management, organization, study strategies, and reading techniques. All residence halls with first-year students are assigned a SAM to serve as a resource for its residents. SAMs also hold weekly office hours at the McCabe and Cornell Libraries, and at the Black Cultural Center. They sponsor “Drop-In Hours” at locations throughout campus during advising and registration periods.
Writing Associates (WAs) are students who have been specially trained to assist their peers with all stages of the writing process. WAs are assigned on a regular basis to selected courses, and they are located in the Writing Center in Trotter Hall. All students have access to the Writing Center as needed and can receive help on a drop-in or appointment basis.
6.7.4 Health Sciences Office (Premed Advising)
The staff of the Health Sciences Office is available to students and alumni considering a career in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or other health professions. The Health Sciences Adviser counsels students throughout their undergraduate years and beyond, and assists them in the process of application for graduate training.
Swarthmore graduates are represented at 57 medical, dental and veterinary schools in 23 states in the U.S., including such top schools as Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Penn, Stanford, and many fine state universities. The College’s acceptance rate is substantially higher than the national acceptance rate.
While many students planning a medical career decide to major in biology or chemistry, others elect to concentrate in one of the humanities or social sciences, while structuring their overall program to fulfill medical school requirements. The following courses are part of a typical program:
As veterinary and dental schools have more variable requirements, in addition to those listed above, prevet and predental students should meet with Gigi Simeone, the Health Sciences Adviser, to plan their programs.
6.7.5 Prelaw Advising
Swarthmore’s academic rigor provides an excellent preparation for students considering a career in law. Swarthmore graduates are represented at law schools across the U.S., including such top schools as Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, and Yale.
Swarthmore students interested in law are encouraged to take a varied and challenging academic program, which will develop their analytical, reading, writing and speaking skills. There is no prelaw major or prescribed prelaw coursework. Students have applied successfully to law school with majors and minors in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Gigi Simeone, the Prelaw Adviser, is available to any student or alum considering a career in law. The Prelaw Office counsels students throughout their undergraduate years and beyond, and assists them in the process of application to law school. It offers a series of meetings with law school admissions deans each fall. The office also prepares dean’s certifications for students applying to law schools that require it. More information is available at www.swarthmore.edu/prelaw.
6.7.6 Career Services
Mission & Services
Career Services offers individualized attention to students who are seeking career direction, considering majors, exploring internships, job searching or applying for graduate school. Career Advisors and Career Fellows help students develop knowledge of themselves and their life options, advance their career planning and decision-making abilities, and develop skills related to their internship/job search and graduate school admission. Individual advising and group workshops encourage students to expand their career options through exploration of their values, skills, interests, abilities, and experiences. Students can schedule appointments at their convenience with our advisors through Handshake or stop by with questions during our Career Fellow drop-in hours (Monday through Friday 1:00 - 4 pm). Career programming includes alumni career panels, presentations, workshops, employer information sessions, an etiquette dinner, career fairs and interview days. The office partners with Alumni Relations and the Alumni Council to help students connect with a wide network of potential mentors through events throughout the year.
Exploration of career options is encouraged through internships, summer jobs, Swatworks micro-internships and employer treks. Students may receive assistance in researching, locating, and applying for internships, employment, and graduate school admission and receive advice on how to gain the most they can from these experiences.
Career Services hosts campus recruiting by representatives from for-profit, government and nonprofit organizations. The Career Services website (careercenter.swarthmore.edu) provides access to exploration tools and industry and identity-based resources including internship and job listings, events, advice and skill-building.
Resources:
Reserve an Interview Room: Need a quiet and professional looking space for an upcoming virtual interview? Learn more about reserving an interview room here.
Access to Professional Attire: Don’t have a suit for your interview? Borrow a ready-to-wear suit from our Career Closet. All suits were newly purchased through the generosity of a Swarthmore alumnus. We offer a range of sizes and styles for everyone. Stop by Career Services, Parrish 135, during office hours to check out our blazers, slacks and ties.
Through our partnership with Career Wardrobe, Swarthmore students may also shop for free professional outfits for interviews and/or upcoming internships or jobs.
Online Subscriptions: Through Career Services, students have access to many exclusive resources ranging from interview prep tools to industry guides and specific job and internship databases. Check out our Career Resources on Handshake for more information.
Recommendation Files: Students may establish recommendation files with Career Services to compile, store, and send to prospective employers and graduate admissions committees. To start a recommendations file, please email career@swarthmore.edu.
Policies
Swarthmore College Career Services follows the Principles for Professional Conduct established by The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and requires students, alumni and employers to practice the same principles to ensure equitable recruiting. Additionally, students can learn more about our policies online.
6.8 Student Conduct System
Swarthmore places great value on freedom of expression, but it also recognizes the responsibility to protect the values and structures of an academic community. It is important, therefore, that students assume responsibility for helping to sustain an educational and social community where the rights of all are respected. This includes conforming their behavior to standards of conduct that are designed to protect the health, safety, dignity, and rights of all. Community members also have a responsibility to protect the possessions, property, and integrity of the institution as well as of individuals. The aim of the College’s Student Code of Conduct is to balance all these rights, responsibilities, and community values fairly. The student conduct system is overseen by the associate dean of students and all questions should be directed to this office.
The Student Conduct process is an administrative educational process informed by legal and compliance requirements that guide academic institutions together with the holistic mission of the College to help students realize their full potential. Students share responsibility for upholding community standards and are expected to participate in good faith with investigation and adjudication processes meant to resolve a code allegation. Decisions about whether a student or group is responsible for a conduct violation are based on a fair preponderance of the evidence standard meaning, the allegation is supported by evidence that sufficiently demonstrates that it is more likely than not that a violation occurred. Without sufficient evidence, a student or group will be found not responsible. The student conduct process strives to be both thorough and efficient and suggested process timelines may be shortened or extended if warranted by extenuating circumstances.
The formal student conduct system at Swarthmore College has three main components: (1) Minor Misconduct: Allegation(s) in which possible sanctions do not include suspension or expulsion from the College if the student were found responsible and are typically conducted through the office of student engagement by the residence community coordinators; (2) Major Misconduct: Allegation(s) subject to College policy in which possible sanctions could result in suspension or expulsion from the College if the student were found responsible, and are typically addressed by the College Judiciary Committee (CJC) or an Administrative Adjudication meeting with the associate dean of students, including all allegations of academic misconduct. The CJC is composed of faculty, students, and administrators who have undergone training for their role; and (3) Sexual Assault and Harassment: All allegations of sexual and gender based harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual violence, stalking, and intimate-partner violence are addressed through the College’s Sexual Assault and Harassment Policy.
Violation of the laws of any jurisdiction, whether local, state, federal, or (when studying abroad) foreign, may subject a student to College disciplinary action. A pending appeal of a conviction shall not affect the application of this rule.
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