Useful news for Brown parents
Brown Parents Newsletter
Issue No. 15, September 2016

Dear Brown families,

We kicked off our 253rd academic year with the ceremony of Convocation, welcoming 2,675 new undergraduate and graduate students in through the Van Wickle Gates. President Paxson and Dean of the Graduate School Andrew Campbell encouraged students to embrace uncomfortable moments, to take creative and intellectual risks, to use their curiosity, imagination and courage, and to learn from the rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences represented by the people who comprise this amazing community. Their full remarks are available for the community to read.

As we swing fully into another semester, students are making new friends, greeting classmates they have not seen in months, and actively weighing their fall course selections. You can find an explanation of this essential "shopping period" on the Parents and Families web site, along with a wealth of other information such as academic advisors available to help students puzzle through their choices, news of a new Dining Services initiative in partnership with Bon Appetit, and instructions for students wishing to live off campus next year. We encourage you to make the site your first stop for all your Brown questions.

We hope that you can travel to campus October 21-23 for Family Weekend. Our faculty and deans look forward to inviting you into Brown’s vibrant intellectual life and highlighting the academic, research, and extracurricular resources available to our students as they shape their educational and career goals. No matter your child’s class year, there is something for everyone.

Intriguing discoveries and insights such as those represented in the Family Weekend forums may be found throughout the year on the Brown homepage or news.brown.edu. We invite you to share in the excitement of a Brown education.

Welcome to a new year!

Maud S. Mandel
Dean of the College
Professor, History and
Judaic Studies

Eric S. Estes
Vice President for
Campus Life

Giving to Brown

Important Dates

October 5 - 18
Registration for Wintersession

October 10
Indigenous Peoples Day; classes not in session

October 21–23
Family Weekend

November 1–8
Course registration for spring 2017 courses

November 23–27
Thanksgiving recess (beginning Wednesday at noon)

December 8–12
Reading period

December 13–21
Final Exams

December 22
Residence halls close for winter break

Parent Resources

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Parents & Families web site: everything families need to navigate Brown
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Counseling & Psychological Services: free and confidential for any student
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Events at Brown: stay up–to–date on campus happenings
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BrownTogether: it’s about people, places, programs
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Support the Brown Experience: the Parents Annual Fund
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Brown Daily Herald: subscribe for the student newspaper
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News from Brown: subscribe for weekly updates

RESOURCE HIGHLIGHT

Resource Highlight image

Add Bear Bucks funds online

With a Bear Bucks account, students can swipe their Brown IDs to do laundry, print or make photocopies, and make purchases from on-campus vending machines and various other locations. Online, credit card deposits to Bear Bucks are now possible through the GET portal. Family members may also add funds to a student’s Bear Bucks account by going to get.cbord.com/brown and entering the student’s Brown ID#, last name, and birth date. And students can add funds themselves by putting paper money into a Value Port machine on campus, depositing in person at the Cashier’s Office, or sending a check to the Cashier’s Office.

ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT

Did You Know?

Academic deans hold open hours from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily and even on some late afternoons and evenings. These drop–in hours are designed for quick questions, exploratory conversations, and emergencies. Students may also arrange individual appointments with deans, especially if the issue of concern falls under a dean’s particular area of expertise or merits a fuller conversation.

NEWS FROM CAMPUS AND BEYOND

First-Generation College and Low-Income Student Center

A welcoming space for first–generation and low–income students

Brown’s new First–Generation College and Low–Income Student Center opened in September in a recently renovated space on the 5th floor of the Sciences Library. Check out the First Generation College Students web site for more information about the Center and other opportunities for your student to connect with First-Gen@Brown.

Meet our new faculty

Meet our new faculty

Who are some of the newest faces on campus? Brown welcomed 47 educators with interests ranging from the environmental history of the Arctic to cancer biology to Arabic literature. Learn more about the professors, associate professors, assistant professors, lecturers, and research faculty members in 30 departments who began teaching this fall.

Wintersession

Where will your student be this winter?

Brown’s new January Wintersession will feature a handful of intense, creative, experimental courses that span three weeks and cover the standard 48–contact–hour requirement of semester courses. Deadlines and FAQs are available on the University's web site.

Concentration fair

Concentration fair: Help for your student!

For all sophomores, transfer students, and curious first-years: The annual Concentration fair will be held on Wednesday, October 19 from 7:00 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. in Sayles Hall. Students will have an opportunity to talk with faculty and undergraduates from 80+ concentrations to help them consider and narrow down their choices. Academic deans will answer questions and guide students to resources and opportunities.

Project 2020

Project 2020: Calling all first–year students

First–year students may encounter some questions and concerns as they navigate Brown’s curriculum. Project 2020, a year–long series of programs, workshops, and events, is specifically tailored to help them get connected to CareerLAB’s staff and resources. Learn ways your student can be thinking about using the career resource center.

Family Weekend

Family Weekend

If you are able to join us, Family Weekend, a highlight of the fall semester, provides an opportunity to experience Brown’s campus at the height of the academic term. From lectures to student performances to athletic events, the campus is bursting with activity. Events are geared toward Brown undergraduates as well as current students of Alpert Medical School. Online registration opened on September 9. Don’t wait!

Other comments, questions or ideas?
We welcome your feedback via email at families@brown.edu and via mail at Brown Parents Program, Box 1893, Providence, RI 02912, USA.

Past Newsletters

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Brown Parents Program
Brown University, Box 1893, Providence, RI 02912, USA