What's next?

Lasell College currently offers 15 Division III Varsity Athletic Programs.

For Men, Lasell offers:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Lacrosse
• Soccer
• Track & Field
• Volleyball

For Women, we offer:

• Basketball
• Field Hockey
• Cross Country
• Lacrosse
• Softball
• Soccer
• Track & Field
• Volleyball

Lasell is a member of the NCAA (Division III), the Eastern College Athletic Association (ECAC), the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), the North Atlantic Conference (NAC), the Pilgrim League, and the North West Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA).

Baseball became a varsity sport beginning with the 2009 season, and Track & Field will compete at the varsity level beginning next winter. Also a few weeks ago, Lasell introduced its new athletic mascot, Boomer the Torchbearer and LASER PRIDE, Lasell's new athletic website. Naturally, I'm wondering "what's next for Laser Athletics?"

Anyone that knows me is aware of my passion for Golf. I love to play the game, volunteer at local events (like the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston or the CVS Caremark Charity Classic down in Barrington, RI), and of course watch golf on TV.

Well, Spring is in the air here in New England, and today I was glued to my screen to watch the best golfer on the planet tee it up at the Masters. Of course watching Tiger got me thinking, with a half dozen beautiful golf courses practically within walking distance of campus and a number of GNAC competitor institutions fielding programs, could golf be Lasell's next varsity athletic program?

Stay tuned...

media hysteria

Pam and I live in Rhode Island, and we subscribe to the weekend edition of the Providence Journal. We both love to read and we savor the weekend paper over coffee.

We have our reading routines. I'm a Headlines, Education, and then the Sunday sudoku puzzle. Pam heads to the Business section first, then Headlines, and the ads for a little coupon hunting.

Of course I am always drawn to articles about the college admission process. Last Sunday, Jay Mathews of the Washington Post wrote an article printed in the Journal titled, "April the cruelest month for college hopefuls". Where he proceeded to provide a survival guide for this years college applicants.

These types of stories drive me nuts. Billed has "helpful", they actually do little to assist college bound students and their families navigate the college selection process. But last weekend, Jay took it one step further when he wrote, "Nobody including the college admissions officers, has a clear idea why certain students are admitted and others are not."

WHAT!

I have chaired the admission committee at Lasell College for over 6 years, and while I can't speak for other colleges and universities, I can say that we review every candidate against a combination of curricular benchmarks used to measure students' academic abilities. We take the application review process very seriously, and the subsequent decisions it yields are in the best interest of our applicants, as well as the College.

So it will come as no surprise that I respectfully disagree with Jay's perspective. My colleagues and I do have a clear idea why certain candidates are admitted and others are not. Last fall, Lasell admitted about 60% of our roughly 3600 undergraduate applicants. Approximately 40% were not offered admission, and its often this group of decisions that we struggle with most. Just once provide the disappointing news to a student in person, and you'll understand why denying admission is so difficult and why we don't take it lightly.

I believe the cruelest thing for college hopefuls isn't the month of April, its the media exploiting an already anxiety-filled time in a young persons life.

CollegeWeekLive | Update

In a previous post, I mentioned Lasell was planning to participate in CollegeWeekLive on March 25 and 26. Curious how it went?

Just a quick review, CollegeWeekLive was billed as the "largest virtual college fair...with more than 200 colleges and universities from around the world exhibiting and more than 25,000 attendees".

CollegeWeekLive provided Lasell a unique opportunity to interact with interested students from all over the country. How you might ask? The software offers an IM-like chat feature, where interested students and college representatives can virtually connect. We hosted our chat sessions from 3-10, both days. As expected, the later in the evening the busier we got.

Chat is an interesting conversation vehicle. At one point in the evening, I was chatting with two students for almost an hour - one from CO and the other from TX. What about? We chatted about everything Lasell. Our class sizes, our facilities, and our academic programs. And if you're wondering if the conversation looked like this "OMG R U FR RL" you would be wrong. LOL.

My take, the students enjoyed it. It's anonymous and it's care-free (meaning no peer pressure). Students are free to explore institutions they may not take the time to learn about in other environments. And the students are in control. They can come and go as they please. They can engage, chat, or simply read other people's posts.

An avatar-like experience, I think the ease of scrolling through the "College Hall" to visit Colleges and Universities from all over the country is itself worth-while. Sure the canned video and campus photographs that adorn the booths will never replace an actual campus visit. But, the value and exposure this FREE to students service provides is timely, especially as the country's current economic belt continues to tighten. From my side of the screen, it was an economic and "greener" way to connect with prospective students from around the country (no driving or flying required).

Combining many resources - live streaming video, real-time chat, and more importantly a platform for students to learn about their higher education options in a way they are comfortable - definitely works for me.

Have you visited CollegeWeekLive? Check it out and let me know what you think.

Lasell Day • 2009

On Saturday March 28, Lasell College hosted its annual Lasell Day (Accepted Students Day Program). Admitted students and their families traveled from all over the United States, including California, Texas, and Pennsylvania to attend.

Treated to a variety of Academic, Student Life, Financial Planning, and Alumni/Parent presentations, the day began with a cheerful welcome by Lasell's President Michael B. Alexander. President Alexander offered the 440 admitted students in attendance his congratulations on their acceptance to Lasell's class of 2013.

Interested students also had the opportunity to learn more about Lasell's study abroad, honors, and athletic programs, discover residential life opportunities, and tour the campus - showcasing the two new student residences scheduled to open this fall.

To all who attended, thank you for making the trip!

On behalf of the Office of Undergraduate Admission, we hope you enjoyed the day.
Check out a few of the wonderful pictures from Saturday.

The value added

The Lasell College Board of Trustees set tuition and fees for the 2009-2010 academic year. Full-time tuition will be $24,300, the comprehensive fee will remain at $1,000, and the standard room and board rate will be $10,500.

Considering the state of the economy, it was evident that this decision was not an easy one. In a recent letter to the entire undergraduate student body, President Alexander announced the 2009-2010 costs and outlined the College's focus on providing additional aid dollars to assist families where necessary. President Alexander wrote, "this year, we increased our budget for institutional aid 21%." He added, "next year, we expect once again to budget for an increase in institutional aid and to work diligently with our students and their families to assist them in making a Lasell education affordable."

After sincerely acknowledging the potential impact any increase may have, President Alexander took a unique approach in his letter, he explained why.

"Lasell College is committed to investing in areas that directly improve our academic programs, student services and campus facilities. This past year, Lasell added twelve new full-time faculty members; we are now searching for additional faculty in Art, Communication, Hospitality and Event Management, and English. This year, we expanded undergraduate course offerings and the opportunity to begin graduate work in the senior year through a blended semester in both our Management program and our new Master of Science degree in Communication program."

"In the fall, we will open 2 new student residence halls, incorporating environmentally friendly technology and improved energy efficiencies. In conjunction with the opening of these new facilities, we are adding 30 additional parking spaces for students and a new fitness facility in McClelland Hall, nearly doubling the on-campus workout space for our students."

"In the coming year, track and field - currently a club sport - will become a varsity sport for both men and women. Our home tuition model for study abroad, allowing students to take their financial aid with them, will enable even more students to study overseas in such places as Italy, England, Spain, Ireland, Hungary, and Australia."

"Currently, we are refurbishing the Wolfe Hall lobby with new lighting, computer terminals, and lounge furnishings."

"As we look to the year ahead, we renew our pledge to provide an academic experience of the highest quality and an education that is perhaps the best value of any private college in the Boston area. At Lasell, we work to give our students the opportunity to gain experience every day. Through our project-based and problem-based approach to teaching and learning, we are dedicated to preparing our students for the real world in a way that makes Lasell College distinctive among its peers."

President Alexander's message was realistic yet hopeful. In spite of the economic uncertainly, Lasell is not only moving forward but growing, and continuing to do what the College has done for the past 158 years - provide the highest quality education to our students.

What is my favorite thing about Lasell?

March is a very interesting month.

We are in the middle of working with our current applicants, and all of our admitted students as they narrow their college options and prepare to make enrollment decisions. May 1st (the deposit deadline) is quickly approaching. Simultaneously, we are working with sophomores and juniors in high school. They are just beginning their college searches. For admissions officers, this time of the year is a balancing act.

During the course of a day, we are asked hundreds of questions. Admitted students have concerns about financial aid, housing, and orientation. Applicants want to know if their applications are complete and when they can expect decisions. And students just beginning their college search, want to know everything else.

Which brings me to Nicole. Nicole recently emailed me to ask a few questions. Her last question took a little more time to answer. It was short question but very thoughtful, and for me thought provoking.

Dear Mr. Tweed..."what would you say is your favorite thing about Lasell?" Nicole wrote.


Nicole, my favorite thing about Lasell College isn't a thing at all. Let me explain.

I knew from my first moment on campus (over 6 years ago) that Lasell is where I wanted to work, and that commitment grows stronger everyday.

Ironically, my favorite part of Lasell College has nothing to do with the location. Although, Newton, MA (right outside of Boston, is a "best of both worlds location" to attend college).

In fact, my favorite aspect of Lasell has little to do with the physical structure of the campus either. Although, Lasell's campus is a beautiful, unique blend of historic Victorian mansions and new state-of-the-art classroom and residential facilities.

Nor is the affection I have for Lasell influenced by the academic programs we offer. Even though, Lasell has over 30 undergraduate and many graduate offerings to choose from. All taught through a unique Connected Learning approach to education that combines practical, hands-on professional experience with the comprehensive, liberal arts.

And my Laser pride doesn't waiver with the ups and downs of our 13 varsity athletic program's records. Although, last nights men's basketball double over-time loss in the GNAC tournament was tough to take.

My favorite "thing" about Lasell College is the people. The Lasell College community (the current students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and staff).

The Lasell College community makes the location relevant and fun. Lasell students, administrators and staff turn-on the physical campus so it glows with excitement and energy. And the Lasell faculty infuse the curriculum with their global experience, and yet take the time to make individual connections with students that are lifelong lasting.

Lasell's people are what make the College such a special place to work, live and learn.

Nicole, I hope this answered your question. Keep 'em coming!

Please pardon our appearance while we renovate.

If I had a dollar for every time I've said this to a student visiting Irwin House (the Office of Admission) over the last two months, I could have generated my own stimulus package.

All kidding aside, for those of you new to Lasell's campus, Irwin House is on the corner of Cheswick Rd. and Commonwealth Ave., and is one of the College's many Victorian homes (27 to be exact, dating back to the 1800's) that now serve as either student housing or faculty/administrative offices. Lasell's campus is really quite spectacular, uniquely mixing historic mansions with new high-tech, green constructed residences and facilities.

To all of the students and their families who visited and toured campus last week (during school vacation) - thank you for coming to see us, and for your patience. The construction can be a distraction, and at times, an inconvenience. However, Irwin's renovations will add additional office space for our growing team - including Lou, our new Associate Director of International and Multicultural Admission. Lou won't have a chance to get too comfortable in his new office, as he "takes off" (literally) on a recruiting trip to Florida, China, the Middle East, and Turkey beginning next week. Meet Lou and the rest of the Admission Team and see if their upcoming spring travel plans include your area.

In Irwin, our expansion projects have not been limited to just new offices and staff. Last month we launched our new student portal, an online way for our undergraduate applicants (nearly 3700 last year) to regularly check the status of their applications, connect with our admission and financial aid teams, and receive Lasell news and updates electronically. Tyler (one of our Admission Counselors) did an amazing job getting this service up and running. Early feedback has been extremely positive. Our fall applicants enjoy being able to access their individual admission accounts and determine if their applications are complete or if certain credentials are missing. If you have any questions about accessing the Lasell portal, check-in with Tyler. Also, high school Juniors - stay tuned for our next tech initiative. Lasell will be participating in CollegeWeekLive (the worlds biggest virtual college fair).

Back to the hammers and nails in Irwin. One of the members of the Blue Key Society (our Student Admission Ambassadors) who lives in McClelland Hall told me, "he was use to construction at Lasell." "It seems like every year, Lasell is putting up a new building or renovating an older one." Now that I think about it - he's not exaggerating. In the 6+ years that I've been Director of Admission, the College has built 3 residence halls and the campus center; expanded the Dining Hall, opened a cafe, renovated the auditorium, the athletic center, and countless classrooms on campus. So I guess it was just a matter of time before the construction crews found Irwin.

Speaking of McClelland Hall. The past few weeks have given me a glimpse of what the students currently living in McClelland and Van Winkle Halls must be experiencing, as they endure the construction of Lasell's 2 newest student residences just feet away. These 2 new residence halls will house approximately 150 new students, and will include underground parking and a courtyard. Unlike the renovations in Irwin, the 2 new residence halls are going up on schedule, and are due to open fall 2009. To the students living in McClelland and Van Winkle Halls - thank you for your cooperation and for your understanding. On schedule or not, I'm sure you've had to overcome your share of construction woes.

Well, back to work tomorrow and to Phase 1 of the Irwin renovation project (scheduled to be completed by the end of the month). By the look of things last Friday, and I think Eddie (the Irwin project manager) would agree - we're making progress, but for now I should probably get use to saying "please pardon our appearance while we renovate."