Dickinson College - Facts About Dickinson

Facts About Dickinson
Chartered:
1783, the first college chartered in the newly recognized United States of America. Named to honor John Dickinson, the penman of the American Revolution and a signer of the Constitution.
Curriculum:
A four-year program of study in the liberal arts. The academic calendar consists of fall and spring semesters and an optional summer term.
Degrees Granted:
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science
Major Fields of Study:
Africana studies, American studies, anthropology, archaeology, art & art history, biochemistry & molecular biology, biology, chemistry, classical studies, computer science, dance & music, East Asian studies, economics, English, environmental science, environmental studies, French, geology, German, history, international business & management, international studies, Italian studies, Judaic studies, law & policy, mathematics, medieval & early modern studies, Middle East studies, music, neuroscience, philosophy, physics, policy management, political science, psychology, religion, Russian, sociology, Spanish, theatre arts, women's studies.
Special Programs:
astronomy, Chinese, comparative civilizations, creative writing, film studies, Japanese, Latin American studies, military science (ROTC), secondary teaching certification.
Special Options:
preprofessional preparation: business, engineering, health, law; double majors, self-developed majors, departmental honors, tutorial study, independent study, independent research; internships; study-abroad programs; 3-3 law school program with Pennsylvania State University.
Number of Faculty:
240, 9 percent are persons of color; 92 percent of the faculty have earned a Ph.D. or other terminal degree.
Student-Faculty Ratio:
10:1
Average Class Size:
17 students per class.
Location:
Carlisle, founded 1751, is a pre-Revolutionary town of 20,000 people located in the Cumberland Valley of central Pennsylvania. Interstate highway, rail and air transportation link all major East Coast cities. Driving times to: Harrisburg, 30 minutes; Baltimore, two hours; Washington, D.C., two hours; Philadelphia, two hours; Pittsburgh, four hours; New York, four hours.
Size of Campus:
308 acres; 90-acre main campus including a 30-acre recreational area close by and a 188-acre farm six miles from campus.
Library Facilities:
The Waidner-Spahr Library collection includes more than 357,298 printed books, 241,158 electronic book titles, 40,000 government documents, 11,000 CDs and LPs and almost 10,000 DVDs and videocassettes. In addition, the library provides access to the contents of more than 10,000 journal titles.
Computer Facilities:
The college supports a range of facilities in which students may use computers. The Waidner-Spahr Library, which includes the Information Commons, hosts more than 100 computers equipped with the Microsoft Office suite and other applications, as well as laptop computers that may be borrowed by students. The campus has a range of computer labs with both PC and Macintosh computers and laser printers. Some departments have computer labs configured for students taking courses in that discipline. There are 86 Smart Classrooms equipped with data projectors and network connections for class use. Library & Information Services offers equipment for digital media, scanning, color printing, video editing and other specialized applications.
Computer Network:
The campus network is connected to the Internet with a high-speed, 100-meg connection. The campus is completely networked and every student room has at least one Ethernet network connection. Students may access the Internet from any location on campus through wired Ethernet connections or through the wireless network at locations at the center of the campus, including the Waidner-Spahr Library, the Quarry, the Holland Union Building and the Rector Science Complex. The wireless network is rapidly expanding and the entire campus will be covered in three years.
Computer Support:
The Division of Library & Information Services supports both PCs running Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh computers. Students may bring either to campus. Whether or not a student has a personal computer, each individual will be provided access to the Dickinson Gateway portal. The Gateway provides customized access to services such as e-mail, the online learning management system, student records and dozens of other services. As alumni, they receive free e-mail forwarding for life. Students can access the Gateway from many locations on campus or anywhere on the Web. Network storage is provided for each student. Students may create personal Web pages on the Web server.
Residence Facilities:
The college offers a progressive residential life program in which students move into more independent living environments each year. First-year students begin in socially integrated residence halls, sophomores and juniors live in transitional housing (suites), and seniors live in independent apartment-style housing. In total the college has 55 residences, including housing for students with special interests such as foreign languages, multicultural affairs, the arts and the environment.
Student Enrollment:
Dickinson has 2,353 full-time students. 15 percent are students of color. Students come from 41 states and 40 countries, including 150 international students.
Student Financial Aid:
Fall 2008: 65 percent of all students receive financial assistance in some form. Approximately 53 percent receive grant aid from the college.
College Financial Data:
As of June 30, 2008, the value of the total endowment was $349.8 million. The operating budget for 2008-09 academic year is $102.1 million on a net basis. $29 million has been allocated to financial-aid grants. The gross operating budget, therefore, is $131.2 million.