Colleen Bench has attended plenty of parents weekends since beginning as director of the SU Parents Office in 1993. But the fall 2001 weekend stands out in her mind.

That year, Parents Weekend came after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Bench said she was concerned people wouldn’t come because of the poor economy, the number of people that lost loved ones or those who lost their jobs after the attacks.

Instead the weekend saw record attendance.

‘There was just such a need after that for parents to see their students and hug them and be with them and spend time with them that we had amazing numbers that year,’ said Bench.

And that’s the number one reason families visit Syracuse University for the event, which became known as Family Weekend after 2007 — to spend time and check on their students, Bench said.

Now in its 58th year, the event is expecting record numbers. The weekend being held later in the semester, a higher number of enrolled students and the Friday night football game are all factors that may contribute to the higher attendance, Bench said.

As of earlier this week, just more than 4,000 people were registered and Bench said the Parents Office is still expecting more to register late this week and attend as walk-ins. Last year, 5,193 attended.

The first organized weekend for families to visit began in 1953 under then-Chancellor William Tolley’s time at SU, according to SU Archives. Bench said she believes the weekend, which predates the 1972 creation of the SU Parents Office, was created by students.

‘My guess is that they determined the student body probably wanted to have a visit weekend for their parents, pulled together an idea and actually hosted it themselves,’ she said.

There is little information available for the first few Parents Weekends because there was no office at the time to keep records, Bench said.

The weekends have always been marked by football games, and throughout the years, Syracuse has played a variety of different teams from all over the country. In 1954, the game was against Holy Cross. In 1964, Syracuse played UCLA. And in 1965, the team took on Oregon State.

Tickets for games cost $4.50 in 1963 — and an extra 35 cents for shipping and handling.

Football games are still a big draw for families today and probably the second reason next to visiting students as to why parents come, Bench said. A survey showed that 93 percent of parents prefer having Parents Weekend on a football weekend.

‘I think they really enjoy the festive atmosphere of a football weekend and all the rah-rah of everything that goes on,’ she said, adding it does not matter how well the team is playing.

This is the first weekend SU has played a Friday night game during the special weekend, said Thomas Wolfe, senior vice president and dean of student affairs. Having a Friday night game clears up some of the schedule for the rest of the weekend.

Wolfe said having an organized weekend filled with activities rather than visiting for an informal trip is appealing to parents and families as well.

‘The events of the weekend are catered to families, and I think it’s not just that they see their son or daughter, but they also encounter other families, and then the offerings of that weekend are appealing to them as a whole, like the game and concerts,’ Wolfe said.

A program called School for Parents, which began in 1958, allowed parents to get a taste of daily academic life. Parents were allowed to wander in and out of classes and lectures. But this was disruptive, Bench said. Now, certain professors will volunteer to teach lectures and classes to parents. The professors do this on their own time and outside of their regular classroom hours to minimize disruptions.

Breakfast with the chancellor was once a Saturday morning staple of Parents Weekend. The breakfasts were held in a variety of places on campus to accommodate growing numbers. They began in Hendricks Chapel and at one point were held in the Sims Dining Hall, which no longer exists, said Mary O’Brien, SU archivist. Tickets for breakfast in 1963 cost $1.25.

Now, because of increased attendance, breakfasts with the deans of colleges and schools are held individually, Bench said. It’s one of the most highly attended events, and not just because of the food, but because of the personal touch and chance to tour the facilities their students use, she said.

‘Parents really want to talk to the faculty and they want to meet their students’ teachers, kind of going back to when their students were in grade school, if you will,’ she said.

For Wolfe, the best part of each weekend is seeing families together. He said he tries to attend as many events as he can and serve as a face for the university.

‘I hang around the receptions table in Schine and just meet families. They’re all so happy, they’re smiling, they’re happy to see their students and to feel connected to the university,’ he said. ‘And they’re wearing their orange. It’s just a fun weekend.’

medelane@syr.edu

Published on October 19, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Meghin: medelane@syr.edu | @meghinwithani