Family Information

By 2021 fall quarter, all students will be required to be fully vaccinated if they wish to participate in an in-classroom teaching environment, live in FIDM housing, or participate in on-campus events. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Kim Wetzel, Executive Director, Human Resources at kwetzel@fidm.edu or ext. 3530.

FIDM provides a Parent Orientation Guide to the parents of all incoming FIDM Students upon their start. Designed to coincide with the on-campus Parent Orientation sessions, the Parent Orientation Guide covers the topics that we have found are of special interest to parents.

Parent Orientation is a program designed to welcome parents to the FIDM community. Orientation takes place on-campus prior to the start of the quarter and offers information as well as a brief introduction to FIDM, accreditation, academic expectations and rigor, college policies, and campus safety. Contact your Admissions Advisor for specific dates and details.

Parent Orientation Guide

All new students are strongly encouraged to attend on-campus orientation, during which they will be informed about college facilities and general policies, including scheduling of classes, attendance, grading, transfer in of coursework, finances, and job placement.

Success Seminar is a program that provides information and activities that will help students be successful during their first quarter. First-time college students are required to participate. Students with college experience are also invited but are not required to attend. Contact your Admissions Advisor for specific dates and details.

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The FIDM Portal (https://myfidm.fidm.edu) is for new students, current students, and alumni. The FIDM Portal is a place for students to easily and securely access information regarding their FIDM college experience. Students register, check grades, conduct research for a project, search for a job, review upcoming events, and obtain financial information through the FIDM Portal.

Graduation dates are listed on the Academic Calendar. In addition, general graduation information is available to all FIDM Students year-round on the FIDM Portal, under the link titled "Graduation Ceremony" and the heading "Academics." Specific information such as dates, times, and contact information is available in the campus newsletters and on the graduation page.

In order to hold an enrolled place in class, students must be present at the start of the first class session. Attendance must be taken at the first class session to determine class enrollment for the Registrar's Office. Any student missing the first meeting of a class when roll is called will have given up his/her space in that class. This will allow instructors to add students who otherwise might have had to wait until the second class meeting. If the student who missed the first meeting shows up in the second week, an instructor may allow him/her to remain if there is still room.

If the student is having a problem contacting the instructor by FIDM e-mail he/she can include their Department Advisor or the Education Department on messages to the instructor to help track the communication cycle and have a record of attempts. The Department Advisor/Education Department can also forward the correspondence to the personal faculty email address to expedite the process. Please note that the instructor may not respond over break times when school is not in session.

The first step is for the student to schedule a meeting with the instructor during their scheduled office hours to discuss their progress and grade, and receive assistance. Studios, workshops, and tutoring sessions are offered to assist students with their assignments and projects. The IDEA Center provides students with additional educational assistance to supplement classroom instruction in the areas of writing, mathematics, computer competency, study skills, time management, research skills, and reading comprehension. For specific days, times, and topics, students may see the campus newsletter, FIDM Portal, or the Education Department.

The campus newsletter, published weekly, is available on the FIDM Portal and on campus. It provides information not only about activities, but also important information regarding registration, graduation, guest speakers, service opportunities, tutoring assistance, and more. Please click on the campus of your choice to read the most recent campus newsletter.

Students may appeal a final grade during the subsequent quarter. The student schedules a meeting with the instructor to discuss the final grade which is determined by the total points earned versus the total points possible. If no resolution is achieved, the student is to go to his/her Department or Academic Advisor in the Education Department to fill out the Grade Appeal Petition form. The student's request will be reviewed and he/she will be notified of the petition results within weeks.