Difficult Questions: The Role of Writing and Writing Programs at Small Liberal Arts Colleges
January 10-11, 2020 | Franklin & Marshall College | Lancaster, PA
WELCOME!
The 13th annual SLAC-WPA conference will be hosted by Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Settled in 1729 and one of the oldest inland cities in the United States, Lancaster has a rich history. It can boast of its Central Market, the oldest (founded in 1730), continuously running public farmers’ market in the country. Traditionally known as the center of Pennsylvania Dutch country, home to the Amish, Lancaster more recently has achieved notoriety for its vibrant arts and food scene. In 2016, a New York Post’s travel writer dubbed Lancaster “the new Brooklyn.”
CONFERENCE PROGRAM
This year’s conference theme, “Difficult Questions: The Role of Writing and Writing Programs at Small Liberal Arts Colleges,” invites participants to ponder difficult questions and strategies for responding to the central question: what are the roles of a small liberal arts college writing program administrator in the context of a larger curriculum?
Please visit the conference program for workshop and session details.
REGISTRATON
The conference registration fee is $160. This fee includes all conference sessions, Friday evening reception and dinner, and Saturday lunch. Registration is open until December 13, 2019.
LODGING
The SLAC-WPA 2020 Conference Hotel is the Holiday Inn Lancaster at 26 East Chestnut Street, a mile-and-a-half drive from the Franklin & Marshall College campus.
To make reservations, visit the Holiday Inn website or call the Holiday Inn Lancaster at 717-394-0900.
Parking is available at a discounted rate of $12 a day (unlimited access) in the Lancaster Parking Authority’s Duke Street parking garage adjacent to the hotel.
Cancellations must be made one day in advance of scheduled arrival (by 4 p.m. local time).
TRANSPORTATION
Air Travel
Three airports serve Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
- Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) is the closest to the Holiday Inn Lancaster (29.3 miles).
United, American Airlines, Allegiant, Delta, and Frontier all serve the airport.
From MDT (which is outside the borough of Middletown, Pennsylvania), conference participants can Uber (UberX is around $52), taxi, or take a rental car to Lancaster. (Alamo, Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Payless have desks at the airport.) The drive takes between 40–60 minutes depending on traffic.
In addition, Amtrak Keystone service is available from Middletown to Lancaster. For Amtrak schedule information, visit the Amtrak website.
The Middletown Amtrak station is 2 miles from Harrisburg airport. An UberX from the airport to the station costs approximately $11.70; a one-way fare to Lancaster is $11. An UberX from the Lancaster Amtrak station to the Holiday Inn costs approximately $7.50.
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is approximately 90 miles (depending on the route taken) from the Holiday Inn Lancaster.
Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, and United fly to Philadelphia.
From PHL, conference participants can Uber (UberX is around $94), taxi, or take a rental car to Lancaster. (Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, and National have offices at PHL.) The drive takes between 1 hour and 35 minutes to 2.5 hours depending on traffic.
In addition, train service is available from the Philadelphia airport to Lancaster. Conference attendees can take the SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) Airport Line to 30th Street Station and connect with Amtrak’s Keystone Service from Philadelphia to Lancaster. Consult the SEPTA Airport line schedule for travel times. For Amtrak information, visit the Amtrak website.
The SEPTA trains run twice an hour and take 20 minutes to reach Philadelphia’s Amtrak station. Layovers at 30th for the Keystone vary, but, once on the train, the scheduled time between Philadelphia and Lancaster station is 1 hour. Taxis and Ubers are available at the station for the 1-mile trip to the Holiday Inn. The price of a SEPTA Airport line one way is $6.75; a one-way Amtrak ticket from Philadelphia to Lancaster costs approximately $21 one way. UberX is about $7.50 to the hotel.
- Thurgood Marshall/Baltimore–Washington International Airport (BWI) is approximately 90 miles (depending on the route taken) from the Holiday Inn Lancaster.
Air Canada, Allegiant, American, Condor, Contour, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southern Airways Express, Southwest, Spirit, and United Airlines serve BWI.
From BWI, conference participants can Uber (UberX is approximately $129), taxi, or take a rental car to Lancaster. (Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, NextCar, Payless, and Thrifty have offices at Thurgood Marshall/BWI.) The drive to Lancaster takes between 1 hour and 40 minutes to 2.5 hours, depending on traffic.
Car Services
For those considering ride sharing with other conference attendees, we can recommend the following car services:
Infinity Transportation Services
Contact: Robbie Gardner
Phone: 717-39RELAX
Email: Robbie@infinitytransportationservices.com
Jerry Brown
Phone: 717-725-3638
Email: minstrlman@gmail.com
Driving Directions
Located close to many major highways, Lancaster is easily accessible by car. For specific driving directions, please consult the F&M College website.
Getting to the Franklin & Marshall College Campus
Saturday’s conference events will begin and end in the Barshinger Life Sciences and Philosophy (LSP) building on the F&M campus. Please see the campus map for details.
Transportation will be provided to and from F&M and the Holiday Inn Lancaster (the site of Friday’s conference events).
For those driving to campus, the LSP building is best approached from the Harrisburg Pike entrance to F&M’s Williamson parking lot. LSP will be the second building on your right.
Parking is plentiful and located directly in front of the building.
To find the Life Sciences and Philosophy building using your GPS, enter the address for the Iron Hill Restaurant (781 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, PA 17603). The Williamson parking lot is directly across the street from Iron Hill.