After a tumultuous semester which saw the death of two deans and the resignation of another, the dean of students office is back for this year with a new face and a fresh resolve to further fulfill their role in student life.

The former associate dean of studies and dean for the class of 2004 Linda Gates took the position of dean of students together with a group of new student life administrators.

“This is a new team and these people work so hard together,” said Gates. “Last year was a really hard year and to start this new year with a team of so well-qualified and energetic people is just great.”

Some of the other new faces include Kimberly Jackson-Davidson, who is replacing last year’s Associate Dean of Students Bill Stackman. Jackson-Davidson used to be an associate dean and also a dean of the class of 2005. From now on she will also be a faculty advisor of the Honor system and a co-judicial co-ordinator together with Adrian Batista.

Apart from being the other Co-judicial coordinator, Adrian Batista is also an associate dean of student life and also dean of the class of 2008. He is planning ona variety of first year activities with the freshmen and also on dealing with community issues that extend throughout Oberlin College and beyond.
Batista works with Shozo Kawaguchi, who is also associate dean of student life, with the staff in the dean of students’ office, the center of service and learning, the administration, the office of dean of studies and faculty members. Together with Shozo Kawaguchi they are also working on a project that will involve continuing contact with selected first year students in order to acquire an impression of what their first year experience in Oberlin College is like. There are already some students from the class of 2008 who have expressed their desire to participate in the project.

Another new face in Wilder 105 is Eric Estes. The new MRC director, who just arrived on campus from Duke College, is replacing Rachel Beverly. He is working with four community coordinators.

“All of the community coordinators from last year have returned for a second year,” Gates said. “ This represents continuity which is unprecedented since I have worked at Oberlin.”

Lori Flood has been named associate dean and a director of health and life skills education. Her office is now centrally located in Wilder 315 and she will continue her work on drug and alcohol education.

“All these people are wonderful individuals, but they are also so great together,” Gates said.

In addition to working extensively with the new and returning students, there are other projects on the agenda.

“Right now we are starting a new cycle of the class dean system and we are evaluating this model,” Gates said.

She said that the office will be looking into the system that coordinates the class deans and the concept of one class having the same class dean over their entire Oberlin career. The class dean system is beginning a new cycle this year, after the first class dean, Gates, just saw her class graduate last year.

“I think we are very fortunate to have this team of enthusiastic professionals,” said Oberlin Provost Clayton Koppes. “This is all highly promising.”

“My expectation for the division of student life is that the students’ experience living in community at Oberlin will be integral to their education and that they
will continue to explore and develop ideas and relationships both in and out of the classroom,” Gates said. “Gosh, if we could do that, that’s all we need to do!”