Adam Sorkin was elected class trustee for the class of 2004 this week. While at Oberlin he was an economics and environmental studies major. He also served as treasurer of OSCA and worked with the Student Honor Committee and Sexual Information Center. He is currently in his first year at Harvard Law School.

How would you describe your position as trustee for the class of 2004?

As trustee, it is my position and responsibility to see that Oberlin is an academically strong and fiscally healthy institution now and for the long run. I, like the other trustees, have an oversight role: we assess and evaluate the performance of the President and administration to see if they are properly fulfilling the mission of the College.  

What goals have you set for yourself this year?

One of my main goals is to be a conduit for the student voice at Oberlin. As an Oberlin student, I often felt that the trustees were not accessible and that student voices were not heard. I’d like to change that. Since I only graduated in May, I am well aware of some of the main concerns students have with the administration, mainly that important decisions are top-down and that students aren’t given enough of a say. I’d like to see more student input as well as more transparency in trustee and administrative decisions.

What concerns would you like to focus on while you are trustee?

One of my top concerns is the price of an Oberlin education. We can simply not continue on the trend of five to six percent tuition, room and board increases each year.

It is making the cost of the Oberlin experience too high for some students and that is a shame. We need better fiscal management to better prioritize spending and improve the performance of the endowment so that Oberlin is affordable and so that financial aid can be made more generous.

Do you plan on incorporating OSCA issues with those you plan on encountering while maintaining this title?

I ate in OSCA all four years of my Oberlin career, was treasurer my senior year and helped negotiate OSCA’s rent contract with the College last year. I think OSCA serves a wonderful and necessary function in that it provides students with an option that is more affordable than the standard room and board plan and is a valuable learning experience. However, while OSCA is near and dear to my heart, my responsibility is to make sure that all of Oberlin College is operating in the best interests of current and future students, not just co-opers.  

Are there any projects you have begun working on, or plan to?

I’ve only been a trustee for a week so right now I am still reading through a pile of information about my role and responsibilities. However, I look forward to meeting with students and addressing student concerns at the first trustee forum, Thursday, Dec. 9.  I encourage all students to attend and share your opinions and concerns with me and the other class trustees.