WOST professor Brinda Rao resigned August 19

Oberlin's only Women's Studies professor resigns

Brinda Rao, Oberlin's only professor in the Women's Studies department, resigned from her position on August 19. Rao, who was not yet tenured, was slated to teach several core program classes during the next two semesters.

Currently, Anna Agathangelou, a visiting instructor in the Women's Studies Program is teaching the core classes in the Women's Studies curriculum. Agathangelou is in the process of completing her Ph.D. at Syracuse University.

Danforth Professor of Politics Sonia Kruks who is teaching a class for the program said that despite a shaky start the "program is up and running."

"It's very unfortunate when resignations occur so close to the start of school because students are adversely effected," Clayton Koppes, acting dean of the college, said. He also said that despite the initial set-backs, "the dedicated Women's Studies Committee, the President and I are taking every step to ensure that the program flourishes."

Both Kruks and Devon Grayson, senior and women's studies major, are satisfied with the program's progression. Grayson, who was left without a sponsor for her honors project when Rao resigned, is confident about her chances of finding a new sponsor and is delighted with the energy and enthusiasm of Agathangelou.

"There have been fundamental needs in the Women's Studies Program," Phyllis Gorfain, chair of the Women's Studies committee said. "The nature of those needs and the means to fill them have now become clear … I think we are picking up the pieces and putting ourselves back on track."

Gorfain said that the program needs to reevaluate the decision making practices that will affect the faculty and students who have a large stake in the Women's Studies curriculum.

"Although we deeply regret and prefer that [Rao] had stayed, we now have two positions available that will allow us to coordinate our hiring," Gorfain said. She also believes that the program has an unprecedented chance to reform itself and grow in the process.

Gorfain hopes that the administration can learn from and act upon its mistakes in the past to prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future.

"We have more help today from the President and the office of the dean then we have had since 1983," Gorfain said.