Senate-Administration Tension Bursts

Faculty Votes to Remove Anton from GF Meeting

Tuesday's special faculty meeting concluded tumultuously, as President Nancy Dye and the General Faculty (GF) voted to force student senator Chris Anton to leave the meeting, outraging Anton and senators in attendance.

Although he has maintained his seat as senator, Anton is currently on a leave of absence and has enrolled in correspondence courses through the University of Georgia. Politics Professor Ron Kahn initiated the meeting by calling a point of order regarding Anton's presence, which was later manifested in a faculty vote as to whether Anton would be allowed to remain. Dye justified the GF ruling that forced Anton to leave, saying, "My ruling as chair of the GF is that it's not enough to be a senator - you also have to be a registered Oberlin College student and a student in good standing."

While faculty voted nearly unanimously to remove Anton from the meeting, senators stood in unanimous opposition.

Senators Erika Hansen and Jane Glynn, both juniors, speculated that the GF's action overrode Student Senate's constitution, requiring that senators attend GF meetings. Dye retorted, saying, "It is for the deliberative body, the GF in this case, to decide on its membership and to rule when there are questions of the credentials of someone in the body."

However, Dye did not mention the problem posed by Section 4e of Senate's constitution, which states, "The responsibilities of the senators will be to attend all Senate, faculty, and administrative committee meetings."

Professor of Mathematics Michael Henle defended the GF's decision to remove Anton from the meeting. "I think it was appropriate and I also don't think he should be a senator this semester," he said. Henle criticized the senate for its frequent attacks directed toward the administration, particularly itsopposition to Dean of Students Peter Goldsmith's involvement in the search for a director of the department of Residential Life and Services. "There's some irritation on my part in that Senate wants something done in a certain way, but often in their own part fail to live up to accepted standards. They're willing to relax their own rules when it suits them," he said.

Like Henle, Goldsmith expressed reservation in accepting the legitimacy of Anton's senatorship. "It appeared to me they kept him in Senate in violation of their own constitution," he said. The eligibility clause of the constitution states, "Any regularly enrolled full-time student is eligible for all recognized extra-curricular activities; all others are not."

Dye did not join Henle and Goldsmith in their questioning of Anton's seat in Senate. "Senate can do what it wants and is accountable to the student body, so it doesn't fall to me to police them," she said.

Glynn expressed concern that the faculty's vote to remove Anton from the meeting implied their desire for his removal from Senate. Moreover, she criticized faculty members for applauding after Anton had left the room. "No one applauds at faculty meetings," she said. "It was very snobby - like they were saying, 'we have power and are using it against you.'"

Goldsmith's lack of representation for senator's interests drew scathing criticism from Hansen. "Goldsmith told me, 'No one wanted to keep him [Anton] here but the students.' 'Are you the dean of faculty, the dean of Nancy or the dean of students?' I asked."

Goldsmith defended the GF's decision, saying, "It appeared to me that this was a no-brainer to have someone in a GF discussion who's not currently a full member of the community. There are people entitled to be there, and others who are not."

Hansen and Glynn further criticized Goldsmith as well as the entire administrative body. "Goldsmith is our dean of students - we should feel comfortable seeking his guidance and support, but no one goes to him," Hansen said.

Glynn continued the attack, saying, "This is just another step in the pattern of administrative disrespect and disregard for the senate."

Hansen cited this instance as the pinnacle of mounting tension between administrators and Senate. "This is the high point, but it's not like this is new," she said.

Anton, currently in Germany and corresponding via e-mail, explicitly affirmed the criticisms of the administration extended by Glynn and Hansen. "They're confident that I'll go away and they can continue the ridiculousness they commit behind closed doors unnoticed, but the bad news is, I'm not going anywhere."

Both Hansen and Glynn suggested that Anton's consistently outspoken criticism of administrative activities has led to a personal dislike for Anton on the part of administrators. "I think Dye knows the biggest critic she has is Chris Anton, and regardless of what one thinks of him personally, he's the most outspoken critic of the administration - it's obvious to all of us this is personal," Hansen said.

Anton echoed the sentiments of his fellow senators, saying "What it all comes down to is this: Nancy, Pete and the 'shady gang' are scared as hell, and I couldn't be more flattered."

Glynn and Hansen indicated that Tuesday's incident marks the apex of growing tension between Senate and administration this semester over Anton as well as numerous additional issues outlined in February's Sketch publication. "I think most of us have lost hope for constructive communication with either the president's office or Goldsmith," Hansen said.

Glynn continued, saying, "Everything that's happened in the last two weeks has shown me that I don't trust our administration."