Goldsmith: Review Misleading

To the Editor:

The article concerning the Barnard assault in the May 4 issue of the Oberlin Review may have misled students and others about the College’s handling of this case. As I and others have stated repeatedly, the exercise of free speech is a paramount value of this institution, and any physically violent reply to it must be condemned by all of us who care about truth and knowledge at Oberlin. The College’s response to this remains forceful and unequivocal.
The May 4 Review editorial reported that two students had had their sanctions changed upon appeal, from expulsion to a two-year withholding of their degrees. This is a sanction specified in our Rules and Regs: “In disciplinary cases involving second semester seniors when probation or suspension might otherwise be imposed, the College may withhold the student’s Oberlin College degree for a specified period of time.” Without a degree, such students are prevented from attending graduate or professional school or accepting jobs or engaging in any other activity which requires the completion of a college degree. Ordinarily such students are prevented from participating in Commencement or in other activities intended for graduating seniors.
Our judicial system, as outlined in the Rules and Regs, allows students who have been sanctioned by Judicial or Community Boards to appeal to a new Community Board panel. The panel –– consisting of three faculty members and two students –– reviews the full transcript and tape of the original hearing and all relevant documents. Unlike the judicial systems on many other campuses, decisions are made by faculty and students and not by administrators. Administrators have no vote in Judicial and Community Board decisions, and may speak only upon the invitation of the chair. A controversial outcome should not prompt us to overturn or subvert the process by granting decision-making authority to administrators that our present system does not allow for. 
As a community, we must continue to uphold the values that are at the heart of this institution, including the value of a free and open exchange of ideas. We must also remain dedicated to the consistent, fair and even-handed application of our judicial processes in ways that not only apply appropriate punishments but also educate the individuals involved and enable the social fabric of our community to heal.

–Peter Goldsmith
Dean of Students