Cole-Newkirk endures hardest year yet

"This has been the hardest year of my life," Dean of Student Life and Services Charlene Cole-Newkirk said about her first year working at Oberlin. She spoke of the year as she sat under a row of plaques she has accumulated during her years working in student life offices at five different institutions of higher learning.

From within her office, which moved from the its North campus location in Stevenson Hall to centrally located Wilder Hall in November, Cole-Newkirk has also moved into the forefront of campus events through the course of this year.

In her first year at Oberlin as a dean, Cole-Newkirk has faced issues of drug enforcement, multiculturalism and co-ed rooms. She has also overseen the resignation of Director of Security Richard McDaniel, and the subsequent new director search and decision. Also, staff cuts, the result of budget restructuring, forced Cole-Newkirk to restructure the staffing structure of student life offices, a process that is not yet complete.

In the course of addressing these issues, Cole-Newkirk has made a name for herself on campus. Regarding her actions and comments surrounding drug enforcement, student senator senior Noah Bopp said, "[Cole-Newkirk] hasn't done a good job playing political games," and as a result, "has made herself a target."

Her name has often been heard in relation to the important topics that emerged throughout the year.

Cole-Newkirk said that she expected some of the controversies and issues that arose this year, but others were a surprise. When she first arrived in Oberlin, she said that she met with staff and asked them to list the top 10 student issues she could expect to confront. She said that the multiculturalism, sexual harassment and student health were listed near the top, but issues such as co-ed rooms, which dominated campus discussion this semester, were buried at the bottom of the list.

Cole-Newkirk has dealt with these surprise issues in her head-on manner. Before beginning her job this year, Cole told a Review reporter that she wanted to pursue a close relationship with students. "I pride myself on being not obtrusive and very accessible," she said last spring.

This attitude has evinced itself in her organization of a speak-out after a sexual assault in October, meeting with Resident Coordinator's (RC) about changes in drug policies and other issues twice, issuing a survey about co-ed rooms in the midst of the co-ed room discussion and bringing in an outside evaluator to the department of Residential Life and Services. Also, the move to Wilder was made out of Cole-Newkirk's concern to be close to students.

Cole-Newkirk said that confusion over some issues, such as drug enforcement, has arisen from students not believing her dedication to communicating with them.

She said that after meeting with RCs in April she asked for any questions and asked any one with questions to come see her. She said she was surprised by the fact that RCs said they were still confused after the meeting, and wished they would approach her with concerns.

Some students see Cole-Newkirk's policies and actions as obtrusive. "The drug policy is a facet of a larger issue where Cole-Newkirk sees herself as some kind of socio-moral guide for the college," Chapin Benninghoff, student senator senior, said in April.

Other people were angered by the musical office game that seemed to emerge from the move of Student Life offices to Wilder.

Cole-Newkirk said that she foresees changes occurring with greater ease next year, but has some feelings that the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences might add some difficulties, especially if the candidates are from outside the College.

A major goal of Cole-Newkirk's that has yet to happen, but is still a focus of students and the dean, is the reworking of the College regulations book. "I believe that you shouldn't have rules you don't enforce. It is as if something happened and someone didn't like it, so a rule was made up, and that's not the way to promulgate rules," Cole-Newkirk said in September.

An implication that followed this goal was the perception that Cole-Newkirk wanted to tighten drug regulations.

The dean says however, that she is not a disciplinarian, but an educator. "We need to look at what we can do to influence people's decision making regarding drugs from day one first year," Cole-Newkirk said.

An anonymous sophomore at St. Mary's Honors College, where Cole-Newkirk was dean before coming to Oberlin, said that drug policies did get stiffer after Cole-Newkirk arrived, however, "Students caught with pot would have received a slap on the wrist before," but the punishments grew harsher as Cole-Newkirk's "enforce the law attitude," took hold the student said.

These fears became clear at a speak-out held in support of juniors Matt Holford and Josh Robinson who were evicted from their rooms due to drug use. For more see related story.

"Fuck Res. Life" was the rallying call of the speak-out that criticized the perceived new "police" role that residential life was assuming under Cole-Newkirk's leadership.

Another contribution to Cole-Newkirk's reputation was her suspension of both Holford and Robinson. President Nancy Dye later rescinded the Robinson decision. Cole-Newkirk cannot comment on the judicial cases of students because of legal restrictions.

Cole-Newkirk also took a central role in the co-ed rooms debate by writing her own co-ed rooms proposal to counter the proposal written by Student Senate. Her proposal focused more on general housing reconfiguration and was a reflection of both her and Dye's feelings of the issue.

Senators and other students felt that the proposal was an effort to skirt the issue and Cole-Newkirk's proposal received criticism for this reason. "We're getting screwed by the administration. The co-ed rooming proposal has gone down the toilet," Blair Heiserman, senator sophomore, said at a senate meeting in late April.

Cole-Newkirk was not unfamiliar with Oberlin. As an Oberlin grad of 1974 Cole-Newkirk was excited to return to Oberlin in another capacity. "Coming back to Oberlin was the most crowning achievement for my family. The pleasure that it brings my parents is wonderful," Cole-Newkirk said.

Cole-Newkirk was a first generation college student, and to return to her alma mater as a dean made her and her family proud.

Despite the challenges and controversies of the year, Cole-Newkirk said that the year was rewarding and a learning experience. "I learned a lot - especially about listening," Cole-Newkirk said. "I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Cole-Newkirk said that when she was at Oberlin as a student her mother said that the school taught her how not to listen, so she is glad to have see Oberlin as a place that true listening occurs.

"It helped me grow up a lot," Cole-Newkirk said of the year.

Another highlight of the year for Cole-Newkirk was working with Dye. "It has also been rewarding because Nancy Dye is such a great person. She has a great vision. I respect what Nancy has done in two years," Cole-Newkirk said.

Cole-Newkirk began the year with optimism and energy, and as it draws to a close, she sees it as difficult, but rewarding. She is looking forward to her vacation this summer. She and her husband, Charles Newkirk, whom she married on April 17 in Fairchild Chapel, will be going on a cruise. She said that she is looking forward to "just lying on the deck and watching the ocean and thinking about what I am going to do next year."

"I hope next year is going to be easier," Cole-Newkirk said.

Charlene Cole-Newkirk: After one year as dean. (file photo)