Admissions lower admit rate, hopes to raise yield

Admissions has been working hard to lower the College of the Arts and Sciences' admit rate. As of Monday, this year's admit rate is a little under 61 percent, down from 64 percent a year ago and 72 percent two years ago.

President Nancy Dye said that the college does not expect to turn to the waitlist, "though it's a strong waitlist. There's a lot of clamoring to come."

Dye said that admissions hopes to raise the yield - or percentage of accepted students who choose to come to Oberlin - for the second year in a row. Last year's yield was 27 percent.

More African-American and Latino students were admitted than last year. "We're looking at an especially high number of Latino students," Dye said.

Fewer Asian-American students were admitted.

Exact figures were not available because Director of Admissions Debra Chermonte has been unable to meet with the Review.

Next year's Conservatory class has been filled, while the college is close to concluding the admit process.

Standardized test scores remain close to where they were last year, when the average verbal score of the incoming class was 674 and the average math score was 640.

Dye said she "certainly feels good about the progress admissions has been making." She attributes the improvements to more focus on the messages and stories the College presents about Oberlin.

"[When I arrived in Oberlin] I was struck by the lack of focus," Dye said.

"This college has a tremendous character and a tremendous mission," Dye said. "We need to talk cleary about that in admissions."

She also said that when she arrived in Oberlin morale in the college was lower than it is now. In addition, the college has enhanced financial aid packaging.

Student Rights Task Force has completed charter, set to go

The Task Force on Student Rights, Responsibilities and Regulations now has a complete charter and will convene for the first time next fall. The task force will evaluate the current rules and regulations, develop a code of conduct and identify the basic rights of all members of the student body.

The task force will also evaluate the judicial system and all the operating procedures and "identify a clear philosophy that will be used for developing a judicial system and the rights and responsibilities of all members of the student body," according to the charter.

Five students will sit on the task force, including not more than two student senators. The other students will be appointed by the Student Senate and efforts will be made to represent current sophomores, juniors and seniors, as well as Conservatory students.

The six faculty and staff appointed to the task force by President Nancy Dye are Deb McNish, director of Residential Life, Keith James, director of Campus Safety and Security, Bill Stackman, associate dean of student life, Fred Lassen, College chaplain, Professor of Sociology Jim Walsh and Associate Professor of Expository Writing Jan Cooper.

The task force will submit a final recommendation to the Student Life Committee (SLC) no later than November 1998. The committee's charter was written by the SLC.

Health Plan Board finishes year, new goals

The Health Plan Board is wrapping up its year with a good deal of groundwork completed and more goals for next year. Dean of Student Life and Services Charlene Cole-Newkirk, who chairs to committee, said she hopes to see a developed plan for concrete changes in student health care services by the end of next year.

Cole-Newkirk said plans for next year include bringing in an outside evaluator to measure the quality of care students receive.

The committee is considering two primary options for change, Cole-Newkirk said. They include remaining in the current space adjacent to the Oberlin Clinic, or moving the services to another building on campus. Both options would include renegotiating the contract with the Oberlin Clinic.

According to Cole-Newkirk, the Oberlin Clinic is planning to expand over the next five years, which would make the space adjacent to it better for student health.

"We are just beginning to talk with the Clinic," Cole-Newkirk said. She said she and Andy Evans, vice president of finance, would continue those discussions over the summer.

If student health were to move to another space on campus, the program could contract out doctors from the Oberlin Clinic to work with one College-hired health educator, Cole-Newkirk said.

One venue committee members looked at as an option for an alternative site is the Fiske house. The house is College-owned but is not being used for anything currently. It is located near Hales Gym.

Cole-Newkirk said the house could offer a more welcoming site for student health. She said a house could include some self-care options, student peer advisors and educational resources.

Environmental building blueprints done

The architects of the Environmental Studies center have finished their design document and the builiding's review committee is in the process of reviewing it for final approval, according to Brad Masi, an intern in the Envoronmental Studies program.

"Construction can begin as early as August of this summer," Masi said. A specified date the beginning of construction has yet to be determined. "There is a bit more to be worked out," Masi said.

After the review committee finishes reviewing the design documents, they will offer the project to contracting companies. Masi said once a contractor is engaged, a construction document will be drafted which will detail how all the systems will be configured.

The committee will be reviewing the design document probably for another week according to Masi. Currently the committee is working on fine-tuning the energy systems to maximize on-site energy production.

Another issue the committee is addressing is the material of the builiding. Masi said sandstone would be a traditional but more expensive builiding material, but clay bricks might "look pretty natural and probably be more inexpensive."

"This buiding is very unique," Masi said. "We want to take our time to get a well integrated building."

Possible Assistant Director of Security visits

One of the two final applicants for the position of Assistant Director of Security was on campus Thursday, meeting with various members of the Oberlin Community. The other applicant is expected to be here on May 23, after which the search committee will make their final recommendation to Director of Security Keith James, who will then make the final decision.

While James would not disclose the names of the applicants, he said they are both women and that both are ably qualified. James said he is looking for "candidates who are sensitive to the needs of the campus community." He said he is looking forward to filling the position as soon as possible, as he has had to fill both the Director and Assistant Director positions in the interim.

The new Assistant Director of Security will be responsible for the day to day functioning of the office, as well as other duties including parking enforcement. The search committee, which is comprised of faculty, and staff, is also getting input from the Safety and Security Advisory Committee, which is made up of faculty, staff, students and the Oberlin Fire and Police Chiefs.