According to Detective David Jasinski of the Oberlin Police Department, the assault which occured behind Keep Cottage Feb. 8 remains under investigation.
The female assault victim was attacked from behind and beaten with an unidentifiable metal object.
College President Nancy Dye announced at Tuesday's General Faculty meeting that three suspects had been taken into custody and were released after they provided credible alibis.
Although many students may not have ventured up to Wilder Student Union's third and fourth floors, those who do now will discover great decorating improvements.
Last semester Associate Dean of Students Bill Stackman and the Student Union staff members asked focus groups of students what renovations they wanted to see to make Wilder more of a hang-out space.
"We asked students if they wanted us to order more couches for them to sit on up there. We found that what they wanted were tables and chairs so they could study and bring food up to eat," Stackman said.
The walls were painted and carpeted and new lighting will be added as well, according to Stackman.
Stackman said he is trying to form a Student Union Board consisting primarily of students and a few faculty and staff members. The Board would be responsible for making decisions about renovations and activities sponsored by the Student Union.
"We wanted to turn over the responsibility to members of the community to wrestle with issues and decide about programs and how space is used in Wilder," Stackman said. "It really speaks to the philosophy of the community. It's also a really wonderful way for students to get firsthand experience in policy making, and helps support the educational mission of the College."
Stackman said Wilder staff members have been working with students since last Spring to draft a proposal and constitution for the new Board. The proposal will be given to the Student Life Committee (SLC) and then the General Faculty (GF) for approval.
A variety of drug-related charges brought against senior Janet Paskin were dismissed this week.
Paskin and senior David Todd were charged with cultivating marijuana, possession of criminal tools, possession of drug paraphernalia and drug abuse. Charges were brought against the pair after their landlord discovered a number of tall plants growing in a closet which had been lined with reflective material.
Paskin appeared in court Wednesday morning for her preliminary hearing. All charges were dismissed except the charge of drug abuse.
According to the Clerk of Courts, the charges were dismissed because there was no probable cause.
Paskin pleaded no contest to the remaining charge. She was fined $1500 and court costs and sentenced to 60-plus days in county jail. The sentence was suspended contingent upon good behavior for a year and the completion of 50 hours of community service at Second Harvest Food Bank.
Paskin's attorney, Barry Eckstein, was unavailable for comment.
Todd is scheduled to appear in court March 4.
A broken water main on the corner of Vine and South Professor St. earlier this week caused an inconvenience for many students living and eating on the South half of campus.
According to Director of Facilities Maintenance Eugene Matthews, the damage to the water main most likely occurred at an unknown earlier date but was not discovered by City of Oberlin officials until Tuesday.
Assistant Director of Facilities Dennis Rupert said the water flowing through the pipes to Harkness and Fairchild Houses, South and Talcott Halls, Baldwin Cottage, and Harvey, Kade, Lord-Saunders and Price Houses was tainted with dirt from the damaged main.
Signs posted around campus warned residents of all these dorms and program houses that a 52-hour boil order was in effect and that some South campus dining halls would close until Friday.
This was in anticipation that City officials would turn the water off in those areas until the damaged water main could be prepared. According to Rupert, however, the City never actually turned off the water.
"The plan was to shut the water off from 10-5 Tuesday, but they never really did it. It caused a lot of confusion among the students, but it was safer to leave the water on because the dirt wouldn't mix into it," Rupert said.
"The boil order was for drinking water only. Showering was still fine," Matthews said.
The order ended last night and the closed South campus dining halls re-opened today.
Copyright © 1998, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 126, Number 15, February 20, 1998
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