New viewbook to debut soon

College publications change their image

Oberlin may be the sun, the moon and the stars. But it is most definitely not the earth.

A completely redesigned viewbook will debut in July. The earth will no longer grace the cover, although the motto "Think one person can change the world?" will be preserved.

"It will be more contemporary," College President Nancy Dye said.

An independent consulting firm has spent months polling prospective and current students for their opinions on the current viewbook, which is a primary tool in recruiting students. The survey results will help guide the redesign.

"I remember looking at it," first-year Lenny Rosenfeld said of the viewbook. "The cover was a little cheesy, but relevant."

Director of Admissions Debra Chermonte said she wasn't surprised that students continue to respond well to the world-changing motto.

"We've known for many years that's a very powerful piece," Chermonte said. "The motto survived."

"There are important themes," Chermonte said. "We want to get out the message that this is a campus that is socially engaged."

Previous viewbooks haven't been immune to criticism. In an open letter to President Dye written last semester, a group of students called for the end of "masking queer students in promotional materials."

Assistant Director of College Relations Rick Sherlock said he wasn't sure how Oberlin's diversity would be presented in the viewbook. An attempt to develop a multiculturalism brochure was scrapped last year after the Office of College Relations noticed the brochure failed to mention Asian Americans. Sherlock said the College plans to eventually design a new brochure in the style of the viewbook.

The next few weeks will be devoted to writing copy and taking pictures. As soon as the sky turns blue and Wilder Bowl fills with photogenic students, viewbook photographers will turn their cameras on Oberlin.

"It's been a very interesting project," Chermonte said.