Concerns aired at Trustee Forum

At Thursday's Class Trustee forum, students discussed College divestment, monetary donations, faculty diversity and the need to improve student-Trustee relations.

General confusion was expressed over what students believe should be the Trustees' responsibilities and what the Trustees said are their responsibilities.

Sophomore Sam Taylor opened the meeting with his concerns about the dearth of African-American faculty in the English department and what he said is a serious need to diversify the faculty.

Taylor said he sees a "lack of minority faculty not only in the English department, but generally throughout the entire faculty."

College Trustee Jim Ford OC'45 responded by saying that students should bring their concerns to the English department. Ford said, "The Trustee Board does not affect the curriculum. We have no vote insofar as what is taught and who teaches it."

Taylor asked, "If the College is trying to stick with its motto of 'One person can change the world,' then why can't you, as that one person, who has money to back him, make some significant difference on the future on the College? It's a known fact that opinions backed with money are more important than poor opinions. Even if it is not your job as a Trustee, it should be a personal concern of yours if in fact you claim to be progressive about the future of this College."

Ford answered, "The Board can and does exercise a role in how the College conducts its business, but does not have any opinion to influence internal matters of the College."

Junior Dan Spalding said, "Students have been fighting to establish an Asian-American studies department for the past 27 years. The College cannot argue that it is not a viable major because over 20 courses are taught in Asian-American studies at the University of California at Berkeley."

Spalding added, "Oberlin has several token Asian-American professors that will get maybe a one or two-year addition, but will apparently not be asked to stay. If the College and the Trustees were truly interested in the concerns of the students and paying attention to students then something should have been done in the last 27 years."

Ford said students should bring their concerns to Student Senate.

Some students suggested money being spent on the capital campaign might be better used to establish ethnic studies departments.

One student at the forum asked, "Why is all of this money that could be going towards a faculty for ethnic studies being poured into another building? Is the fact that donors like to see their names on buildings more important than using that money to go toward the creation of faculty positions?" one student asked.

One trustee said, "Oberlin is working to establish a capital campaign, which is basically a way to raise money to support Oberlin and to keep from withdrawing from its endowment to support physical facilities, financial aid and educational programs. We have to come up with a balance. Donors do not make the decisions as to where their money goes when it comes to faculty positions," said one trustee.

Spalding said, "What gender and what race of students will we attract with a new science building, versus the gender and race of students the College will attract with ethnic studies? It's obvious that the agenda of the College is not as progressive as it seems."

Senior Matt Green said, "I indeed support the push for Ethnic Studies. There are also the issues of the state of disarray of the Jazz department that needs to be addressed, as well as the fact that last year the College was awarded a Hewlett grant that would allow faculty and staff to engage in diversity training and programs," he said. "So far the College is sitting on that money and people need to know that this money is available for this purpose. Something needs to be done about that."