Dean candidate visits

Goldsmith interviews this week, three to follow

Peter Goldsmith, the first of four candidates for Dean of Student Life and Services, spoke to students in an open forum on Thursday night. Goldsmith, who is dean of first-year students and associate professor of Anthropology at Dartmouth College, introduced himself in a 15 minute speech before answering questions posed by the 14 students present.

He prefaced his speech with words about his experience. "I am not trained in higher education administration in any way," he said. Goldsmith holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Chicago and two undergraduate degrees in Sociology and English from Boston University. "I have been on the job for about 15 years and my academic experience continues to inform my performance as dean," he said.

In explaining his approach to a student body, Goldsmith placed key emphasis on his cultural expertise and knowledge of American cultural diversity. "My understanding of American culture is informed in many ways by Cornell West and his ideas of American hybridity," he said.

Goldsmith drew a parallel between his thesis subject on denominalization among worshipers on the Georgia Sea Islands and the need to cross social barriers within any community.

"I can best be an of assistance to students when I know about the things that go on inside and outside class and your emotional lives," he said.

Sophomore Amy Pandjiris asked why Goldsmith wanted to be Dean at Oberlin. Goldsmith explained that the elitist atmosphere at the other schools such as Dartmouth and Princeton where he has been an administrator was never something he felt comfortable with. "I don't feel that I've ever been precisely of those institutions," he said. "They carry a lot of exclusionary and elitist baggage and have a long way to go to get over their highly white-male-dominated culture."

Oberlin was a different environment, Goldsmith explained. "Oberlin has ...a wonderful history of student activism and students that I would be proud to call my own," he said.

Goldsmith praised diversity on college campuses and two students asked how he planned to bring it about. "There're a lot of things I don't know about Oberlin," he said. "But in general terms, I think the best tool we have is intellectual discourse, informed talking and conversation."

Sophomore Alyson Cambridge posed a hypothetical question to Goldsmith, asking what Goldsmith's reaction to a student seige of the Cox Administration building would be. Goldsmith said he felt that there was a proper time and place for that sort of thing. "People generally need to get to their offices," he said. However, Goldsmith felt activism was vital to student life. "Activism of all kinds is healthy for you."

Pointing out racial divisions at Dartmouth College, first-year Chris Morris said that his family members had warned him against applying to Dartmouth by name.

Morris asked what Goldsmith's dealings in that area had been. Goldsmith acknowledged problems in race relations at Dartmouth without flinching.

"Dartmouth has a tremendously long way to go on that score," he said. Goldsmith explained that fraternities and sororities had widespread control over student social life at Dartmouth. "Blacks don't find those particularly hospitable and I think that's part of the problem," he said.

Goldsmith continued on the subject and told of a recent, Dartmouth campus "Ghetto Party," in which party-goers wore what they felt were inner-city costumes. "

That event really galvanized the campus," he said. "As a consequence, African-American applications fell sharply. No surprise."

Soon afterwards, the school employed reconstructive efforts involving public discussions of race relations. "I was very much a part of those discussions," said Goldsmith.

The next speaker in the forum is Deborah McNish, who will attend functions in the selection process between March 14 and 16. Richard Chapman will be present from March 17 to 19, as will William Stackman, from March 28 to 30. The résumés of all four candidates are on file and available at the circulation desk in Mudd.

Goldsmith: A dean candidate spoke Thursday. (photo by Rachel Pillsbury)