This Sunday there will be a forum on the Sexual Offense Policy. The forum was called by five students concerned with the present policy, in hope of answering questions about the policy before the General Faculty votes on the policy next Tuesday.
According to proponents of the new policy, the current policy is in direct violation of Federal Law 20 U.S.C. Section 1092 which requires that a policy includes "Education programs to promote the awareness of rape, acquaintance rape, and other sex offenses."
The draft in question does not adequately include mention of such education programs for students.
First-years Jacqueline Downing and Benjamin Joffe-Walt, sophomore Christina Hatzidakis, junior Elizabeth Dadabo and senior Diana Zumas voiced their opinions with both the lack of student involvement on the process and certain problems with the current policy itself.
There are two students serving on the Sexual Offense Review Committee, which works with the College's lawyers, President Nancy Dye and the members of the General Faculty Council. The students' major concerns are the current policy has no definition of consent, the policy administrator has the right to prosecute on behalf of the College even if the student does not want to and there is no way for a student to file an anonymous report.
The forum will be held at 7:30 p.m. in King 306 on Sunday.
At the Conservatory Faculty's Tuesday meeting, the faculty heard a report from the Conservatory Faculty Council stating that the string department now has a replacement for former Professor of Viola Jefferey Irvine. Professor of Viola Peter Slowik from Northwestern University will fill the position next fall.
Slowik received his Masters of Music from the Eastman School of Music. He has given solo and chamber performances at many prominent festivals throughout the United States including Taos and Ravinia and has also acted as the principal violist in the Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra and the American Sinfonietta. His participation in performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera of Chicago mark him as a valuable new asset for Oberlin.
A female student was hit by a car Thursday afternoon while riding her bike on Lorain Street. The student was checked at the scene by paramedics and released.
According to the Office of Safety and Security, the student was riding to class when she tried to pass a car on the inside on the corner of Lorain and Professor streets; however, the car turned at the intersection and hit the rider.
"She was more embarrassed than anything," Director of Security Kieth James said. "She didn't want to go in the ambulance; she just wanted to go to class."
Copyright © 1999, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 127, Number 18, April 2, 1999
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