High Faculty Turnover Changes Face Of Oberlin

For returning upperclassmen this fall, last year's graduating seniors are not the only members missing from the Oberlin community as they know it.

In the next few years, incoming first-years will not be the only unfamiliar faces crowding the halls of classroom buildings. As an unprecedented number of faculty have begun to retire over the past few years, the College plans to add ten new tenure-track positions, a dramatic addition for a school of Oberlin's size.

One may wonder why there has been such an unusually high number of retirements over the past few years and so many planned for the near future. Acting Dean of the College Robert Geitz speculated that the high faculty turnover one sees today might be related to the expansion of both the faculty and the student body 30 years ago. Many of the new faculty members hired then are reaching retirement age now.

Several departments have already felt the effects of this high turnover rate. The departments of history, English and chemistry have all lost professors to retirement in the past year. History department Chair Michael Fisher explained the phenomenon as a mixed bag. He said that while losing accomplished professors means losing their valuable experience, it also opens up space for new concentrations in the department.

In the search to replace retiring history professors Geoffrey Blodgett and Robert Soucy, as well as Marcia Colish, who will retire this year, Fisher said that the History department is "looking to replace them in ways that their strengths would be replicated."

At the same time, their retirements allow for the addition of new fields, such as African history and Asian American history, to the history curriculum. Also, new professors bring with them fresh insights and current information in their area of expertise. "Academic fields change, you always want to have new people come in," Fisher said.

For smaller departments, however, retiring professors can pose a more drastic problem. With the loss of William Skinner, the geology department now only has two tenured professors.

There is no consensus on how all these retirements and faculty additions will affect Oberlin students. The high number of retirements "is something [the Dean's office] is worried about," said Geitz, "but if we bring in good people replacing them, it's all-in-all a good thing."

Students have expressed concern over the high faculty turnover rate as well. "I think there's a healthy level of turnover, but too much detracts from student-professor continuity," said senior Jenny Eisenberg.

Other students, such as psychology major Samantha Grabler, cited logistical problems with professors leaving. "It's unfortunate when a teacher in your major leaves and you have to rearrange your schedule until they find someone to replace that professor," she said.

Some students believe turnover has both negative and positive effects. "In the jazz studies department, for example, one of their private instructors left and was replaced," said double-degree junior Jonah Berman. "And while sometimes it's hard for students when they get to know their teacher really well and then have to get used to someone new, it also brings a new perspective to study with someone who approaches the topic in a different way."

Some students haven't been affected by faculty turnover. "I haven't really noticed it, to be quite honest," said senior Chris Irish.

In addition to finding replacements for retiring professors, the Board of Trustees approved a plan last year to bring ten new faculty members to the College over the next two years. The Educational Plans and Policies Committee is currently reviewing 17 applications from various departments requesting new tenure-track positions. Only five positions will be approved this year, and in the next few months the EPPC will make its recommendations to the Faculty Council as to which departments should receive new positions.

The College is hopeful that all these changes will be for the good. Geitz said, "If we all do our jobs, it should have a positive effect on students."