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To the Trustees, President Dye and the Oberlin Community:
As a member of the Africana and Latino communities, I am writing to
express my disappointment in Oberlin College. I am a ninth semester
student, an African American Studies major, a member of Dance Diaspora,
and of Afro-Chicana descent.
I would like to address some important issues affecting my community
that have worsened since my enrollment in Fall 2001: the admission and
retention of Black and Latino students; funding for programs such as
the African American Studies Department and Dance Diaspora; and racial
discrimination from white students and professors.
It is all too clear that the number of African American and Latino students
has drastically decreased. For example, Afrikan Heritage House dining
hall, which was traditionally Black, is now predominantly white. The
cultural paradigm there has made a complete switch, proving that my
community is disappearing from this institution. I question the intentions
of our Admissions Office and what hand the Trustees have in this process.
It is has been proven that we (Blacks and Latinos) have been systematically
denied rights to decent educations. Our society must compensate for
the disparity between the education of the white middle-class and “minority”
groups. Without your acknowledgment of this issue, we will not continue
in institutions of higher education.
We assume that it is possible to succeed here, but my observations and
experience have been contradictory. I have been threatened with suspension
and many of my peers have also faced suspension and forced withdrawal
because they were unable to compete in a predominantly white environment
or could not pay a past due bill. For example, Pia Murray, who is a
rising senior, a McNair Scholar, and a member of Dance Diaspora, has
not been able to attend school for the past year-and-a-half because
of a $4000 balance—a small number considering the amount of money
the college puts forth to support certain programs or the amount of
tuition. One would think there would be some kind of fund to help support
students like this—why isn’t there?
I have observed, independently and through a survey amongst other students,
that we are often discriminated against by students and professors based
on race. Almost daily, white students will walk to the extreme side
of the sidewalk to avoid physical contact with me or clutch their purse
or bag walking by me at night. In several departments (Math and Theater
and Dance to be specific), and other administrative offices (Financial
Aid), I have received a cold response as if I don’t belong. I
have been treated unfairly by white professors. In the Biology Department,
my professor was full of warmth speaking to one of the white students,
but he turned a cold shoulder to me. One may suggest that this is my
imagination, but this is my reality and the reality of many other students
of color.
There is insufficient support for programs important to the Africana
and Latino communities. The African American Studies Department and
programs such as Dance Diaspora and Afrikan Heritage House are invaluable.
African American Studies is suffering for lack of professors. What is
being done to ensure that this department, both historically and socially
significant, will last?
When funding is cut for the African American Studies Department, it
is cut more for Dance Diaspora. Adenike Sharpley, artist-in-residence,
is the advisor/choreographer for Dance Diaspora. Over the past 13 years,
Sharpley has successfully helped many of her students go on to graduate
programs at premiere accredited higher education institutions. She has
helped many McNair and Mellon Scholars complete project goals. But Professor
Sharpley has been denied tenure. There are no tenured full-time female
professors at Oberlin College.
Afrikan Heritage House is an important community space and historical
icon to Black students here. However, neglect and disregard for basic
living amenities is unacceptable. Afrikan Heritage House should remain
a healthy living space so the “The House” will survive at
least another 30 years.
Without your acknowledgement of these issues the number and cultural
health of Black and Latino students at Oberlin will remain stagnant
if not, eventually, non-existent. I sincerely hope that there is a solution.
In Solidarity,
Francisca Chaidez-Gutierrez
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