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An Arabic Studies Department at Oberlin would be a great asset to the community and would bolster the College’s reputation, political awareness, strategic initiatives and academics. A tentative proposal released at the Trustees’ open forum on Oct. 3 by the Muslim Students’ Association put the spotlight directly on this issue. But it did more. It showed an enormous lack of insight by the College administration in monitoring current trends and nurturing the academic needs of the institution.

The College has said it will look into the matter, and hopefully it will move this initiative along as quickly as institutionally possible. But this is only the beginning of the process. It is 12 years after the Gulf War, five years after U.N. inspectors left Iraq (the first time), two years after the war in Afghanistan, a year since U.N. inspectors left Iraq (the second time) and more than three years since the Israeli-Palestinian conflict flared to heights not seen in decades. And Oberlin is just now considering an Arab Studies program.

It is true that students have always supplied the primary fuel for change at Oberlin. Knowing this, the administration places great emphasis on monitoring student trends and interests. But MSA has only blossomed into a proactive student organization within the last couple years, long after American military involvement and mounting tensions in the region reached dizzying and unsettling heights. MSA rightfully felt it needed a stronger presence on campus after the terrorist attacks, in lieu of a College Muslim Chaplain or other Muslim student support networks. But, like so many other realizations following Sept. 11, it should not have taken so long for Oberlin to comprehend the importance of an Arab program.

In truth, the only reason students haven’t made a push for Arab Studies sooner is because the College has never shown a commitment to wooing these students to Oberlin. The College does not see fit to appeal to students interested in Arabic Studies, so many Muslims — and even Arabs — are not interested in coming to Oberlin. Those who do come find it difficult to have their voice heard in the community.

While it could be argued that this logic could run both ways — the College saw no need for a program — the administration has the ultimate duty to steer the College and preserve for its future. The College recruits prospective musicians with the Conservatory and prospective scientists with the Science Center. It did not take a student proposal to convince the College to dish out $56 million for the new, state-of-the art Science Center. But, for some puzzling reason, it has taken the effort of numerous perceptive students – all of whom will graduate before any program debuts – to give the administration (and the faculty-run Educational Plans and Policy Committee) the prodding needed to move forward on an Arab Studies program.

Without this essential area of study, Oberlin will continue to lose qualified students who are intrigued by Arabic culture, politics and beliefs. There will be a void in the campus discourse on American foreign policy, a subject that desperately needs to be understood. The College will continue to lag behind in an essential area of academics, and its reputation will suffer.

We can only hope that the College’s archaic and indifferent attitude towards an Arabic Studies department has come to a close. Perhaps a new department will take shape in the coming year. The trustees and the EPPC have agreed to look into the proposal, showing some initiative by the powers that be.

As far as its proponents are concerned, later is better than never.