To the Editors:

I am writing to the Review to express my sadness at the loss of Dean Peter Goldsmith and my condolences to his family and friends.

My initial significant interactions with Dean Goldsmith occurred during my first term as a Student Senator. Before those, I had heard many negative things about him from different communities I was among. I now regret that many of the subsequent relations I had with him were colored by these opinions.

In the spring of 2003, my relationship with Dean Goldsmith, as well as the relationship that Student Senate had as a whole with him, degraded into animosity. This animosity was based, in part, on Senate’s feelings on a number of decisions made by the Oberlin administration that he took part in.

It culminated in a vote by the majority of senators of No Confidence in Dean Goldsmith’s ability to serve as a Dean of Students.

After some time to think over the summer, I began to regret my vote approving the No Confidence measure. I am more at rest that I can say that I decided to meet with him and tell him that in person.

Although I disagreed with his actions at that time, as I do now, I felt that the designation ultimately was unfair and purposeless.

Dean Goldsmith graciously and
proudly accepted my apology.

Afterwards, I began to see Dean Goldsmith at many more community events, especially those about or involving people of color. My initial cynicism upon noticing this was eventually overcome by his persistent dedication to attending these events. This dedication, I think, is what led him to reformulate his approaches to search through all the destructive criticism he received that past semester and find opportunities for new growth.

It takes a person of great courage to do that. It takes a person of great courage to not give up.

Dean Goldsmith was a man of great courage. I’m happy to say that I was able to see that in him and that my relationship with him became friendly. I’m sorry to say that I never got a chance to truly be his friend.

If I had done so, I would have felt that I could call him Peter throughout this letter. But maybe he wouldn’t mind, anyway.

Goodbye, Peter. I’ll remember you.

–Arthur Rivera Bueno
College senior