Students eager to take advantage of Oberlin’s first Arabic class filled the room — squatting, kneeling, sitting and standing — in a clear case of what student interest and persistence can do for cultural and academic diversity on campus.

Nancy Dye has often demonstrated her commitment to improving the international presence on campus with her trips to the Middle East. It is the new presence of an Arabic language course this semester, however, that speaks most strongly to the College’s sincere desire to improve Oberlin for both its students and its official ranking.

 The introduction of this course is a major step towards filling the long-felt need for more class offerings in Middle Eastern and North African Studies. Current events both at home and overseas speak to the increasing urgency for improved relations between the United States and these regions of the world. Relevant coursework is particularly important at a place such as Oberlin, where graduates go on to pursue careers in politics, international relations and human rights advocacy.

No one has to tell this to Oberlin’s current students. Their consistent support for MENA studies certainly contributed to the College’s decision to hire Visiting Professor Marie-Claude Thomas, who is teaching Arabic this semester. Their eagerness even prompted the Dean’s office to create an additional section to meet the high demand; this past Monday, almost four times as many students as there were seats arrived for the first class.

Obies are notorious for staging protests and signing petitions to make changes happen on campus. In this case, their reception of the Arabic language course shows that their passion is genuine; the overwhelming demand for admission into the class tells the College that MENA studies is a program worth building, and not just for the students’ sake.

Almost three-quarters of the top 25 liberal arts colleges already recognize Arabic language courses as an essential component to their curricula. As Oberlin strives to improve its ranking by proving itself prestigious as well as “cutting edge,” it must continue to expand its course offerings in MENA studies to remain competitive.

Along these lines, student interest could play a direct role in improving Oberlin’s reputation in the higher education community. As students challenge the administration to support their wide-reaching academic goals, they help to bring more distinctive features to Oberlin.

The power of an active student body certainly aided Oberlin in its current image as one of the most environmentally sustainable college campuses. Students consistently lobbied the General Faculty to vote in support of LEED silver building standards and inspired Dye to be the first to sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. While the recent C+ rating in sustainability by the non-profit Sustainable Endowments Institute may seem to be a step backward for Oberlin, it will hopefully prompt students who have consistently challenged the administration to increase their lobbying for better energy policy.

When the College Faculty Council voted in favor of eliminating the Asian American History position last fall, students filled the halls of Cox to show their overwhelming support for its reinstatement. Student protest over the brief elimination of the Oberlin-in-London program spoke volumes to administrators as to the value of the study away opportunity. In addition, each year, students work tirelessly to coordinate Safer Sex Night and Drag Ball, quintessential parts of the Oberlin experience.

The College did well by finally bringing a MENA studies class to Oberlin but must continue to listen and respond to student voices. They might just be on the right track when it comes to knowing what will make for a vibrant and challenging campus community, not to mention what might bump Oberlin up in the rankings.