Dear Mr. Krislov,

Welcome to Oberlin. We hope your weekend affirms all of your reasons for “why Oberlin.” Thank you for the time you spent listening to faculty and staff, students and members of the community. By now, you have heard many of the points of concern of both the College and community:

We worry that the College is not going far enough with environmental sustainability, and that even more recent building projects have not echoed Oberlin’s ostensible commitment to this cause.

We understand the merits of “branding” in today’s marketplace, yet are skeptical of the new “Fearless” slogan, both because it does not reflect campus culture and because it has exposed again the College’s penchant for non-transparent decision-making.

Oberlin’s recent loss of federal funding for the McNair Scholars program leads us to speculate that the abolishment of need-blind admissions goes against our commitment to recruit and retain socioeconomic and racial diversity within the student body.

Though the College is under financial constraints, we are concerned that the implementation of the Strategic Plan may cause more harm than good, at least in some cases. Faculty cuts, limited off-campus housing and proposed reductions in OSCA membership all cause considerable frustration among students, and call into question whether Oberlin is truly committed to meeting students’ educational and student life needs.

But more important than the nitty-gritty of these concerns is the perceived attitude of indifference and disregard in the administration toward student opinion. Sometimes the issues themselves, while contentious, are less important than the manner in which they are addressed; examples of times when the student voice seemed ignored or excluded include the cutting of the London program, the implementation of the “Fearless” campaign and, most recently, the presidential search process.

 Because of the secretive nature of the search, establishing legitimacy and fostering trust among our demanding student body may be a difficult task. We were encouraged to hear that you are not afraid of this dynamic place, but instead energized by the prospect of working with people so passionate about their own interests and causes. We are also impressed by your own commitment to civil rights and mitigating the effects of poverty.

Above all else, we felt hopeful at your words regarding the values of transparency and inclusion in decision-making processes. In the forums, you emphasized that our concerns are your concerns too, and that you will listen to and respect the student body. You also told us that sometimes tough or unpopular decisions may be necessary; we appreciate that you were forthright about this possibility, and likewise comforted that you promised to explain the rationale behind such decisions. 

Though the process that brought you to Oberlin was less than ideal, hopefully it represents the end of a chapter and the opportunity to begin a new one, a chapter that will do justice to Oberlin’s history and reputation. In some senses, you are crafting Oberlin’s history now, and we wish you the best of luck. We hope that you stay true to the ideals you expressed during the forums and remember that students, even when outspoken, love Oberlin every bit as much as you.

With Best Wishes,

We are Oberlin. Hopeful.