Long-range planning to begin

Alumni panel to discuss College's unofficial slogan

A year long process of long-range planning will begin tomorrow in Finney Chapel. An alumni panel will meet to discuss Oberlin's unofficial slogan, "Think one person can change the world? So do we."

"What we need to focus on is the future," President Nancy Dye said. "Not the present. Not the past."

According to Dye, the goal of long-range planning is to develop coherent guidelines to steer College policy. Dye emphasized that the process does not involve strategic planning. Rather, Dye hopes to draw ideas from disparate groups throughout the Oberlin community to produce a 15-20 page document with "a clear sense of prioritites."

"We operate pretty much without guidelines, and that is something we want to correct," Dye said.

Trustees, faculty members, students and staff will be invited to join small discussion groups. The groups will discuss general questions relating to aspects of college life, ranging from residential life to athletics. Dye characterized these groups as "big picture thinking groups."

Elaine Kuttner of Ampersand Associates will serve as the facilitator for the process. Oberlin previously employed Kuttner as a facilitator for structural deficit discussions that were held last year.

An advisory committee will be appointed to oversee the planning process. "The advisory committee will be shepherding the process," Dye said. The committee, which will number between 20 and 30 members, will be comprised of administrators, trustees, alumni, students, faculty and staff.

"We hope to gain a far better understanding of ourselves and the future," Dye said.