GF Argues Proposal

College faculty met Tuesday in Oberlinıs new Environmental Science center to discuss admissions news regarding the incoming first-year class, and to consider the Educational Policies and Plans Committee proposal that would require first-years to take seminar classes designed to develop discussion, critical thinking and research skills. Dean of the College Clayton Koppes introduced Environmental Science Professor David Orr as the ³inspiration and guiding light² behind the new building and invited him to inform faculty members on its benefits. Orr said that the building is still in ³Phase 1² and by next Fall he hopes for the landscaping to be completed and for the building to be completely solar powered.

Koppes proceeded to announce President Nancy Dyeıs ³richly deserved² sabbatical for the Fall of 2000. He said that he would act as college president in her absence and that current Associate Dean of the College Bob Geitz would replace Koppes for the semester.

Associate Director of Admissions Paul Marthers then spoke on the promising upcoming high-school class of 2000. Marthers announced that Oberlin will begin using a two part application process, used by many other similarly sized institutions like Brown and Middlebury. He said that other institutions using this application process experience a rise in the number of applicants, and that the decision to use the new application was partly based on rankings and college guidebooks.

Marthers also said that so far Oberlin has received only 14 applications less than last year, and that this year could potentially be the second time in school history they receive more than 4,000. He said that the number of applications from minority students had risen and that 24 minority students were admitted by early decision. Marthers continued to say that Oberlin ³received some extraordinary applications in the early pool. Around 25 percent of he freshman class will be early decision students, which is nice because Oberlin was their first choice, which usually means happier students.² The Admissions Office hopes to enroll approximately 625 students next fall.

The remainder of the meeting was dominated by the hotly debated EPPC proposal that the College offer mandatory seminars consisting of no more than 16 students apiece to all first-years starting in the 2003-2004 academic year. Each seminar would offer either Quantitative Proficiency or Writing Proficiency. The College would not implement the proposal unless it had enough classes to offer, which would require hiring additional faculty.

Geitz cited a ³decline in basic skills among incoming students² as a chief impetus for the proposal. ³The plan is to develop skills in these seminars because students arenıt coming in with the necessary skills², he said. He pointed to the utility of students fulfilling the WP and QP requirements early in their college careers, saying, ³I believe students would benefit from the early experience to our approach to education.²

Although some faculty members expressed hesitation about the proposal, Geitz said the EPPC feels it is ³enabling rather than restrictive², and would guarantee that every first-year experience a small class. ³We believe this is essential to our academic programŠa way to guarantee high standards throughout the rest of the curriculum², he added. Geitz acknowledged that Oberlinıs faculty is already ³stretched to the limit² and encouraged a faculty endorsement of the proposal to allow the administration to hire additional faculty.

Faculty members debated the proposal for more than an hour. History Professor Steven Volk was receptive, saying, ³This would serve students well in terms of how they think about and ask questions in other classes.²

Director of Expository Writing Jan Cooper also endorsed the proposal, saying it, ³will give writing skills to students early in their career and give them experience in the type of college writing we demand at Oberlin.²

Economic Professors Robert Piron and Gregory Hess expressed reservations in how well the proposal would translate to their department. Piron said that with the lack of economics teaching in most high schools, students wouldnıt have the necessary knowledge or background to approach the subject properly.

President Nancy Dye seemed to endorse the proposal, as she said it would ultimately go toward increasing the size of the faculty and decreasing the student body from its current number of approximately 2,900 to 2,750.