A group of concerned students met Wednesday to discuss the possibility that the College will reduce the position of Protestant Chaplain to part-time. In an April 16 meeting, the Protestant Chaplain, Rev. Fred Lassen, was allegedly informed that the College administration had decided to reduce his position and salary by half for the coming school year. The latest in a series of cutbacks designed to offset the College’s budget deficit, the move will have a significant impact on students if carried out.
According to Dean of Students Peter Goldsmith, final decisions have not yet been made regarding the Chaplain position. “In the current fiscal climate, we must make some difficult choices….Some reduction in the staffing — but not the elimination of positions — in the Office of the Chaplaincy will occur, but its exact nature has not yet been determined,” Goldsmith said.
In addition to Lassen, two other full-time chaplains work at the College, a Jewish rabbi and a Catholic priest. Of the three, only the Protestant Chaplain position receives all of its funding from the College, with external organizations funding both the Catholic and Jewish chaplains. Lassen sits as the clergyman most likely to be hit by College concerns. “The staffing decisions [for the positions that are funded by outside organizations] are in the hands of the entities that serve them,” Goldsmith said.
At Wednesday’s meeting, students expressed concerns that decisions affecting student life can be made without student input. “It’s true that the College is in debt… but if you’re making decisions that involve students, we have a right to be acknowledged,” sophomore Angela Micah said.
The College says that students will be included in the decision making process.
A shift to a part-time Protestant Chaplain would have far-reaching effects for students. Rev. Lassen performs many duties beyond his service to the Protestant community at Oberlin; he is an academic advisor as well as an advisor to student groups including the Oberlin Peace Activists League, Liberated Unitarian Universalist Voices and the Ecumenical Christians of Oberlin. Students expressed concerns that a part-time Chaplain would not be able to serve the community as effectively. “I’m only in Econ 101, but if you cut someone’s salary and time in half, you’re not going to get the same level of production,” junior Daniel Greenbaum said.
Students in attendance also questioned the administration’s commitment to students of faith. Last year, students responded positively to a question on the Student Senate referendum to expand the Office of the Chaplains to represent a wider variety of religious groups. “The Office of Chaplains needs to be expanded, according to students… the administration has not only ignored, but counteracted that desire on campus,” sophomore Senator Art Bueno said.
Others shared the concern that the decision to cut funding represents a major problem for groups not currently served directly by the Chaplains. “If they’re going to cut a major subset [Protestantism], then there’s no hope for Muslims, Buddhists, or others,” senior Adam Phillips said.
While there has been some discussion of adding a Muslim imam to the College staff the topic remains open. “Rabbi Brant really has been an important part of the discussion. It is not exactly clear what the worship needs are, as far as an imam is concerend,” Goldsmith said.
While students acknowledged that the College’s current financial situation means that sacrifices will have to be made, many in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting questioned the College’s choices about how endowment funds are spent.
“I understand the strain…but I cannot believe any of these [changes] can make up for the mistakes they made with the Environmental Studies building and the Science building…Student life shouldn’t have to pay for their mistakes,” Greenbaum said. Greenbaum also questioned the College’s priorities in making its budget decisions. “People are more important than buildings,” Greenbaum said.
Students at Wednesday’s meeting discussed options to help protect Rev. Lassen’s position as full-time Chaplain, citing his 15 years of service to the College, as well as the personal relationships he has forged with students over that time, as vital reasons to keep him employed full-time with the College. Many students expressed the urgency of informing the administration that the Chaplain position is an important one for the College community.