Heartbroken Obie & Employee

To the Editors:

I write to you as a former employee and as an alumna who would like Oberlin’s President to answer some questions. In late 1995, Andy Evans announced that Oberlin was suffering from a “structural deficit.” He said eliminating positions that were overloading the framework would fix the problem at its core. My position was among those eliminated, but, like a malignancy, it has grown back in the form of Mary Travorha. What exactly does “eliminate” mean?
What became of the structural deficit? Not long after the 1996 massacre, Oberlin had more Administrative and Professional Staff positions than it had ever had in its entire history! How does cutting positions, then adding more than you had before fix a structural deficit? Or could it be that one never existed?
How did Human Resources get so many positions? Shortly after you came to Oberlin, Nancy, you remarked to me that you thought there were too many staff in the H.R. Department. Why are there more positions there now than ever? And why is the former Registrar working in Human Resources? Why was my position cut, but one created for her? Why have two more administrative positions been added in addition to hers? Now I understand that the extra position created for Lori will be cut in half. What about the other two? Were you wrong when you claimed a “structural deficit,” were you wrong when you said there were too many positions in Human Resources, or are you wrong now?
What did the fiasco of 1996 fix? You appear to be in a far worse mess now. The stock market has taken a beating, but who is to blame for over-spending and poor planning? Why must the budget continue to be balanced on the backs of the workers? Why don’t some six-figure executives take pay cuts? How much are you spending in legal fees and for outside consultants? Does anyone there remember the Oberlin I remember, the one that fought for social justice, human rights, and equality? Has greed infected Oberlin College’s management as it has infected American business and American society in general? Oberlin used to “excel in that which is good.” Fortunately, the faculty, the students, and the support staff still live up to that legacy.
Job eliminations do irreparable damage to human lives. It isn’t just financial loss that’s involved — it’s persons’ sense of self-worth and purpose. It’s social networks, friendships, goals, and aspirations. It’s people’s retirement funds! I guess some staff at Oberlin won’t have to worry about their retirement. Arrangements have been made to assure that. It’s a pity and a travesty that news that should never have left the Board room showed up in the local paper. Imagine the effect of such news on people who won’t have a job, the same job, or who make a fraction of senior administrators’ salaries. It’s insensitive and incompetent on the part of whomever let that rat out of the bag. Or is “let them eat cake” your motto?
I would appreciate the courtesy of a reply. As an alumna, I would like to see some accountability for this ugliness. I believe the entire Oberlin community deserves some answers and some apologies.

–Sue Bommer
OC ’80