Campus News

As we celebrate the 181st anniversary of Oberlin’s founding, we should think about our founders’ vision and what it means in today’s world—a world in which many of us are feeling anger, frustration, and despair over the tragic events in Ferguson, Missouri, in Cleveland, and in other communities.

It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is just hours away. This semester has been flying past. But that is how life is and should be in this remarkable, vibrant, and exceedingly busy community. Since the first Thanksgiving was celebrated here in 1833, the breadth, depth, flexibility, and rigor of an Oberlin education—and the passion with which our students and faculty pursue their studies and their extracurricular and co-curricular activities—have enriched countless lives in myriad ways. I am thankful to be a member of the extended Oberlin family, and I hope you are, too. I wish everyone a wonderful, relaxing holiday with family and friends! To those of you who are traveling, I wish you safe journeys.

At Oberlin and many other schools, we strive to build cultures of meaningful engagement with diverse viewpoints on complex issues. Free speech is part of that broader educational goal that includes community, listening, and dissent, among other issues. In the frenzied, overheated world of political debate fueled by sensationalist media reports, upholding the values of open inquiry and dissent may be challenging at times. But this mission is an essential pillar of Oberlin’s purpose.

Nationally recognized arts experts Aaron Dworkin, Jenny Gersten ’91, and Michael Kaiser Tuesday night in Kulas Recital Hall discussed “The Future of the Arts,” as part of the Oberlin Strategic Planning Speaker Series. They praised Oberlin for playing a significant and leading role in arts education and encouraged students to “follow your passion, follow your dreams, and create works that fulfill your vision.”

This week marks Weill Week on campus, a series of events honoring the late Kurt Weill, including Oberlin Opera Theater’s presentation of Weill’s “Street Scene.” I have a special interest in this production. My wife and I have very brief cameos near the end of the show. I also want to welcome everyone who be joining us November 7 to 9 for Parents and Family Weekend. This year’s schedule of activities features an amazing range of attractions.

As the temperatures cool and the trees explode with magnificent colors, we are reminded that it is time to start thinking about winter term, summer internships, and Election Day. New funding for quality, unpaid internships is available through the Career Center, which has declared 2014/2015 the “Year of the Internship.” Also, be sure to make your voice heard by going to the polls on Tuesday, November 4.

The collective anxiety level on campus is rising as students work on papers and projects, and prepare for exams. So be sure to take care of your mental and physical health. There are a variety of resources available through your class deans and the Dean of Student’s Office. And remember to take breaks, even if they’re brief.

Creating the new Erwin N. Griswold ’25 Chair in Politics and Law, and selecting Professor Ronald Kahn as its inaugural occupant, honors Oberlin’s traditions of great undergraduate teaching, outstanding scholarship by our faculty, and the dedication to public service and towering professional achievements of a great alum. I cannot think of a better inaugural professor than Ron Kahn, who has received a distinguished teaching award from Oberlin College, and from the Law and Courts Division of the American Political Science Association.

The landscape of journalism is changing. While there are many concerns about where it is heading, it is also an exciting time for journalism. News, images, and information can move at light speed around the world. Innovative new journalism initiatives, some hyper-local, some focusing on specific topics, are proliferating. Journalism, perhaps more than any other profession, draws on the skills of a superb liberal education including among other things devotion to truth, facts and verification, clear writing, strong researching, and critical thinking. So it is not surprising that many Oberlin alums, including recent Convocation speakers Jad Abumrad ’95 and Robert Krulwich ’69, are tackling the challenge of the changing journalistic landscape.

In her recent President's Lecture, Paula Richman, William H. Danforth Professor of South Asian Religions, made a compelling case for studying the many religious traditions of the world. Doing so, even if not always comfortable, can broaden our understanding of different worldviews.