On Tuesday afternoon, students competed with the deans and President Carmen Twillie Ambar in pool, foosball, darts, and Just Dance. The event, which was held in The ’Sco, was planned by the Student Senate as part of its Constituents Week. The goal was to allow students and administration members to meet and interact in a casual setting.
The event was developed by College fourth-year and Student Body President Natalie Dufour, College fourth-year and Vice President of Student Life Bennett Elder, and the President’s office. Student Senate has facilitated events during past Constituents Weeks that allowed students to converse with Deans over refreshments, but it wanted to do something different this year with Defeat the Deans.
“We felt [the past] type of event was somewhat off-putting, as it left students to find ways to start conversations with the President and the Deans, something that might be a bit daunting for students,” Elder wrote in an email to the Review. “So, we wanted to put on an event where students could play various games — a light-hearted activity — to hopefully remove this barrier. Instead of having to find some topic to discuss, you could play a game with the President or a dean and laugh over it.”
President Ambar suggested a dance-off, and from there Student Senate developed a larger event with other games and activities. Students were enticed to Defeat the Deans with free hors d’oeuvres and the promise of prizes. Every attendee could enter a raffle for a pair of Apple AirPods 4. Students who defeated an administrator could enter a raffle to get an Oberlin Business Partnership gift card redeemable at local restaurants and businesses. Funding was provided through the Office of the President and Student Activity Fund.
Dean of the Conservatory Bill Quillen, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences David Kamitsuka, Vice President and Dean of Student Life Karen Goff, and Associate Dean of Students Thom Julian were all in attendance. Dufour said 76 students attended, not including Student Senate members.
“It’s the biggest Senate event that we’ve held in a really long time, and I think that speaks to just students’ desire … to have events that actually challenge them and [allow them] to see people in a different context,” she said. “[Many students are] wanting that connection with the deans, but not knowing how to go about it.”
Constituents Week began in 2017 as a way for Student Senate to connect to the student body and increase awareness about what they do. In addition to Defeat the Deans, Student Senators were tabling in Mudd Center every day this week except Wednesday, offering a survey to students on what issues students want Senate to focus on. Dufour said on Wednesday that they had already received 120 responses, more than at last year’s Constituents Week.
Dufour and Elder both felt the event was a success and hope to repeat it in future semesters.
“I feel like there are a lot of often negative feelings associated with the administration, especially at Oberlin,” Dufour said. “I feel like students take out a lot of frustration with the administration, which I understand, but I think what’s important [to remember is] … that they’re people too. … I’m hoping that this event can create bridges going forward so students, Student Senate, and the administration can feel more comfortable interacting and engaging with each other in a productive manner to actually foster the change that we want to see on campus.”
Elder also spoke on the importance of improving connection between students and the administration.
“I think for many students, the members of the administration are figures that they hardly ever see and likely don’t make a connection with,” Elder wrote. “In most cases, the only times students engage with the administration is through the emails that they send out. Getting students more connected with the administration is important because the President and the deans are here for the students.”
President Ambar and multiple deans told the Review that they enjoyed the event.
“Whenever I get a chance to hang with students I’m always up for it,” President Ambar wrote in a statement to the Review. “I had a blast, and I know Deans Quillen, Kamitsuka, and Goff did too. I’ve already been challenged again to a Just Dance competition in the spring, so I have some work to do to get ready.”
Goff said she felt the same.
“I left feeling like we should do this more often so students can get to know us and we get to know them in an informal setting, which can help to break down perceived barriers between students and the administration,” she wrote in an email to the Review. “As the Dean of Students, every opportunity I get to engage with students is meaningful, even if it’s getting defeated in darts.”
Julian commended Student Senate’s work in organizing the event.
“Student Senate did a phenomenal job planning the ‘Defeat the Deans’ event as part of their Constituents Week,” he wrote in an email to the Review. “It was an excellent opportunity to interact with students outside of our standard job responsibilities.”
