The Office of Residence Life is considering closing Johnson House for the upcoming academic year due to issues surrounding its infrastructure. The final decision on the closure will have to be approved by the College’s executive leadership team, which is composed of the heads of Oberlin’s academic and administrative departments.
Vice President of Auxiliary Services and Dean of Residence Life Mark Zeno said that Reslife consulted with the house’s faculty advisors, Resident Assistants, and residents in their decision-making process.
Johnson House is one of the higher-need buildings in the College’s reassessment of its residential and dining infrastructure, with major changes planned over the next decade. Zeno explained that over the next 15 years, the College aims to evaluate existing buildings, prioritize renovations, and explore new construction — starting with the higher-need buildings such as Johnson House.
“We’re trying to really engage students in the conversation and not just surprise people,” he said.
College third-year Ben Toker, a current Johnson House resident, described the communication process as abrupt, saying residents were first contacted via email with little prior warning. A meeting was then held, during which students were asked for their preferences, though Toker and others felt that their input was largely ignored.
“They basically kept suggesting Price as a location without actually taking any of our input,” Toker said. “It seemed more like a formality than a real discussion.”
According to Zeno, the students were given opportunities to suggest places where they would like to be housed.
“I’m fully in support of looking at other locations,” Zeno said. “If they say we’ll take a wing [of] Langston, okay, I’m good with that. We can look at something like that. What I couldn’t do is give what I call priority locations to entities. So I can’t give Village Hous[ing Units] away. That’s a priority for folks. I can’t kick out another group from a LLC community. That was suggested to me, to kick another group out and take their space. I said, ‘No, we’re not doing that.’”
While the Hebrew Heritage Community, which Johnson House has housed, will continue in name, students expressed concerns that Price Hall does not provide the same atmosphere or functionality. Many residents suggested Talcott Hall as an alternative, given its proximity to Heritage Kosher Kitchen, but were told that it was a high-priority space already in demand.
The administration has noted the age of Johnson House and its need for infrastructure improvements, including updates to its radiator system, plumbing, and electrical work.
“We’re all angry and not content with the whole situation,” said Toker. “They could’ve put up with some inconvenience or tried a little harder to accommodate us.”
Toker acknowledged that Johnson House was part of a larger renovation process on campus.
“We just happened to be the first of the [buildings being renovated], because I guess it’s like the building in the most need of a renovation. But it’s a shame that they have to take it down.”
