According to their website, Oberlin College seeks out students who are, “talented, highly motivated, personally mature, and tolerant of divergent views.” However, what is the point of seeking out those students if the administration backs away from supporting and protecting those voices when moments of conflict arise? Oberlin prides itself on its historically trailblazing activist acts: It was the first college to grant undergraduate degrees to women and the first to adopt a policy of race-blind admissions. Yet the institution is far from upholding that legacy today. Here is a thought: Do not actively recruit students who are unafraid to question power if you will not stand behind them once they do.
Today, heightened political violence is already beginning to directly threaten historically marginalized students on this very campus. The College presents itself as a sanctuary of activism, yet when asked to take a bold stance in order to protect students’ voices, we receive very little more than emotionless emails about “community” and “loving each other.”
Oberlin students, myself included, want to see the administration show up. They should attend student organization meetings and events students put effort into creating, like an Obies For Undocumented Inclusion training or a Students for a Free Palestine meeting. When was the last time our Black president and vice-president attended a Soul Session or an Afrikan Heritage House meeting? Identity-based organizations do not exist for no reason; they are a means of making students feel included and supported by their leaders. If Oberlin truly wants to be the sanctuary campus it boasts about, it needs to start acting like it by establishing a stronger presence within student organizing spaces. I’m not the only student who feels this way.
“When faced with valid criticism to keep Black and Brown students safe, they weaponize this understanding of Oberlin as a place with an activist history when students ask them to stand up,” College third-year Lelia Ismail said. “You cannot blame external forces for avoiding accountability.”
College third-year Luciana Tovalin acknowledged the faculty’s efforts, noting that departments are investing time and money in creating spaces for solidarity and raising awareness.
“Faculty are doing a great job supporting their students; the community is working to show solidarity,” Tovalin said. “What is the college [administration] doing? The administration needs to match that energy.”
College and Conservatory first-year Aiden Bryan, who uses his social media platform to raise awareness about environmental justice issues in his hometown, described Oberlin’s responses to recent political events as hesitant and lacking transparency.
“There is no official playbook,” Bryan said. “Even if they are doing things behind the scenes, they should be transparent about it.”
I share his sentiment here; it is truly frustrating. The Oberlin administration may be unsure about how to proceed in this situation. We are all scared, but a simple, “Hey, we hear you guys; what can we do to support you?” goes a long way. Put your money where your mouth is; make your statements reflect the values you claim to stand for.
Consider recent events like the encampments, the increase in ICE raids targeting undocumented students, and the threats to Black students’ safety, such as the white man in his pick-up truck allegedly attempting to run Black students off the road. These are all things that are directly affecting Oberlin students, yet none have received any genuine responses. It is unfortunate because when the wildfires were happening in California, we got an email letting us know that Oberlin stood with the families affected. Meanwhile, they have been silent on the genocide in Palestine, the escalating ICE raids, and the kidnapping of undocumented students, whilst also having a huge international student body. Black students found out about the alleged white man trying to run them off the road through Yik Yak and other students who have experienced it. Campus Safety did not even bother to attend the A-house meeting regarding the incident, nor was a campus-wide email sent.
Oberlin’s reluctance to speak out is heavily based on fear of backlash from conservative groups, alumni, and a desire not to make the College a “target.” But when external pressures clearly outweigh student voices, it becomes clear that today’s administration is significantly stepping outside of its historical tradition of trailblazing activism for student inclusivity.
“There is going to be weight in who has a say,” Bryan pointed out. “Naturally, you have to appease the hand that feeds you.”
However, my response to that is: To what extent should the College depend on alumni support if that support comes with outdated and even racist opinions, funneled through money?
“I wish they would realize we are shareholders, too,” Ismail said. “We pay money to go here, too.” I second that.
If your students are sidelined to appease wealthy donors, then Oberlin’s priorities become painfully visible. But that should never be the standard for an institution that prides itself on justice and progress. True leadership means standing with the students who represent Oberlin’s present and future, not bowing to those clinging to a past that no longer represents Oberlin’s values.
“Just because Oberlin saw human beings as human beings on an institutional level when they were legally property centuries ago, does not make them the best person in the world; they have to find a better excuse,” Ismail said, referring to the fact that Oberlin was the first college in the United States to admit Black students. I echo this.
Legacy cannot replace accountability. Oberlin will always face external pressure and criticism, but its first responsibility is to its students. Do not wait for the worst to act; speak out now. Be the example. Oberlin cannot claim to pride itself on diversity or value activism while disregarding the voices of its students. If the College truly wants to uphold its legacy, it must prove that through how it treats its students today. Alumni will come and go, but every new generation of students will continue to embody the qualities Oberlin claims to seek. If students are speaking out, it is because they have a reason. Oberlin cannot rely solely on its history: it must prove its values through the choices it makes today.
