The Center for Intercultural Engagement has undergone major staffing changes over the past year, eliminating student liaisons, several fellow positions, and the role of dialogue coordinator. Administrators described the shift as a realignment, aimed at building consistency and strengthening student support. But students and former staff members say the changes have reduced programming and removed key points of contact for identity-based communities on campus.
College third-year Sam Pinedo, previously the Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi American Liaison, said she was given little explanation as to why liaison positions were cut.
Madison Shipp, College third-year and former BIPOC community fellow, also said that there were frequent conversations within the CIE throughout the year about being cautious with language used in event promotion. She specifically discussed the Unity Celebration, which historically celebrated BIPOC students during Commencement. Shipp said the description used to promote the event was broadened, and in the spring of 2024, the event description said that it celebrates “graduates who identify or [are] allied with, or committed to being a student of color, as well as those who have demonstrated a strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and intercultural engagement throughout their time on campus.” Before April 2021, when the Unity Celebration was launched, there were three separate Commencement ceremonies organized by the CIE: a Latinx Graduation, a Black Parents and Family Appreciation Event, and an Asian and Pacific Islander Diaspora Graduation Ceremony.
Al Herrera, OC ’24, the former GSAI Community Fellow, agreed with Shipp about changes in using identity-specific language.
“I got the feeling there was institutional fear around political pushback, and I would believe that affected the language around positions and offices,” they said. “There was a conscious effort to avoid legal trouble in a time where DEI initiatives are under attack.”
Assistant Vice President and Dean of Intercultural Engagement Kyle Williams said the CIE had not removed identity-specific positions or changed its language. He attributed the staffing changes to a need for streamlining of roles and responsibilities across the department.
“The Center for Intercultural Engagement has undergone a realignment rather than a restructuring,” he said. “The realignment is to ensure roles and responsibilities are aligned to offer stronger student support and coordination across the different areas within the CIE.”
Williams said the fellow positions, originally designed as a one-year contract with an optional second year, have been converted to full-time program coordinator roles.
“Unfortunately, many fellows found they could not commit to the full year, slowing the continuity of support offered to our community,” Williams said. “[The program coordinator roles] typically involve sustained commitment to help ensure consistency, sustainability, and ongoing momentum for our programs and initiatives.”
Looking ahead, former fellows said the loss of fellowship positions may diminish opportunities for recent graduates to remain engaged in DEI and community-building work.
“The fellow positions were great opportunities for recent grads to stay involved,” Herrera said.
Williams said recent graduates can apply for program coordinator positions or volunteer as mentors.
When the positions were initially offered, the GSAI community fellow was told there would be an option to renew for a second year. Herrera said the first brief mention of potential changes came in early October, when Williams noted the possibility of shifting fellowships toward permanent staff roles. No further clarity came until February and March, when Herrera and Shipp followed up and were told their positions would not be renewed due to budget constraints.
“I don’t believe there was adequate communication from bosses within the CIE, since I was told during the last two and a half months of my contract that the fellowship contract would not be renewed,” Shipp said.
Pinedo also cited budget restrictions affecting her role, explaining that, while each heritage month had a programming budget, a separate MRC-managed fund allowed student organizations to request up to $200. This fund was cut in the spring, leading her to divert money from her own budget and limit the scale of events. However, Williams maintained that funds supporting student-organized events were not discontinued, but that student groups were being encouraged to use all available funding sources.
Pinedo and College third-year Stevin Wallace, former student liaison within the GSAI, raised concerns about the amount of support student organizations are receiving at present. Both said that the number of events seems to have decreased this semester. Pinedo also cited an example of the CIE cancelling a Latine Heritage Month event at the last minute.
“I really interacted on the ground with student organizations related to gender and reproductive health, most notably SOSHA and the SIC, and … I question if they’re getting the same level of support, without that position,” Wallace said.
Williams stressed that staffing changes have not diminished the quality of programming and that the office has continued to support events such as Colors of Rhythm, the Engage Summit, International Education Week, and cultural and heritage month programming.
“While the programs that are offered may look different, we have continued to support key and signature programs within the Oberlin community,” he said. “All of these decisions are based on student feedback and our real-time assessment of the success of this programming.”
