Desmond Hearne-Morrey, Columnist

July 30, 2021

After initial positive reviews about the College’s new partnership with AVI Foodsystems, many student workers are reporting internal disorganization, long hours with no breaks, and stringent corporate policies. AVI denies many of the allegations and states that they provide a nurturing workplace.  Before the College switched dining providers to AVI, students were only permitted to work a maximum of 10 hours a week to ensure a healthy school-work balance under Bon Appétit Management Company....

Kushagra Kar, Editor-in-Chief

July 30, 2021

All non-unionized College employees will shift to a Consumer Driven Healthcare Plan and Health Savings Account starting Jan. 1, 2022, ending the option to continue on a Traditional Preferred Provider Organization plan. Switching faculty and non-unionized staff to CDHP-HSA is expected to save the College $1.2 million per year. However, many professors say that the switch leaves them with fewer choices and higher out-of-pocket costs.  In 2019, the Academic and Administrative Program Review identified...

Gigi Ewing and Kushagra Kar

July 23, 2021

The College is conducting an assessment to evaluate the structure of the Division of Student Life, which oversees 12 departments including the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, Residential Education and Dining Services, Campus Safety, and Student Activities. The Student Life Assessment began at the start of the summer semester, and will culminate in a series of recommendations to improve the division and student experiences.  This new initiative comes in the wake of abrupt turnover...

Ella Moxley, News Editor

July 23, 2021

Despite the significantly more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 spreading across the United States, Lorain County currently has no detected Delta cases but has experienced an uptick in COVID-19 cases. While widespread vaccine hesitancy and rising cases have caused uncertainty about the future, leaders in both the College and community remain optimistic. Ohio ranks 22nd in the nation for vaccination rates, but Lorain County is above the state average of 48.68 percent with 52.61 percent of people...

Anisa Curry Vietze, Editor-in-Chief

July 23, 2021

Director of International Programs and Study Away Michael Rainaldi is leaving Oberlin effective today to take a position at the School for International Training as a Regional Manager for Student Health, Safety, and Wellbeing. Rainaldi has worked at Oberlin for the past four years, advising students in picking the best study away programs for their needs, navigating the financial ramifications of going abroad, and coordinating the logistics of transferring credits back to Oberlin. In 2020, Rainaldi...

Ella Moxley, News Editor

July 2, 2021

The College will begin outsourcing Student Health Services to University Hospitals Health System starting July 19. Most staff will have the chance to reapply for their jobs through UH, but Medical Director Cristal Tomblin was not invited to reapply and was instead replaced with a UH employee effective June 21. The College attributes COVID-19 as the driving factor in outsourcing healthcare services, rather than a desire to cut costs, which drove the decision to outsource custodial and dining services...

Emily Rosenberg and Ella Moxley

July 30, 2021

Bistro Bella Luna, a new restaurant with Italian-inspired cuisine, hosted its grand opening yesterday afternoon in the space formerly occupied by Dave’s Cosmic Subs. The restaurant will emphasize fresh and local produce, allowing the ingredients available to them to shape the menu as the seasons change.  Chef and owner Robert Ulmann has been working since April to prepare a space for the Oberlin community to gather fresh and high-quality food. He has been pulling inspiration from his experience...

Casey Troost

July 23, 2021

On July 14, City officials met with faculty members, parents, and recreation department staff to envision how the newly decommissioned Prospect Elementary School building might be turned into a multi-purpose community center. Ideas for the project include turning the space into a dog park, a senior center, Oberlin Recreation Department offices, and a Head Start program. City Council will vote on a final decision at the end of September. After operating since 1887 and 1955 respectively, Prospect...

Nina Auslander-Padgham, Writer

July 23, 2021

After weeks of declining cases countywide, residents of Kendal at Oberlin relaxed most of their COVID-19 restrictions on July 2. Residents can now move around the main building without masks, vaccinated guests can visit residents in their living area without masks, and residents are allowed to leave Kendal and visit family and friends. Throughout the pandemic, only one resident in the Kendal Residential Care Facility tested positive for COVID-19.  While some restrictions still remain — masks...