The Oberlin Review

Gregory Kulacki, expert on China-U.S. relations.

Off the Cuff: Gregory Kulacki, Nuclear Weapon and Control Expert

October 7, 2016

Gregory Kulacki specializes in cross-cultural communication between the United States and China. He has been working for the Union of Concerned Scientists since 2002, promoting dialogue amongst experts in the U.S. and China on nuclear weapon control and security. He has worked with the House of Representatives’ U.S.-China Working Group, the Senate Armed Services Committee, the U.S. National Academies, NASA and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Kulacki, who is fluent in Mandarin, has...

A student walks into a bathroom in the Science Center. Students have recently questioned the lack of gender-neutral restrooms in academic buildings.

Students Advocate for More Gender-Neutral Bathrooms

September 30, 2016

When Conservatory students William Adams and Zoe Cutler brought up the lack of gender-neutral bathrooms in the Conservatory last year to Title IX coordinators, the initial feedback gave them hope. Administrators said they would consider making additional gender-neutral bathrooms a component of last summer’s renovations to Bibbins Hall’s first floor, Cutler, a junior, and Adams, a sophomore, returned this fall to find the situation unchanged. “One of the big things that seemed obvious...

Construction continues on the “Oberlin Center for Convergence.” The administration plans to host a new form of multi-disciplinary
courses in the building next fall.

Course Clusters Program to Begin Next Fall

September 23, 2016

The College plans to incorporate a new concept of course clusters next fall that will allow students to register for a new kind of multidisciplinary courseload. The extension of the Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center along the north side of The Hotel at Oberlin, which remains under construction, will host the classes. The administration has tentatively named the building “Oberlin Center for Convergence” or “StudiOC.” “It’s targeted especially for the earlier [ first and second] years … ...

An aerial view taken by drone of the Dechant-Notley Farms overlooking the Black River. Between 600 and 800 gallons of fuel poured into the
river from the farm on Aug. 28.

Hundreds of Gallons of Fuel Leaked Into Black River

September 9, 2016

Between 600 and 800 gallons of diesel fuel poured into the Black River during a spill Aug. 28, according to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Although Oberlin’s water supply is not currently contaminated, said Oberlin Water Superintendent Jerry Hade, the city is still reckoning with the aftermath. Hade said that the spill occurred because of a failure to turn off a fuel-tank value during filling at the Dechant-Notley Farms, near West and Hughes Road in the neighboring Pittsfield Towns...

Political Face-Offs Supersede Philippine Drug Crisis

Melissa Harris, Production Editor

September 9, 2016

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte brought his nation into the international spotlight this week by slandering U.S. President Barack Obama, calling him a “son of a whore.” I am hugely disheartened by Duterte’s justification of his attack on the U.S. president, as well as Obama’s response of cancelling his meeting with Duterte. Obama was supposed to meet with Duterte Tuesday in Laos to discuss drug-related extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. When Duterte was running for president, he made a promise to eradicate both drug dealers and users in his country. Since his inauguration June 30, over 2,400 people have been killed by extrajudicial means, which means that governmental authorities have...

Energy Credit Referendum Wrecked by Paperwork Havoc

Melissa Harris, Production Editor

September 2, 2016

Oberlin voters will not decide the distribution of $2.6 million in Renewable Energy Credits this fall because of a paperwork error in submitting a ballot initiative. The Lorain County Board of Elections rejected the proposed ballot initiative on Aug. 18 when Chairwoman of the Sustainable Reserve Committee Heather Adelman submitted the signatures to Oberlin officials but failed to include a copy of the text and title of the referendum. Renewable Energy Credits are certificates that prove a one megawatt-hour of electricity was produced with renewable energy. These certificates can be bought and sold on the open market. Since Oberlin draws most of its energy from renewable sources, the city has raised $2.6 million...

A group of students in favor of divesting the College from fossil fuels march in the Big Parade on Saturday, May 2. Students have submitted a divestment proposal to the Board of Trustees.

Students Lobby Trustees for Fossil Fuel Divestment

May 8, 2015

A group of five students — College sophomore Ellie Lezak, double-degree sophomore Hayden Arp, College sophomore Jasper Clarkberg, College first-year Naomi Roswell and College senior Stephen Lezak — is pushing the Board of Trustees to approve its proposal to divest the College’s endowment from fossil fuels. The Board is currently in the process of deciding how to proceed and may begin discussing the issue at its next meeting in June. Last June, the Board of Trustees released a divestment resoluti...

Protesters call for financial accessibility as they march across Wilder Bowl. The College declined the students’ request for a tuition freeze.

Students Meet with Frandsen After Protests

May 1, 2015

After students protested against the four percent tuition hike last Friday, 10 students, including members of Student Senate, met with Dean of Students Eric Estes and Vice President of Finance and Administration Mike Frandsen on Monday, April 27. During the meeting, they discussed student demands as well as plans for future negotiations to make Oberlin more accessible and affordable. With the total cost of attending Oberlin rising from $61,788 this year to $64,224 for the 2015– 16 school year,...

Alan Mitchell, food distribution coordinator of Oberlin Community Services, moves green peppers from the stock room to the food pantry. The organization has expanded significantly in the last year, both in the
range of programs it operates and the number of people it serves.

Oberlin Community Services Expands

March 6, 2015

Oberlin Community Services is working on a new strategic plan called Planting Seeds for Growth and Sustainability to help reshape and expand its services to fit the needs of southern Lorain County communities. Executive Director Cindy Andrews, a former member of OCS’s Board of Directors, took charge of OCS’s operations about a year ago. Prior to Andrews’ arrival, OCS supplied two forms of support: emergency assistance and food services. One of Andrews’ first plans was to reach out to the...