By Hannah Varadi
Oberlin’s Cultural Diversity requirement will remain virtually the same next semester. However the controversy surrounding the requirement provides a focal point for discussions on multiculturalism at Oberlin. This has been particularly true given the incidents of bias and responses from the student body that we have seen this semester.
Congratulations to the new Senators!
Joe Condon ’13
Eliza “Eli” Diop ’13
Hannah Elhard ’13
Ben Murray ’16
Timothy Patch ’13
David Roswell ’13
Brandt Rentel ’14
Sara Vaadia ’15
What issues are you most passionate about influencing on campus and why?
I ran for student senate a year ago after seeing far too many of my friends return from student health and the counseling center seemingly worse off than when they left. I saw a non-functional system and rather than just complain about it, I decided I needed to do something to make things better. In the past year I’ve met with the Director of Student health and counseling center to work to build an ongoing system to ensure the improvement of student health though a student committee, which will meet regularly.
What issues are you most passionate about influencing on campus and why?
I would say that I am most passionate about educating our campus first and foremost, about issues like social justice and social inequalities that prevail on our campus. More specifically, it was my platform in my previous term as senator to push for fair representation of minority communities on campus such as Africana communities, POC communities, LGBTQ communities and various underrepresented religious groups. I plan to revisit these issues if I am elected to Senate again and I hope to continue my involvement in environmental justice groups like Anti-Frack, Slow Food and Students for Sustainability. I think at Oberlin it can be easy to get caught up in the mainstream culture, as is the nature of all society, and to be oblivious to the deep issues that are affecting communities on campus. I definitely believe that educational programming is one of the best ways to ‘lift the veil’ over Oberlin students’ eyes and can be a premiere solution to at least exposing these social issues that exist on campus.
What issues are you most passionate about influencing on campus and why?
The issues I am most passionate about influencing are the health system provided to students, especially mental health, and policy therein. I am passionate because I, and many other people in my life, have found these services inadequate, or even detrimental
What issues are you most passionate about influencing on campus and why?
I am most passionate about seeing constructive change in the relationship between students and senators, mainly by increasing communication. Continue reading
By Lindsey Nwabueze
The Student Senate and the Student Finance Committee (SFC) held a forum on December 5 to explain how the Special Funding Mechanism operates and to gather feedback about amending or abolishing it. Continue reading
By Cate Battey
The tree saplings you’ve noticed while walking through Tappan Square were recently planted as part of a carbon offset initiative started this year through the Green Edge Fund and the Student Senate Environmental Sustainability Working Group (funded by the SFC and Green Edge Fund). Continue reading
Press release for immediate release 12/6/2012
Oberlin, OH–Today, Oberlin College took an important step towards connecting money and morality by investing in the local community. The Board of Trustees just approved the Oberlin College and Community Investment Plan, a resolution to invest part of the Student Activity Fund every year in certificates of deposit (CDs) with the Ohio Educational Credit Union (OHECU). According to Ron Watts, Oberlin’s Vice President for Finance, a few hundred thousand dollars a year will go into this fund reserved for large capital purchases by student organizations, such as a new radio tower for WOBC or new computers for the Review. Continue reading
Former Senate Operations Manager Ahmet Damar has resigned from Senate. As there are only 2 more weeks left in the semester, a new Senator will not be appointed. On Sunday during Plenary, the Senate will vote on an interim Operations Manager that will fulfill the position for the rest of this semester and continue through the elections period in the spring.
Senate Plenary is held every Sunday night from 7-9:30pm in Wilder 215. It is open to the public.