INSIDE Faculty and Staff Notes 2 Environmental Study Center Plan 4 Transitions 2 Hirschel Kasper Honored 4 Cornel West Is Coming to Oberlin 4 %€ Volume 18, Number 1 ^^XC/I^C^/ WXX i August 30,1996

THE OBERLIN COLLEGE FACULTY AND STAFF NEWSPAPER Moving In, Moving Out, 2 Pivotal Moment for o Long-Range Planning Arrives < Calling this academic year a "pivotal Every constituency within the Oberlin moment in Oberlin's history," President community has an important role, and Nancy Dye is about to kick off nine should have a say in decision making months of long-range planning for the and moving things forward." College's future. Following a process devised this past spring, the entire Historical Context Oberlin community—trustees, faculty, As Oberlin envisions its future, a key students, staf£ and alumni—soon will focus will be its institutional mission. be coming together in small and large Oberlin's sense of its mission in earlier groups to plan what Oberlin may look eras has reflected the social, political, like well into the 21st century. and economic conditions of the times, In the next few weeks Dye will says presidential assistant Diana appoint an advisory committee to shep¬ Roose, who is coordinating much of the herd the planning process, using as its strategic planning. "So we can look to core the General Faculty Planning the past to inform us about the Committee, supplemented by trustees, future—to give us a sense of the fit we students, staffj and alumni. need between our goals and the social, But everyone else in the College political, and economic conditions of community will be included in the our times," she says. Roose is working planning process, says Dye. with the Alumni Council to plan a "All of us are necessary to envision September 21 presentation for the our future. We are talking about ques¬ whole campus titled Think One Person tions that affect the whole institution. Continued on page 4 Trustee Meeting June Trustee Meeting Includes Building and Golf-Course Decisions The most recent meeting of the Oberlin under lease to the dub, keeping in mind College Board of Trustees was June 7 that the will of Charles Martin Hall stip¬ and 8. ulates that the land benefit the Oberlin The board welcomed a new member community during the meeting: Victor Louis Hymes, whose term expires January 1, Building Projects 2002. Hymes fills The board approved an increase of the vacancy creat¬ $543,000 to the Environmental ed upon the death Studies Center (ESC) budget, funding of Sylvia Williams the project through the schematic- in February. As design, design-development, and con¬ About 60 people moved into Peters Hall this summer, and Davida principal and di¬ struction-documents phase. The Gavioli (top photo), director of the language lab and lecturer in Italian, rector of the San trustees reiterated that no construction was the first. Even the building's external renovation is nearly complete Francisco Bond will begin until all funding is in hand. now. Offices, classrooms, and the new Paul and Edith Cooper International Hymes Group of Scudder, The board also approved the architects' Learning Center—occupying part of the space formerly known as the Stevens & Clark, conceptual design of the ESC. Bradley Auditorium—are ready for business. King Building saw the Inc., Hymes has oversight responsibili¬ Another building project the return of some old-timers this summer (middle photo): Associate ty for the management of more that $6 trustees talked about is the new sci¬ Professor of History Carol Lasser, having completed two years as asso¬ billion in assets. Before joining Scudder, ence facility. The board authorized the ciate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, is back, and so is Asso¬ he was a vice president at Goldman, administration to engage an architec¬ ciate Professor of History Gary Komblith, who spent the past year as Sachs & Co. and, later, Kidder Peabody. tural and engineering firm to proceed acting director of computing. Professor of History Clayton Koppes left He earned a B.Mus. degree at Oberlin through development of a building pro¬ King for Cox a few weeks ago, joining his new sidekicks in the arts and in 1979, and he holds an M.BA from the gram, conceptual plans, and cost esti¬ sciences' dean's office (bottom photo), Professor of Physics Bruce Stanford Graduate School of Business. mate for the proposed facility, and Richards and Associate Professor of East Asian Studies Suzanne Gay. approved a budget of $197,500 for that Koppes is acting dean of the college, and Richards and Gay are the act¬ Financial Matters phase of the project. All expenses ing associate deans. Financial discussions included final incurred during the initial phase will 1996-97 budget approvals. Trustees be reimbursed through future fund- also gave the Office of Human Resources raising specifically for the science facil¬ the go-ahead to conduct an in-depth ity, the trustees said. Oberlin: Best College Town in Ohio review of employee benefits. And after It's not our little secret any more. of Miami University, and Athens, considering the option of selling the Board Accepts Report Ohio magazine has plastered the home of Ohio University. land to the Oberlin Golf Club, the board In other action the board reviewed news all over its August issue: Representatives of the College asked Vice President for Finance Andy and accepted an independent report Oberlin is the best college town in and town don't intend to let the acco- Evans to explore with the golf club a on several investment programs that Ohio. Runners up are Oxford, home Continued on page 3 new 50-year lease of the land currently Continued on page 3 Page 2 The Observer August 30,1996 Faculty and Staff Notes

AN APPEAL TO FACUITY AND STAFF: tance for humanity, and—not inciden¬ held September observation of his anniversary. "It was Even if you don't yet foresee submit¬ tally—how important good philosophy 27 to October 6 fun, neat," he says. The congregants ting information for this section of the can be. This is ethics at its best." • Dean in Genoa, Italy, gave Lassen a gift of the book The Faith Observer this year, please send a pho¬ of Student life and Services Charlene and in November of a Physicist by J.C. Polkinghome. • tograph of yourself for the Observer Cole-Newkirk represented Oberiin he will judge the Carter McAdams is one of eight files now so that we have it on hand College when the San Angela, Ifexas, Princeton gradu¬ when we need it. After we scan it, we Early Settlers Young Artists' ates who presented will return your photo unharmed. Association of the CompetitioiL • works at a concert Black and white is usually best, but Western Reserve hcn- Affiliate Scholar Marcia Goldberg marking the uni¬ many good color photographs repro¬ orcd Lucy Stanton has received the Throne/Aldrich Award versity's 250th anni¬ duce equally well. Send your photo¬ Day Sessions by from the State Historical So-dety of versary The Best of graph to the Observer, Office of inducting her into Iowa. The annual award is given to the Princeton: Alumni Communications, 153 West Lorain the Cleveland Hall author of an article appearing in the Choreographers Street.—Ed of Fame July 22. Sessions, a member of society's journal, The Palimpsest. and Dancers in Concert was April 11. the Class of 1850, was the first black Judging is based on scholarship and James McMillan, Governor George woman to graduate from Oberlin. She the contribution of new information on director of stew¬ Voinovich has re¬ was a writer, abolitionist, and educator Iowa history. The subject of Goldberg's ardship and pub¬ appointed College of freedmen in the post-Civil War South. article was a set of glass-plate nega¬ lic programs, has Archivist Roland • President Nancy Dye was among tives of 1902 that depict the operations established an Baumann to his more than 40 col¬ of a small-town canning factory and the electronic mailing fourth three-year lege presidents and Victorian home of its owner. (See the list called Stew- term on the Ohio representatives Observer of November 9, 1995.) On ardshiplist. The Historic Record Pre¬ who, along with July 19 Professor of History and Acting list fosters discussion about steward¬ servation Advisory Board. The board civil-rights lawyers Dean Clayton Koppes gave a presen¬ ship, gift acknowledgment, fund man¬ evaluates federal grant applications and others, attend¬ tation to the alumni V12 group, on agement, donor relations, and event submitted to the National Historical ed a two-day meet¬ campus for a re¬ planning. The list was mentioned in the Publications and Records Commission ing in May to union. His "Holly¬ August 16 issue of the Chronicle of and sets the historical-records plan¬ discuss the future of affirmative action. wood Goes to War: Higher Education. • Associate ning agenda for the state of Ohio. • In Harvard's law and education schools How Politics, Pro¬ Professor of August Rowman and Littlefield pub¬ sponsored the meeting. In its coverage of fits, and Propagan¬ Physics Daniel lished a new book by Professor of the meeting the May 31 Chronicle of da Shaped World Styer has been Philosophy Higher Education reported that"... the War II Movies" appointed an asso¬ Norman Care: participants engaged in a thorough and included a clip from ciate editor of the Living with One's sometimes intense discussion about the 1944 Ginger Rogers movie Tender American Journal Past: Fkrsonal Fates why diversity matters in higher educa¬ Comrade. In the film, says Koppes, of Physics for the and Moral Pain. tion, and how it can be justified legally, "Rogers and her women housemates go period January 1997 One of the chap¬ educationally, and morally." Dye was one through a long disquisition on how to December 1999. The journal is devot¬ ters—^"Problematic of a dozen or so people mentioned by they shouldn't patronize black marke¬ ed to the instructional and cultural AgEnc^"abotit moral- name in the article. The Greater teers, hoard lipstick, or two-time their aspects of physical science, and is the emotional low points and recovery from Cleveland Growth Association has husbands and boyfiiends who are off at world's leading journal on physics them—started as a talk at an Oberlin selected Dye to be a member of the the front. The V12ers found it hilari¬ teaching, says Styer. Styer will— faculty-staff luncheon a few years ago, Leadership Cleveland Class of 1997. • ous." Koppes also presented a paper, besides helping to decide whether to Care says. Michael Stocker, Irwin and Professor of History Michael Fisher's "Cracking the Code: Sexuality and the publish certain papers—give the editor Marjorie Guttag Professor of Ethics new book has been published by Oxford Decline of Hollywood Censorship in the advice on "policy matters, the long- and Political Philosophy at Syracuse University Press. 1950s," at the American Historical range future of the Journal, and on dif¬ University, calls Living with One's Past Titled The First Jn- Association Pacific Coast Branch annu¬ ficult matters such as the occasional "a rare work." For the cover of the dkm Author in al meeting at San Francisco State plagiarism case." As far as Styer knows, paperback edition Stocker writes, "With English' Dean Maho¬ University August 9. • September 11 he is the first Oberlin College faculty moving and instructive depth and sen¬ med (1759-1851) in will mark the 30th anniversary of member to hold the position. • sitivity, [Care's book] takes up real prob¬ India, Ireland, and Protestant Chaplain Manfred Professor of Organ Haskell Thomson lems of real life. It shows us how to England, it is a life Lassen's ordination as a Lutheran went to Portugal in the beginning of appreciate their difficulty, their impor- history of Dean pastor and the second celebration of the June to play con¬ Mahomed, an early Asian immi¬ occasion. That evening the congrega¬ certs. One was on grant to Britain, together with a tion of Good Shepard Lutheran Church the historic organ in The Observer (ISSN 0193-368X), the faculty republication of Mahomed's 1791 in Lorain will hold a dinner in his Iberian style at the and staff newspaper of Oberlin College, published 17 times this year, is delivered to book, Travels of Dean Mahomet. • honor. On July 21, during a worship cathedral in Braga, employees and made available to students Professor of Violin Taras Gabora service at Days Dam Park, the com¬ and the other was on campus. Copies are mailed to retired employees, certain alumni and friends of will be on the jury for the Paganini bined congregations of local Lutheran on a large modem the College, and paid subscribers. The edi¬ International Violin Competition, churches surprised Lassen with their organ in Oporto. tor welcomes off-campus readers but does not always provide background information for them: news that has already been reported in the Review (the Transitions student newspaper) or announced else¬ where may not be reported fully or promi¬ nently in the Observer. New Staff Journal of Neurobiology. She enjoys M.A., Princeton University Ph.D., Editor: Linda K. Grashoff. Editorial assis¬ tant Adam Shoemaker. Susan Brown (Depauw University music, especially violin. Michael D. 1996) is visiting assistant professor of Published by the Oberlin College Office BA, University of Maryland M.S., Heller (University of Iowa BA, MA Romance languages, specializing in of Communications, Alan Moran, director. Address: Office of Communications, 153 W. Ph.D. 1991) is visiting assistant profes¬ 1996) is intern in the language lab of 20th-century French literature and civ¬ Lorain St., Oberlin, OH 44074-1023. E-mail: sor of neuroscience, specializing in the International Learning Center. ilization. He has worked as an assis¬ [email protected]. Issued every other Friday between August 30,1996, and May development of the vertebrate brain, Heller is interested in technology tant master at Forbes College and 23, 1997, except late December and the particularly of the brain circuitry issues in foreign-language learning spent five years as a teaching assistant month of January. Second-class postage involved in communication using and instruction. He recently worked at Princeton University. From 1990 to paid at Oberlin, Ohio. Yearly subscriptions are $16. sound. She worked at the Brain with the Upward Bound Project at the 1991 he was a linguistic attache with Letters to the editor directly related to Research Institute at UCLA for the University of Iowa and has worked as the French Consulate in Miami. At campus events are welcome; those from employees and students take precedence past three years and before that a research assistant with the Univer¬ Princeton Lagier over those from other correspondents. worked in the Biological Sciences sity of Iowa's College of Education and produced and acted All letters are subject to editing; if time department at the University of its Department of Spanish and in a production of permits, the editor will consult with the correspondent about changes. Southern California. She has received Rotuguese. He says Jean Tardieu's Le All Oberlin College Office of Commun¬ grants from the American Heart he enjoys bicycle rid¬ Spectacle Des Mots, ications publications include a minimum of 10 percent postconsumer waste. Association and the National Science ing, cooking, and which had a cast of Discarded copies may be recycled with Foundation as well as research fellow¬ "anything Macin¬ eight students and office paper. ships from the National Institute of tosh." Christophe was performed en¬ POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Deafness and Communication Dis¬ Lagier (Univer¬ tirely in French. He Shoemaker Oberlin College Development Resources, orders and the National Institute of sity of Paris Li¬ enjoys film, theater, Bosworth Hall 4, 50 W. Lorain St., Oberlin, OH 44074-1089. Mental Health. Brown has contributed cence, San Diego soccer, and tennis. Adam Shoemaker to the Journal of Neuroscience and the Lagier State University Continued on page 3 August 30,1996 The Observer Page 3

Transitions . . . aries at the Christian Reform School, assistant professor of history, Kai li, Holmes, architectural design intern in Continued from page 2 1908-1934." He looks forward to work¬ visiting lecturer in Chinese; Joseph the Environmental Studies Program, (Oberlin CoUege BA 1996) is the ing with Oberlin students of diverse Lubben, visiting assistant professor of left June 28; she had worked for the intern in the Office of Communica¬ backgrounds. music theory, William Lucas, teacher College a year. Claudia Bredlau, judi¬ tions. A history major with minors in of trumpet (fall semester); Nanette cial coordinator and leaves and with¬ English and politics, he was a member Changes in Appointment Macias, assistant professor of art; drawals coordinator in Student Life of the soccer, football, and tennis teams. Douglas Simmons was promoted to Esmeralda Martinez-Tapia, lectur¬ and Services, left June 30, as did Mary He has been assistant soccer coach at central-heating-plant engineer May er in Spanish; Tracy Petrus, intern Margaret Giannini, assistant Minford High School in Minford, Ohio, 20. He started as a heating-plant for women's and men's swimming; archivist; Lisa Kastor, assistant direc¬ and this past summer was assistant helper in 1988. At their June 7-8 meet¬ Fritz Ruehr, visiting assistant profes¬ tor of career services; Marina director of the Oberlin Tennis Camp. ing, trustees approved promotion to sor of computer science; and Tomoko Klyagin, German and Russian facul- He enjoys reading and sports—both the rank of associate professor, with Takeda, visiting instructor in Japan¬ ty-in-residence and lecturer in playing and watching—and is interest¬ tenure, for Paul Moser, Department ese. Three people were promoted July 1 Russian; Sharon Miranda, the con¬ ed in American history and govern¬ of Theater and Dance, and promotions in the admissions office. Aaron servatory's specialist in aural skills; ment. David Stradling (Colgate to full professor for Allen Cadwallader, Milenski, assistant director of admis¬ Penelope Peters, assistant professor University BA, MAT, University of Division of Music Theory, and Philip sions, became senior assistant director of music theory; and Kimiaki Wisconsin-Madison MA, Ph.D. 1996) Highfill, in Accompanying. Carl of admissions; Christopher Lucak, Yamaguchi, instructor in Japanese. is visiting assistant professor of history. Peterson, who retired at the end of assistant director, became senior assist¬ Bredlau had been here since 1979, Stradling specializes in environmen¬ last semester, is teaching part time as ant director; and Hannah Serota- when she was the secretary in College tal, urban, and 20th-century-American emeritus professor of English this year. Campbell, assistant director, became Relations (now called the Office of history. He worked as a teaching assis¬ Pedro Arguello, intern last school associate director. They have been at Communications). She went to the tant at the University of Wisconsin in year in the Multicultural Resource Oberlin for 4, 3, and 5 years, respec¬ position of judicial coordinator and 1995. He is a member of the American Center, is now the learning-assistance tively. On August 1 Che Gonzalez office manager at Residential life after Society for Environmental History the intern in Student Academic Services. became the coordinator of undergradu¬ several years as the secretary in the American Historical Association, and Anita Buckmaster, intern in the ate research for the Office of Sponsored Campus Ministry Office (now called the Sierra Club. He is married to Jodie Office of Communications last year, Programs. From 1985 to 1996 the Office of Chaplains). Giannini Zultowsky. Benson Tong (Science has been promoted to news-services Gonzalez had been the administrative joined the Archives in January 1995. University of Malaysia BA, Univer¬ writer in the communications office. assistant for the Department of Kastor started in 1987 as assistant sity of Toledo MA, Ph.D. 1996) is Visiting Assistant Professor Anthony Economics. She was on leave in 1995- director in the career-services office visiting assistant professor of history, Stocks has transferred from the 96 while completing her Oberlin when it was known as the Office of specializing in Asian-American and English department to the expository- degree. Joanne Garcia transferred Career Development and Placement. Native-American history as well as the writing department. He joined the from computer operator to associate Klyagin came to Oberlin in 1994. American West and sexuality. He College in 1993. The following people computer systems manager in the Miranda began at Oberlin in 1988. worked at the University of Toledo as have been reappointed to the positions Computing Center August 15. She Peters had taught here since 1989, a teaching assistant from 1989 to 1996, they held last year (and, some, longer): started with the College in 1992. When when she was visiting instructor in and in 1995 won the University of Der-lin Chao, assistant professor of Paul Miller returns to work Monday, music theory. Yamaguchi joined the Toledo's Whiteford Research Scholar¬ Chinese; Michele Chossat, lecturer he will be the new working carpenter College in 1991. Charles Van ship. His book Unsubmissive Women: in French; Johnny Coleman, assist¬ foreman in the Carpenter Shop. His TUburg, computer-systems technician Chinese Prostitutes in Nineteenth ant professor of art; Charles Couch, promotion is effective Sunday. He and in the computer science and psychology Century San Francisco was published teacher of trumpet (spring semester); carpenter Tom Strickler rotate the departments, left July 1 after seven in 1994 by the University of Oklahoma Eva Florensa, assistant professor of forman position every six months. This years in the position. July 18 was Press. He also wrote an article includ¬ Spanish; Davida Gavioli, lecturer in is Miller's first rotation; Strickler just Mary Atkinson's last day. She was ed in the July 1995 New Mexico Italian; Caroline Jackson Smith, finished his first rotation. This coming interim assistant director of residential Historical Review titled "The Hin¬ associate professor of African-Ameri¬ Thursday, after 10 years as an admin¬ services, and joined the College in 1991 drances Are Many: Zunis and Mission- can studies; Wendy Kozol, visiting istrative assistant in Printing Services as the Biggs Commons coordinator. (beginning when it was still called The next day, Todd Poremba left the Graphic Services), Sandra Kanuch library, where he had been a library Trustee Meeting . . . management questions, the report will begin working in the Office of assistant at the Circulation Desk; he Continued from page 1 said that no further action by the board Admissions. started at Oberlin in 1994. Grace the College employed in managing a is warranted. Hong, assistant director of admissions portion of its endowment between The report concluded that the Departures since joining the College staff in July 1985 and 1991. Two programs, the aggregate financial effect on the Param Vir, associate professor of com¬ 1995, left July 25. Associate Director of Gifted Real Estate Program (GREP) endowment performance of the position, left the College last semester. Admissions Martha Allen left the and the Office Capital Venture College over the 11-year period ending He was appointed as assistant profes¬ College July 31, the same day Rirsten Program, were discontinued in 1990. December 1995 was a loss of about $11 sor in 1992. May 31 was the last day Bohl, co-op area coordinator, left. Allen Under GREP the College typically million. This includes reasonable esti¬ for Rristine Bums, visiting assistant had worked for Oberlin since 1991, purchased individual real-estate prop¬ mates for any unrealized gain or loss professor of TIMARA, and Mary beginning as assistant director of erties for cash equal to a major portion on the remaining investments in the Gibson, women's soccer and tennis admissions. Bohl had hired into her of their appraised value, and the seller endowment portfolio. The College's coach. Both started their Oberlin position in fall 1994. Edith Swan, donated the balance of the appraised financial statements and endowment- careers in 1993. May 31 was the end of associate dean in Student Academic value to the College. The intended pur¬ performance statistics have previously the work assignment for assistant Affairs, retired July 31. She started as pose of GREP was to allow the College reflected the effect of the programs Commons coordinator James acting associate dean in the College of to sell the properties for their ap¬ over the same period. The breakdown CKeefe, who began at Oberlin last Arts and Sciences and had also chaired praised value, thereby providing a (in millions) is: August. Head women's volleyball coach the Women's Studies Program and financial benefit to the College. Under and instructor in athletics and physical taught a course in Native-American lit¬ the Capital Venture Program the Gifted Real Estate Program education Inez James left Oberlin erature in her 17 years at Oberlin. College invested, typically with one or June 15; she had been here since 1994, Gene DeLorenzo, head men's basket¬ more entrepreneurial organizers, in Revenue and additions $16.5 when she was assistant coach of ball coach since 1991, left the College various real-estate projects. Less: Employee compensation 2.6 women's basketball and volleyball. August 16. Security Officer Lee The report examined and critiqued Property-holding expenses 2.5 Last semester she was also assistant Kapucinski left Oberlin August 25 the process used in the GREP-Capital Administrative expenses 1.7 women's lacrosse coach. Deirdre after 11 years of service. Venture programs in identifying, eval¬ Interest on debt 2.5 uating, and recommending potential Loss on disposition of assets 9,4 investment opportunities and in Net loss on Oberlin: Best. . . Other events being planned obtaining the requisite authority to Gifted Real Estate Program $ 2.2 Continued from page 1 include performances on Tappan proceed with individual investment Loss on lade go unheralded. They are planning Square by local musicians and transactions. The examination also Limited Partnership Investments 6.9 an all-town, all-College, all-day celebra¬ dancers, displays of works by local included the level of oversight for mort¬ Loss on tion—to be called College Town Day: artists, and a roving town crier. gage financing and discretionary Venture Capital Investments 2.1 Celebrating Our Community—for Street banners will proclaim expenditures undertaken by Capital October 5, which coinddentally occurs "Welcome to Oberlin: Best College Ventures, and the approximate aggre¬ TOTAL $11.2 during Parents and Family Weekend Town in Ohio." gate financial effect on the College of and the Fourth Annual City-Wide Suggestions for more ways to cele¬ the two discontinued programs, includ¬ The report was prepared by the Garage Sales. Jean Kelly, editor of Ohio brate are being accepted by Prisdlla ing the disposal of the remaining Cleveland law firm of Thompson Hine magazine, will be in town that day to Steinberg at the Oberlin Area Cham¬ assets and liabilities attributable to the & Flory with assistance on some present awards to President Nancy ber of Commerce, 774-6262, and Betty programs. aspects from Arthur Andersen, the Dye and Oberlin City Council Chair GabrieUi in the Oberlin College Office Concerning these operational and College's public auditors. Fran Baumann. of Communications, 775-8474. Page 4 The Observer August 30,1996 Environmental Studies Center Plan Gathers Momentum Oberlin College has won the 1996 scaping as possess¬ Award of Excellence in Education from ing three unique the ConsoKdated Natural Gas (CNG) qualities. Foundation on the basis of the creativ¬ •It is a landscape ity, innovation, and success of its for learning, its Environmental Studies Program, purpose is to including the proposed Environmental teach rather Studies Center (ESC). The award car¬ than be decora¬ ries a prize of $100,000 (see the April tive. 12 Observer). •It is a working Meanwhile, the building project has landscape; it moved into the schematic-design does the work of phase. Project architect William providing life McDonough and landscape architect support, purify¬ John Lyle were in town last Friday to ing water and present a model and schematic sketch¬ providing food. es of the center and landscaping to •It is integrated President Nancy Dye and faculty and with the build¬ staff involved with the project. ing. This is the view of the Environmental Studies Building that Talcott residents McDonough said the proposed cen¬ About the last may have in two years. Architect McDonough describes the structure as "three ter is "the most famous green project in point, Lyle chuck¬ building types in one palazzo: a living machine (water treatment plant—behind America now." One of the aspects led. "People say, the window wall), an atrium (west of the living machine), and workspaces, responsible for its fame is the leasing 'sure, why not,' but including an auditorium, classrooms, and offices. A pond and wetlands are envi¬ arrangements being made for various it doesn't happen sioned to the east of the building. The north side would provide an outdoor portions of the building. The company very often." amphitheater and performance space. To the south would be a sun plaza that that supplies the roofs photovoltaic One of the rea¬ would include a giant sun dial, and to the west, fruit trees, a vegetable garden, receptors (solar panels), for example, sons it is happening and a greenhouse. will lease the units to the College, and with the ESC is the replace them with improved—less close collaboration the architect and from wood grown in sustainable running a desiccant system in the sum¬ toxic and/or more efficient—models as landscape architect have had from the forests. Local gravel and local cement mer and the hot-water heater in the they are developed over the years. very beginning of the project, say the will be used for a dstem under the winter. Raised flooring will facilitate air Similar arrangements are being made architects. All the architects, including building that will be a thermal battery exchange and future rewiring. with Herman Miller to supply the others in McDonough's office, have building's furniture. Although the ESC worked as a team, said McDonough, to will use state-of-the-shel£ rather than the advantage of the building. "That's a Kasper to Danforth/Lewis Professorship experimental, components, the concept big deal," he said. Professor of Economics Journal of Economic Edu¬ of the building is working as a catalyst Some of the structural elements Hirschel Kasper has been cation, and has published to industry, said McDonough. It's revealed at the session include walls named Robert S. Danforth / there as well as in the pushing manufacturers to go beyond made of straw bale and clad in terra Ben W Lewis Professor of Journal of Economic current capabilities of response to cotta panels. The straw will be grown Economics for the 1996-97 Literature, the Economics environmental concerns. locally, and the terra cotta will be from academic year. The trustees of Education Review, and Lyle described the building's land¬ local clays. The furniture will be made approved President Nancy Academe. He has been pres¬ Dye's recommendation at ident of the Midwest Econo¬ the June meeting. mics Association, a member Cornel West to Speak in In making the recom¬ Kasper of the Board of Editors of mendation Dye mentioned the Quarterly Review of Finney Chapel September 3 Rasper's "rigorous curriculum in labor Economics and Business, and a manu¬ Cornel West, regarded by many as the cuss Race Matters and relate the book economics in which... students have pro¬ script referee for over a dozen eco¬ leading African-American intellectual of to the orientation theme. Panel mem¬ duced undergraduate research papers nomics periodicals. Kasper is also a our day, will address the Oberlin com¬ bers will be Assistant Professor of of exceptionally high quality." She also labor arbitrator on panels of the munity in a special Religion and Lord said, "Students appreciate his 'open Federal Mediation and Conciliation 7 o'clock convoca¬ NATIONAL BESTSELLER Faculty Fellow door' policy, and the many hours out¬ Service and the American Arbitration tion during which A. G. Miller, side the classroom he spends with them Association and a recent member of the President Nancy Assistant Dean in assistance and discussion; they seek Trustee Investment Committee. Dye and Sergio of Student life him aut> and he responds enthusiastically" "In all these capacities," said Dye, Acevedo, president and Services Kasper, a member of the faculty "he is respected for his knowledge and of the senior dass, Shilpa Dave, since 1963, is an associate editor of the the wisdom of his deliberations." will also speak. Associate Profes¬ West, a profes¬ sor of Theater sor of Afro-Amer¬ and Dance and Pivotal Moment. . . facilitated campus focus groups about ican studies and African-Amer¬ Continued from page 1 the structural-deficit reduction last philosophy of reli¬ ican studies Can Change the World? So Do We. year (Observer, December 7,1995), and gion at Harvard Caroline Jackson Acting Dean Clayton Koppes will mod¬ an associate will lead the discussions, University, will be Smith, and Direc¬ erate a panel of alumni who will recall expected to number between 30 and participating in tor of the Center the Oberlin visions of earlier eras. The 40. All campus constituencies—stu¬ the first of what for Service and audience will then divide into smaller dents, faculty, staff, alumni, and President Dye in¬ Learning Daniel groups to continue the discussion. trustees—will be encouraged to partic¬ tends to be a Gardner. "This moment is as challenging for ipate, Roose says. series of all-cam¬ Most of the private higher education as any we In December Kuttner will summa¬ pus convocations new students have faced in decades," says Koppes. rize the discussions to the advisory over the academic will have experi¬ "Marked challenges to inherited intel¬ committee, the trustees, and the rest of year. West is bas¬ ence in commu¬ lectual constructs, the internationaliza¬ the campus. ing his talk on this nity service by tion of cultures and economies, and a Dye and the advisory committee year's new-student orientation theme, the time the panel convenes. Today is changing United States demographic will then pull out from the summary Learning and Labor: Building Day of Action, and 500 first-years profile—all demand reflective, fiiture- key themes, and by January they will Community through Service. The ques- (more than two-thirds of the class) are oriented thinking about what students create special teams to consider these tion-and-answer period afterward is performing volunteer work at service will need in the next century. The ways issues. In February the teams will likely to be particularly lively and sites in Lorain County. in which Oberlin has adapted its mis¬ make recommendations to the adviso¬ informed: the Orientation Committee West's other books include Keeping sion to changing times in the past will ry committee, who will review and sent all new students a copy of Westfs Faith, Prophetic Fragments, and help orient us for the 21st century." integrate the ideas before passing Race Matters before the students Beyond Eurocentrism and Multi- them on to faculty councils for further arrived on campus. culturalism. He coauthored Breaking Many Other Discussions review. By the end of the school year Tomorrow (1:30, Finney Chapel) the Bread: Insurgent Black Intellectual Life Small-group planning discussions will the faculty and administration should orienting students—and everyone else with bell hooks, the former Oberlin pro¬ begin the first week in October and be able to make final recommenda¬ who wishes to attend—will hear a fessor of women's studies also known continue through November, says tions to the president and trustees panel of Oberlin faculty and staff dis¬ as Gloria Watkins. Roose. Consultant Elaine Kuttner, who about a plan for Oberlin's future.