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Articles by Nathan Carpenter
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Eight Years In, NEXUS Fight Continues
The NEXUS pipeline’s route through Oberlin. For the better part of a decade, Oberlin residents, City officials, and College students have been involved in a battle against NEXUS Gas Transmission, a 256-mile pipeline extension that was ultimately built through Oberlin city limits and continues to be opposed in court.
Q&A: Mary Annaïse Heglar, OC ’06, Climate Writer
Photo courtesy of Mary Annaïse Heglar Mary Annaïse Heglar. Mary Annaïse Heglar, OC ’06, is a writer who focuses primarily on personal essays about the intersections of climate and justice. She also serves as director of publications for the National Resources Defense Council, and is currently a writer-in-residence at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, where she is working on both short- and long-form pieces about climate change and its human impacts.
Q&A: Sonia Shah, OC ’90, Investigative Journalist
Nathan Carpenter and Ananya Gupta|April 22, 2020 Glenford Nunez/TYP Sonia Shah. Sonia Shah, OC ’90, is an investigative journalist and award-winning author. She has written several notable books, including The Next Great Migration: The Beauty and Terror of Life on the Move, set to release in June 2020. Her writing is focused on the intersections of science, environment, human rights, and international politics.
Campus Housing Announcements Spark Student Confusion, Frustration
Students remaining in College-owned housing were left confused and frustrated last week after receiving a pair of email communications — the first from the Office of Residential Education and the second from President Carmen Twillie Ambar — regarding potential changes to their living situations. The emails came after most students were required to vacate campus housing last month in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; students who stayed on campus went through a petition process in order to do so.
Administrators, Faculty Governance Committees Decline to Endorse Universal Pass
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences David Kamitsuka and Dean of the Conservatory William Quillen announced to the Oberlin community Thursday afternoon that administrators and faculty-governance bodies had declined to endorse a Student Senate-led petition advocating for a Universal Pass grading system. The petition, drafted in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, had been co-signed via Google Docs by more than 1,300 current students.
Ohio Generally Prepared for COVID-19 Outbreak, Data Models Suggest
Graph of projected hospital bed capacity needed to combat the COVID-19 outbreak in Ohio. Data is displayed for April 20, the project statewide peak date. Graph courtesy of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread across the country, statistical models produced by public health professionals show that, in comparison to other states, Ohio is well-prepared to weather the pandemic.
College, Local Officials Continue to Respond to COVID-19 Outbreak
As more cases of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, are confirmed daily in the United States and around the world, local Oberlin leaders — both College administrators and City officials — continue to respond to the pandemic. Currently, the only publicly confirmed COVID-19 case in Oberlin is an employee in the College’s Campus Dining Services. This case was announced to the campus community in an email sent by President Carmen Twillie Ambar late Sunday night.
Local Congressional Candidates Respond to Primary Delay
Editor’s note: Voters wishing to request an absentee ballot, including students at home, can find instructions for how to do so by following this link: www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/absentee-voting/. Voters can view their current registration address by following this link: lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/lorain/vtrlookup.aspx#.
Tensions Between College, UAW Not New
The current campus controversy around the proposal to outsource campus and dining services is not the first time that significant tensions have erupted between the College administration and members of Oberlin’s chapter of the United Automobile Workers union. Notably, in 1995, UAW members said they would strike if they were unable to reach agreeable contract terms with the College by March 31. Ultimately, a deal was reached an hour before the deadline and a strike was avoided.
COVID-19 Outbreak Continues, College Moves to Remote Campus
Nathan Carpenter and Katie Lucey|March 13, 2020 Nathan Carpenter Faculty and staff distributed packing boxes to students in the Root Room in Carnegie Building beginning Friday morning. Students in College housing are required to vacate campus by Monday at noon. Box distribution will continue 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
Pressure Mounts Against Outsourcing Proposal; Senator Sherrod Brown Voices Support of UAW
Pearse Anderson Students, faculty, alumni, and United Automobile Workers members gathered to protest the College’s Feb. 18 announcement that it is “formally considering” outsourcing union labor. Campus controversy continues to swirl around President Carmen Twillie Ambar’s Feb. 18 announcement that the College is “formally considering” outsourcing dining and custodial services, a proposal that could impact jobs currently held by 108 members of the United Automobile Workers union.
Fashion Show “Look Black At It” Celebrates 50 Years of Africana Studies
Photo by Mowa Bamdos College first-year Kamcee Ugwokegbe at the Black History Month Fashion Show. The 50-year anniversary of Oberlin’s Africana Studies department was celebrated in style at the Black History Month Fashion Show last Saturday. This year’s event was themed “Look Black At It: 50 Years of Fashion.” College third-year Jasmine Mitchell was one of the event’s key organizers. She said that the planning committee started putting the show together about six months ago.
College “Considering” Outsourcing Dining, Custodial Services
Hundreds of students protested President Carmen Twillie Ambar’s recent announcement that the College is “formally considering” contracting with outside vendors, potentially cutting 108 United Automobile Workers union jobs, in the King Building Wednesday.
Rani Molla, OC ’08, Vox and Recode Data Journalist
Nathan Carpenter and Gigi Ewing|February 21, 2020 Rani Molla Photo courtesy of Rani Molla Rani Molla Photo courtesy of Rani Molla Photo courtesy of Rani Molla Rani Molla Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification: What's 4 + 4? Rani Molla, OC ’08, is senior data reporter for Vox and Recode. Her work involves using data, charts, and figures to explain complex tech stories in simple terms.
School Construction Concerns Residents; District Maintains All Is Well
The site plan for a new school building on N Pleasant St. in Oberlin. The new building will consolidate Oberlin’s four public schools, creating a space for students PK–12. Photo courtesy of Oberlin City Schools The site plan for a new school building on N Pleasant St. in Oberlin. The new building will consolidate Oberlin’s four public schools, creating a space for students PK–12.
The 2010s: Moments That Defined a Decade
Nathan Carpenter, Katie Lucey, Ananya Gupta, and Anisa Curry Vietze|February 7, 2020 Students gather in Tappan Square in November of 2012, celebrating Barack Obama's re-election with cheers, fireworks, an impromptu jazz concert, and a chaotic performance of the national anthem. Students gather in Tappan Square in November of 2012, celebrating Barack Obama's re-election with cheers, fireworks, an impromptu jazz concert, and a chaotic performance of the national anthem.
Ferd Protzman, OC ’75, Retiring Chief of Staff, Reflects on Oberlin Career
Ferd Protzman, OC ’75, whose career spanned journalism and university administration, will retire from his position as chief of staff in the president’s office at the end of 2019. Chris Schmucki Ferd Protzman, OC ’75, whose career spanned journalism and university administration, will retire from his position as chief of staff in the president’s office at the end of 2019.
In Bittersweet Move, House of the Lord Fellowship Finds New Space
From left to right, College fourth-years Jaris Owens, Griffin Woodard, and Miyah Byers. All three students are congregants of the House of Lord Fellowship. Chris Schmucki From left to right, College fourth-years Jaris Owens, Griffin Woodard, and Miyah Byers. All three students are congregants of the House of Lord Fellowship. Chris Schmucki Chris Schmucki From left to right, College fourth-years Jaris Owens, Griffin Woodard, and Miyah Byers.
Student Voting Participation Higher Than Previously Reported, Says Professor
Associate Professor and Chair of Geology Zeb Page in his office. Page wrote a program to reconcile local student voting engagement numbers against data from the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement. Lucie Weismuller Associate Professor and Chair of Geology Zeb Page in his office. Page wrote a program to reconcile local student voting engagement numbers against data from the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement.
Outward-Facing Philosophy Deeply Rooted in Oberlin’s History
Editor’s note: This column is part of a series that will focus on Oberlin’s history as a town and an institution. The series will be published regularly throughout the fall semester. When then-First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at Oberlin’s commencement ceremonies in 2015, she had the institution’s social justice reputation in mind. “If you truly wish to carry on the Oberlin legacy of service and social justice, then you need to run to, and not away from, the noise,” Obama said.
College Seeks to Address Course Registration Challenges
The course registration period for the upcoming spring semester concluded today following concerns that class offerings across several departments had been restricted this past fall due to a number of factors, including faculty leaves. Some students and faculty members feel that students — particularly first-year students — had more difficulty registering for classes than in previous semesters.
New Research Journal Challenges Convention
The editorial board of On Second Thought, Oberlin’s new undergraduate history journal, lay out a strategy for the new publication. Tamika Nunley The editorial board of On Second Thought, Oberlin’s new undergraduate history journal, lay out a strategy for the new publication. Tamika Nunley Tamika Nunley The editorial board of On Second Thought, Oberlin’s new undergraduate history journal, lay out a strategy for the new publication.
Oberlin College No Stranger to Mascot Changes
In the spring of 1947, it appears that The Oberlin Review’s editors — specifically the sports editors — got bored. For reasons lost to history, they decided that Oberlin’s mascot, the Yeoman, was no longer suitable to represent the school in its athletic endeavors. So, they decided to sponsor a vote to christen a nickname for the Yeoman that would have a little more pizazz.
Oberlin in Late ’60s, Early ’70s Leaves Lessons for Today
Editor’s note: This column is part of a series that will focus on Oberlin’s history as a town and an institution. The series will be published regularly throughout the fall semester.
Exploring the Money Behind OC Athletics
In the midst of significant institutional change due to Oberlin’s mounting structural budget deficit, investments in spaces like the Shanks Health and Wellness Center and the Knowlton Athletics Complex have left some community members wondering where the money for such projects comes from.
Campus Cornerstones: The History Buried in Our Walls
Editor’s note: This column is part of a series that will focus on Oberlin’s history as a town and an institution. The series will be published regularly throughout the fall semester. In January 1886, just over two decades after it was built, Oberlin’s second Ladies’ Hall burned down. After the smoke of Oberlin’s first major fire cleared, the building’s cornerstone was opened, revealing a collection of documents placed inside when it was originally laid in 1861.
Lever Press Seeks to Promote Accessible Digital Scholarship
A group of 57 colleges and universities spread throughout the country have collaborated to create Lever Press, an open-access publishing platform that aims to make high-quality, liberal arts-focused digital scholarship more accessible. Oberlin College is among the press’ partner institutions and Alexia Hudson-Ward, Root Director of Libraries Azariah Smith, sits on the oversight committee.
Carmen Ambar and Bobby Fuller: Contrasting Two Presidencies
Editor’s note: This column is part of a series that will focus on Oberlin’s history as a town and an institution. The series will be published regularly throughout the fall semester. “The time is ripe for a new look at the fundamental propositions and the fundamental building blocks that underlie a liberal arts college education.” So said Robert Fuller, Oberlin’s 10th president, in his 1970 opening address to the Oberlin community held in Finney Chapel.
Dave Tempest, ‘OC 72, Heisman Inductee
Dave Tempest Kathy Tempest, both OC ’72, during their 2,400 mile bike ride from Seattle Dave Tempest Kathy Tempest, both OC ’72, with students outside Shanks Health and Wellness Center. Photo courtesy of Oberlin Swimming and Diving to Oberlin. Dave Tempest Kathy Tempest, both OC ’72, during their 2,400 mile bike ride from Seattle Dave Tempest Kathy Tempest, both OC ’72, with students outside Shanks Health and Wellness Center. Photo courtesy of Oberlin Swimming and Diving to Oberlin.
Campus Activists Participate in Worldwide Climate Strike
Over 600 Oberlin students, faculty, staff, and residents — including some as young as 10 years old — gathered around the bandstand in Tappan Square last Friday to take part in a demonstration hosted by climate activism-focused student group Sunrise Oberlin. The event was one of thousands of Climate Strikes that took place across the world that day, as residents took time off school and work to show solidarity in the fight against climate change.
Property Records Reveal Gibson Family Holdings
Property records obtained through the Lorain County Auditor’s office reveal that the Gibson family, who recently won a $25 million judgement in the lawsuit they filed against Oberlin College and Vice President and Dean of Students Meredith Raimondo, own property within Oberlin city limits worth approximately $1.7 million, a sum figure not previously discussed in the media. The value assessments are calculated by the auditor’s office using tax information and in-person assessments.
Oberlin’s Early History Rooted in Religious Convictions
Editor’s note: This column is part of a series that will focus on Oberlin’s history as a town and an institution. The series will be published regularly throughout the fall semester. In the winter of 1858, John Price, a formerly enslaved person, was captured by slave catchers traveling through Oberlin and taken to Wellington, ostensibly under the authority of the Fugitive Slave Law.
PCRC Recommends Colás’ Termination
Former Professor of English Santiago (Yago) Colás resigned this summer following a unanimous recommendation by a panel of the Professional Conduct Review Committee that he be terminated. The five-person panel reached its recommendation after evaluating conduct that was judged to violate the sexual harassment portion of College policy and the professional ethics and conduct policy of the Faculty Guide. The allegations against Colás concerned Facebook messages sent by Colás to the Reporting Party.
Examining Oberlin’s History Rewarding, Provides Insight
Editor’s note: This column is the first in a series that will focus on Oberlin’s history as a town and an institution. The series will be published regularly throughout the fall semester. Through the decades, Oberlin has demonstrated a strong commitment to documenting and preserving its own history. Mudd Center boasts extensive archival collections; for a town and college of modest size, a surprising number of books and essays have been written about Oberlin.
Hourly Workers Maintain AAPR Concerns
Tensions remain high between Oberlin’s unionized hourly workers and the Academic and Administrative Program Review steering committee. After weeks of collecting community feedback, the committee is wrapping up its work and preparing to submit its final recommendations to President Carmen Twillie Ambar at the end of this semester. Many constituent groups have endorsed the AAPR’s recommendations.
AAPR Unveils Draft of Final Recommendations
On Monday, the steering committee of the Academic and Administrative Program Review released a public draft of its final recommendations that will be submitted to President Carmen Twillie Ambar at the end of this semester. The draft, a 59-page document expanding on the initial areas of recommendation made public in March, was the subject of a well-attended public forum yesterday.
Kyle Korver Calls on White Athletes to Recognize Their Privilege
Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification Americans have a cultural fascination with the idea that sports are a meritocracy, where the only ingredients for success are physical prowess and a burning will to win. This mythology is strong within basketball culture, as legends like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and others have become revered for their aggression, unwavering ambition, and exceptional work ethic.
Wind Farms Do Pose Health, Procedural Justice Concerns
At a recent Republican Party fundraiser, President Donald Trump made headlines for yet another bizarre, unprompted statement, remarking that the noise from wind turbines has the potential to cause cancer. As many scientists, journalists, and politicians on both sides of the aisle immediately pointed out, there is no evidence to corroborate this claim. Several Democratic presidential candidates chimed in, mocking Trump’s ignorance.
Arabic Courses to Be Offered Digitally
Oberlin will change the way students take Arabic language classes starting next academic year. Moving forward, students will take intermediate- and upper-level Arabic courses through the Shared Languages Program, an initiative of the Great Lakes College Association. The courses will be taught in a “digital classroom” with live group video sessions led by Hanada Al-Masri, associate professor of Arabic at Denison University.
Windstorm Whips Through Northeast Ohio
It was a blustery weekend across the Midwest and Northeast, as winds reaching 65 miles per hour uprooted trees, damaged buildings and vehicles, and triggered power outages. Just down the road in Cleveland, a brick wall fell on a parking lot full of cars and left destruction in its wake, according to Cleveland 19 News.
Residents Look to Form Community Land Trust
A coalition of Oberlin residents and business leaders is in the process of forming a local community land trust with the goal of increasing housing affordability and community investment in Oberlin. A CLT is a way for a group of stakeholders to acquire different properties in their community and assume stewardship responsibilities for them. While the CLT manages the land, residents still purchase or rent their homes. At its core, the model is meant to promote community land ownership.
‘Enough’: NBA Players Take a Stand Against Gun Violence
As former Miami Heat teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade laced up their sneakers and jogged onto the Amway Center basketball court for warm-ups, a 17-year-old boy just 30 minutes northeast of Orlando, in Sanford, FL, put up his hood and stuck a bag of Skittles in his pocket upon leaving a 7-Eleven. At the same time as over seven million people tuned in for the tip-off of the 61st NBA All-Star Game — 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2012 — Trayvon Martin was pronounced dead.
Student Participation Reconsidered by College Faculty
Editor’s note: Editor-in-Chief Sydney Allen is a member of the Sophomore Experience Advising Task Force. She was uninvolved with the reporting of this story. Oberlin College faculty will vote next Wednesday on whether to allow student representatives to attend their regular meetings as voting members. The vote will impact eight students who sit on five different committees.
Ken Harbaugh Talks Politics with Students
Democratic congressional candidate Ken Harbaugh spoke with students at a gathering in Wilder Hall, room 112 last Friday, Sept. 7. Harbaugh — a Navy veteran and a graduate of Duke and Yale Universities — is running to unseat Republican Bob Gibbs in Ohio’s seventh congressional district.
Lack of Gun Control Puts U.S. Education System at Risk
In the more than five years since the December 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, it has become clear that gun control in the United States will not be achieved through the avenues that we have already explored. Congress has proven that it has no interest in challenging the National Rifle Association, even at the expense of students’ lives.
City Should Continue Fight Against NEXUS Pipeline
When I first arrived at Oberlin in fall 2016, I learned that the impending construction of the NEXUS pipeline was a key community issue that much of the city firmly opposed. I also learned that Oberlin had a silver bullet that would stop the pipeline from being constructed within city limits: its Community Bill of Rights and Obligations. The CBRO unequivocally states that, following its codification, new gas and oil pipelines cannot be built within the city of Oberlin — without exception.
Students, Senate Vital to Productive Relationship
In discussions about the importance of engaging with elected representatives, our most local and available representatives are often left out of the conversation. Student Senate is a representative body, elected at-large by Oberlin students, tasked with working with both students and administration to represent the voices of the student body.
Administration Revives Research Status
Research Status, a program that awards grants to Oberlin Faculty, giving them the opportunity to conduct research on a full-time basis for a period of up to one year, is being reinstated in a more limited form this semester. The decision comes after a controversial announcement last semester that the Research Status program was being suspended indefinitely in a move to reduce Oberlin’s spending.
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