The Oberlin Review Dec. 2, 2022

The Oberlin Review

Counseling Center Records Trainee Sessions

Sofia Tomasic Senior Staff Writer

The Oberlin College Counseling Center operates both as a student support space and a teaching program that trains graduate students on how to provide quality counseling. There are currently three trainees working in the Counseling Center. As part of their training, trainees sometimes record sessions with students for their supervisors to review.

Session recordings are only ever made with students’ informed consent, and student care is not affected by opting out of recorded counseling sessions. Thorough information on the process of trainee counseling and potential recordings is provided on the informed consent form that students must sign in order to receive counseling services.

International Students to Pay for Hotel Accomodations During Winter Shutdown

Cal Ransom This Week Editor

From 9 a.m. Dec. 23 through 12 p.m. Jan. 2, all students are required to vacate campus housing during the annual winter shutdown. Since 2020, the College has allowed international students to stay in on-campus housing during the winter shutdown. However, this policy will no longer be in effect this winter.

Before the pandemic, International Student and Scholar Services reserved rooms at The Hotel at Oberlin or the Oberlin Inn for international students who couldn’t go home for short periods of time.

This year, ISSS is partnering with The Hotel at Oberlin and has reserved 37 double rooms in the Hotel for international students to occupy during the winter shutdown, filling all double rooms available in The Hotel at Oberlin.

“70 students have signed up for a space [as of Nov. 28],” Assistant Dean and Director of ISSS Josh Whitson wrote in an email to the Review International students will be able to stay at The Hotel at Oberlin this year at a rate of $40 per day for the duration of the winter shutdown, for a total cost of around $400 for the whole break. Students with demonstrated financial need are able to request aid to subsidize housing costs through the of Office Financial Aid. 64 percent of students who will be staying at the Hotel are receiving financial aid to offset the cost of housing in the hotel.

ISSS has filled all the rooms available for use and is now using a waitlist. Whitson said that ISSS was able to accommodate all students who needed to stay for the duration of the winter shutdown and is working on accommodating students on the waitlist who need to stay for only a few days by offering solutions outside of Oberlin.

“This is about double the amount of students from the last time that my office helped run this

housing during the shutdown period,” Whitson said. “International travel is still difficult. For example, many of our Chinese students pre-COVID would have traveled, but even though we’re acting like COVID’s gone in the United States, if you look at a country like China it’s still very difficult to fly there. [There are] limited flights, you have to test a couple times before you can even fly, and once you land, depending on the area you’re going to, there could be a quarantine — I think the minimum right now is ten days, so especially if you’re planning on coming back for Winter Term, that doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

Whitson said that he has begun working on a proposal with the Office of Residential Education to create a permanent process for students to request to stay on campus during winter shutdown for both international and domestic students.

“This shutdown has made it clear that we’re not post-COVID,” Whitson said. “I think we’re dealing with a new normal and going forward we’d like the option available for students just to stay on campus.”

Brian Do, a College third-year student, stayed in on-campus housing during the 2021 winter shutdown and requested aid through ObieCares. This year, ISSS will be able to use funds from ObieCares to offset food costs for students staying at the Hotel with demonstrated need.

“I would have had to pay around $475 for housing and dining over winter break [last year],” Do said. “Student employment is not as robust during [summer and winter breaks]. So I have to manage my budget really tightly in case any emergency arises. I’m very lucky that ObieCares helped me cover winter break costs last year.”

Several students who have decided not to stay at The Hotel at Oberlin this winter said that housing and dining costs were major factors in their decision.

“International students can only work 20 hours

“You may request not to receive services from a graduate level trainee, and refusal will not affect your eligibility to receive services from the Counseling Center,” one line of the form reads.

Dr. John Harshbarger, director of the Counseling Center, emphasized the importance of informed consent. According to him, consent around the recording of counseling sessions is a serious matter that the Counseling Center is very thorough about. He also asserts that the Counseling Center values security and ensures that students’ information and recordings are kept confidential.

“Our policy regarding trainees is well-established, clear, and directly communicated both in writing … as well as verbally in an open and transparent dialogue,” Harshbarger, in collaboration with Counseling Center staff, wrote in an email to the Review . “All video recordings are kept on encrypted flash drives in a locked cabinet in accordance with all legal and ethical standards.”

There is an ongoing shortage of mental health professionals across the country because they are in such high demand, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the pandemic has triggered a 25 percent increase in anxiety and depression diagnoses world wide. Oberlin, like many institutions, has struggled with this shortage. There are currently two open counseling positions that the office has not been able to fill.

Despite this ongoing shortage, the Counseling Center stresses that the use of trainees is not primarily meant to deal with the counselor shortages but rather to properly train future mental health professionals. The Counseling Center has been committed to this goal for more than 15 years.

The Counseling Center prioritizes the privacy of students when in the process of training and hiring therapists. The center is consistently processing and deleting the recordings once the trainees have been fully reviewed by their supervisors.

“Recordings are deleted every other week,” Harshbarger wrote. “The only persons who have access to these files are supervisors directly involved in the training of the supervisee.”

The video recordings provide the counseling center with the data needed to track progress made by trainees. The Center welcomes ongoing dialogue to better understand and address any questions or concerns about their training program.

International Students will be relocated out of Oberlin dorms during winter break.

Photo courtesy of Oberlin College

Dr. Porchia Moore, Assistant Professor of Critical Museum Studies at the University of Florida

love for history, for education, and learning, which she passed on to me, so I grew to love museums super early on — everything from science centers and art museums to historic sites. As long as it related to history and culture, I was there. So, my deep love of museums definitely comes from my mother. As I mentioned in my lecture, research shows that if you are an adult who is involved with museums, it is likely because your family of origin selected going to a museum as a leisure time activity.

Can you talk a little about your work in critical race theory?

any kind of cultural heritage institution.

In recent news there has been conversation about returning many stolen artifacts that reside in American museums. Do you have thoughts on that process?

Nikki Keating News Editor

Dr. Porchia Moore is assistant professor and rotating program head of critical museum studies at the University of Florida’s School of Art + Art History and an activist-scholar in museums. Her work focuses on critical race theory as a tool for interrogating museums and the narratives they construct. She recently gave a lecture at Oberlin discussing the impact of institutional racism in museums.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you get into museum work?

I got into museum work because my mother was a fourth-grade teacher, and she was in charge of organizing school field trips. I would go with her because I went to school with her. But also, during family leisure time, we spent a lot of time visiting museums and historic sites. My mother had a deep

I entered a program for students who were enrolled in doctoral programs with very low representation, and I was the very first person to be selected to be part of that program. Being part of that program, I met lots of different scholars, and through that I was introduced to a group of fellow doctoral students who were using critical race theory. I was like, “Oh, what is this thing?” I quickly understood that the foundation of how critical race theory functions is that if you are a critical race theorist, then part of your responsibility is to work as an activist-scholar. You are not conducting research for the sole purpose of having it read by your peers and colleagues within academia, but you’re working in conjunction and parallel to varying communities; that was really important to me. Also, there’s this notion that the work that you’re doing is meant to be restorative. It is meant to be helpful and useful and to help transform lives.

Do you teach the same thing to your students? Yes. When I started to really think about who I wanted to be both as a scholar and as a museum professional I was really interested in the University of Florida. This was because the program tagline was, “We believe that museums can change the world,” and I was like, “Yes! Museums can change the world.” So, I have carried on in my work, as a professor at the University of Florida, around this notion of activist scholarship — that we are activist-scholars and change agents. My students are change agents. In 2020, I changed the program from a traditional museum studies program to a critical museum studies program, which meant that we are centering empathy and social justice. Students are change agents who want to work across the cultural heritage sectors and expand the boundaries of what it means to work not only in museums, but also work in libraries, archives, or —

It’s been so fascinating to see and read what has been happening even just in the last six months to a year around this conversation of repatriation, specifically around the Benin Bronzes. Twenty years ago, when nations asked for their materials back, museums unequivocally — and with lots of audacity — immediately said, “No, you can’t take care of it,” or, “No, this belongs to us. What are you going to do with it?” To have those attitudes and opinions change so drastically, , it’s been amazing to witness that. I am always in the rule of, we should be trauma-informed institutions, we should be human-centered, and we should be practicing empathy and care. So, I firmly believe that if a people or a nation asks for their stuff back, it is our duty and our obligation to return it.

How do you see the next generation of students shaping museums and what they look like?

My first response, particularly within our history, anthropology, and archeology disciplines, is that students should be questioning the canon. The canon is essentially whoever is writing about the depth and breadth of your subject matter. Within academia, we tend to only value and read what is published in a journal —something that’s already problematic. We tend to recycle and read the same authors over and over again. Usually they’re white authors or male authors. We tend to only give value to scholarship that is housed within a particular medium or format. So, question the canon, because there’s gonna be gaps in it and you need to fill those gaps in with scholars of color, with other ways of learning outside of your disciplinary canon. The next thing is, you have to get in the habit of constantly practicing reflexive thinking and analysis. So ask, “Who are you? Why are you invested in this discipline?” When it comes to reasearch, I always tell to my students when it comes to research to ask themselves, “What communities are you trying to help? Who will benefit from this scholarship?” If you can’t answer those basic questions, then that’s a real problem, because it just means that you’re allowing yourself to be an academic and institutional cog without a real, solid purpose.

Winter Shutdown to Displace International Students

Continued from page 1

a week during the school year, and the price of staying at the Hotel is almost two weeks of my wages,” second-year College student Dan-Hà Lê said.

Instead, some students will travel within the United States with their peers and split the costs among themselves.

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“I am planning on traveling with my friends to New York City since we could set our own housing budget and split costs for a much better deal than staying on campus,” Do said.

International students are able to reduce costs by traveling with friends both from Oberlin and other colleges, studying in the United States.

“Over break, we think we will just eat out or shop

for groceries and prepare the food together,” Ha Ngyuen, a second-year College student who will be traveling with friends, wrote in an email to the Review . “We decided not to stay on campus because during Winter break, a lot of other Vietnamese students — we kind of have a community in America — will also go to New York, so we hope to meet with other friends there.”

Corrections:

On Nov. 18, the Review published an article titled, “Sustainable Infrastructure Project to Transition Campus Heating to Geother mal System by 2024, Faces Challenges.” This article stated that “students in certain buildings [have not] had . . . their heating turned on at all this semester. Despite tem peratures reaching the 30 degrees Fahren heit range and snow coming in, students in Langston Hall do not have heat circulating through their dorm rooms.”

According to Director of Media Rela tions Andrea Simakis, “As Oberlin works to transition buildings from steam heat to hot water heating as part of our ambitious commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2025, we have had issues with regulating the temperature in some buildings. How ever, no buildings have been without heat, including Langston Hall.”

However, students did report no heat being generated from the radiators in their living spaces causing individual rooms to be cold while hallways and lounges in the dorm were reported to be warm.

Dr. Porchia Moore

Photo courtesy of Oberlin College

LCPH Inspections Cite OSCA “Tasty Things” As Critical Violation

Emma Benardete Editor-in-Chief

Lorain County Public Health’s routine health inspections of Oberlin’s dining co-ops, conducted Nov. 15, cited food left out in the open — specifically granola, bread, and cookies — as a food safety hazard. This was cited as a critical violation in the Pyle Inn report, while it was just mentioned in the comments on the Harkness House report.

The Harkness report noted that the inspector had discussed with members the need for sneeze guards covering those items, while the Pyle report noted that a food employee “trained in safe operating procedures” must constantly monitor any selfserve table that has food out on it.

“Self-service operation not properly monitored,” the report for Pyle reads “Observed granola and cookies that were for self service in an unmonitored area of the dining room. No one was working in the kitchen at the time of inspection.”

According to College first-year and Pyle Dining Loose Ends Coordinator Emma Grant-Bier, the self-serve table with shelf-stable foods like cookies, bread, and granola — called the Tasty Things table — is a staple of co-op life.

“Having these types of items is incredibly important to OSCA,” Grant-Bier wrote in an email to the Review . “People use them as breakfast, snacks, or just as a supplement to meals ... It is thus a priority moving forward for us to find a way to keep our tasty things around.”

According to Grant-Bier, the inspectors’ issue with the Tasty Things table stems from the fact that the new inspector holds them to the standard of a buffet-style restaurant because the county does not have a set of standards for closed groups of people cooking for themselves. Because buffet-style restaurants are required to have food under supervision at all times while it is out, co-ops are now being held to that standard.

“Consumer self-service operations such as buffets and salad bars shall be monitored by food employees trained in safe operating procedures,” the State of Ohio Uniform Safety Code reads.

LCPH Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Program Manager Katie Bevan noted the issues with having unattended food left out.

“Lorain County Public Health looks at the full picture of health, including protecting the community from potentially contaminated foods,” Bevan wrote in an email to the Review . “Unattended foods can cause unintentional contamination and spread foodborne illnesses, from things including, cleaning products, bugs, allergenic foods, and bacteria spread from a person.”

According to Grant-Bier, the Tasty Things table has not previously come up in Pyle’s inspections, and the coop has a good record with LCPH. Pyle’s last critical violation was in April 2019.

The co-op has discussed ways to make the Tasty Things table conform to health codes, and Pyle’s food safety coordinator will discuss those options with OSCA’s food safety advisor.

According to OSCA President Nicole Chase, OSCA leadership is planning to collaborate with health inspectors to find a way to continue the tradition of Tasty Things while ensuring that coops are following health standards.

“Following our most recent health inspection on November 15, our food safety team is working with the health inspector and co-op leadership

to determine how tasty things may change,” Chase wrote in an email to the Review.

While not cited as a critical violation, save plates — plates of food that are set aside for students who cannot attend meals — were also mentioned in the comments of Pyle’s report. Inspectors were concerned that cooling temperatures of the plates were not being adequately documented in the temperature log.

“The students are documenting the cooling temperatures for the save plates, although the documentation is not always complete,” the comments from the Pyle report read. The comments also noted that the Personin-Charge during the inspection planned to alter the form to facilitate accurate documentation.

Updated SOAR Program Now Open to Second-Years

Karthik Ranganadhan

On Nov. 22, registration opened for the Sophomore Opportunities and Academic Resources Program. The program, which has taken place since 2019, is open to students who have completed exactly two semesters at the time of registration.

“The program has always sought to equip students with the skills they need to make the most of their remaining time at Oberlin and begin planning for beyond,” Manager of Academic Peer Advising Carter Cooper wrote in an email to the Review . “Sophomore year is a real turning point for students in terms of solidifying academic interests and starting to think concretely about post-graduation plans. We are proud to be designing an 11-week program that helps all sophomores with these important decisions.”

The latest edition of the program features some changes previous years.

“While the ultimate goals of the program remain the same, it will be more participatory in a way we believe will be welcomed and embraced by second-year students,” Cooper wrote. “Oberlin’s new approach maintains this foundational aspect of SOAR, but fleshes it out by expanding opportunities for student reflection. For example, students will continue to benefit from expert-guided lectures, workshops, and sessions with their peer mentors. Additionally, students will be the drivers of a curriculum that prioritizes their self-reflection, communication, critical thinking, and analysis

through activities such as review and discussion of selected readings and collaboration with the Center for the Engaged Liberal Arts directors.”

SOAR will feature two kinds of events: core sessions and skill-building workshops.

“Core sessions will cover broad themes and prompt reflection and analysis through questions such as ‘How do I find my thing?’ ‘How do I negotiate my place in the world?’ ‘How do I present myself to others across spaces?’” Cooper wrote. “Skillbuilding workshops will complement these sessions by helping students to develop hard skills. Through this two-part approach, students will engage in guided introspection and fill their toolkit with the resources they need, such as an adaptable résumé and a five-semester academic and co-curricular plan, to take the next steps toward their goals.”

College third-year Amon DeVane, who took part in the program last year, spoke highly of the experience.

“I definitely recommend [the program to] secondyears who feel like they have an hour on Saturdays or Sundays or whenever,” DeVane said. “It’s a worthwhile thing to do to get out of the pockets that we sometimes find as Oberlin students.”

However, Devane also noted a lack of transparency from SOAR about the requirements for passing the course.

“One thing that absolutely needs to change is clarity on grading, because it’s not fun to wonder if you’re going to fail something,” DeVane said. “I’m

on the Ultimate Frisbee team. And so we had a few tournaments that we went to, and I missed … two classes or something. I was all worried about like, ‘Am I going to pass?’ I emailed four or five different people, and none of them could give me an answer, [but] I passed in the end.”

The SOAR Program has been reworked and changed four times since its initial debut, striving toward adapting to student needs.

“We have always included rigorous assessment as part of SOAR,” Cooper wrote. “This feedback has helped us amplify certain elements of the program, for example community building. We want to make sure we are meeting the needs of sophomores, particularly coming out of COVID-19.”

College second-year Hayden Doleys is considering enrolling in SOAR for the spring.

“I think it sounds like a good idea,” Doleys said. “I’m probably going to sign up for it just for the experience.”

However, Doleys feels that the program might not offer anything unique that students can’t access through other College resources.

“I already have kind of my thing going on,” Doleys said. “I go to the Career Development Center. I have advisors there, I have my success coach. So it almost feels like I don’t need this because I’m already working with other people, if that makes sense — because I’ve already kind of got a plan in place that I’ve already implemented.”

Photo by Erin Koo, Photo Editor

Oberlin dining co-op staple violates health inspection urging students to rethink food safety protocols.

Oberlin Campus Safety Installs Signs Warning students Against Jaywalking on West Lorain Street

Nikki Keating News Editor

In late November, Oberlin College placed signs between the Science Center and Wilder Bowl on West Lorain Street. The signs warn that this section of the road is not a designated crosswalk. Students are advised to walk down the sidewalk to the sanctioned crosswalk rather than endanger themselves by jaywalking in front of cars.

“Since that location is not an official crosswalk, people should not be crossing the street there,” Chief Facilities Officer Kevin Brown wrote in an email to the Review. “It is a safety hazard and potentially a minor misdemeanor under the law.”

According to Ohio Law Section 4511.48, pedestrians should yield to oncoming traffic when not accessing a crosswalk. This, in turn, means that students risk endangering themselves when crossing the street, as cars do not have to yield to pedestrians when there is an illegal crossing.

“Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles, trackless trolleys, or streetcars upon the roadway,” the Ohio law states. Later in section 4511.46 it emphasizes: “No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle, trackless trolley, or streetcar which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.”

While the College is actively working with the City and state to review and potentially reconfigure crosswalks along West Lorain Street, Campus Safety urges students to be mindful of crossings.

“I think the signs are a very reasonable response by the [College],” College second-year Josh Dawson said. “But I don’t think it’s going to do anything, to be honest.”

The Oberlin City Council has attempted to make part of Lorain Street a school zone, which would

allow the implementation of new crosswalks, but this attempt was unsuccessful. The City of Oberlin does not have jurisdiction over West Lorain Street; instead, the street is within the purview of the Ohio Department of Transportation.

“Lorain St. is a State Route (SR511), the rules fall under [the] Ohio Department of Transportation,” Grounds Services Manager Becky Bode wrote in an email to the Review. “ODOT has the say in where crosswalks are placed. The signs are up for students’

safety.”

In past years, students have received jaywalking tickets from the Oberlin Police Department. Before the signs, Oberlin College placed barricades in front of the path and gave out tickets to students who did not walk down to the registered crosswalk before crossing the street. Facilities Operations advises students to legally cross the street to avoid any ticketing from law enforcement.

Oberlin Plans to Integrate New Career Platform PeopleGrove

Alexa Stevens News Editor

The Career Center plans to completely shift from Wisr to PeopleGrove by mid-December. According to Executive Director of Career Exploration and Development Anthony Pernell-McGee, Wisr will still be available to students during the shift but will be fully phased out by the mid-December deadline.

“PeopleGrove set out to build the most helpful network ever created because we believe career fulfillment is a right every single person should have,” the PeopleGrove website reads. “To date, we’ve helped millions of learners on their career journeys.”

Pernell-McGee describes both Wisr and PeopleGrove as “career access mentoring platforms.” He defines this type of platform as “a career mentoring networking platform for students and alumni for students to explore careers and to meet alumni on the platform.”

During the search to improve existing career platform structures, Career Exploration and Development was deciding between PeopleGrove and Graduway. However, Pernell-McGee had experience using PeopleGrove in his positions at both Williams College and Bates College and consequently advocated for its use on Oberlin’s campus.

Career Exploration and Development plans to take advantage of PeopleGrove’s expanded capabilities relative to Wisr.

“We are going to be expanding our use of the platform by creating an alumni-sourced job board that will have alumni-sourced internships and jobs,” Pernell-McGee said.

Although PeopleGrove is active now as an OberLink, there will be several phases to its official rollout.

“We are [first] going to populate the platform with alumni and students,” Pernell-McGee said. “We have already established the career communities

on the platform. So right now, Alumni Engagement is in the process of transferring the Wisr data onto the new platform once all the alumni are on the platform.”

The final phase of the rollout, which will occur later this month, starts with an invitation for all students to join the platform and make a profile.

“Once [students] are on the platform, they can join the career communities, they can explore the community and connect with alums, ask some questions about careers, things of that nature,” Pernell-McGee said

When new users join the platform via OberLink, they are first prompted to sign in via LinkedIn, Oberlin Single Sign-On, or email. Next, the user is prompted to identify their relationship to the Oberlin community. Finally, users are asked a

series of questions surrounding how they spend free time, what drives them, and where they are in their career. At this point, users are also given the option of uploading a profile picture.

For student users, answers to these questions are used to inform recommended career paths.

“I was happy to get PeopleGrove that contract and OberLink on board — most of the schools on the East Coast are using it, and it’s a great platform,” Pernell-McGee said. “There’s also another job search engine on there as well. So the students will have Handshake, they will have the alumni job board, and the other job engine is called Wave Up, which is also embedded in OberLink. So there’s lots of opportunity for students to look for internships and jobs.”

Signs placed on West Lorain Street points to the illegal crossing warning students of trafflic laws.

Photo by Erin Koo, Photo Editor

New Oberlin Career Center platform offers more features and increased student accessibily.

Photo courtesy of Alexa Stevens

Gibson’s Trial Should Not Harm Alumni Willingness to Give

In response to "Open Letter to President Ambar Regrarding Gibsons' Suit," The Oberlin Review, Nov. 18, 2022

Dear Mr. Krass,

I read your open letter to President Carmen Twillie Ambar in the Review, and feel that as an alum like you, I may be in a better position than even President Ambar to answer it.

You ask why you should continue to support Oberlin College. Perhaps the best reason is that you, like me, developed a great affection for the College while you were here and, like me, feel that you owe a debt to the school for shaping the person you have been since you graduated and are today. A second reason is that the money you give does not go to a name but rather supports students who might not otherwise be able to afford Oberlin, or helps the College pay its utility bills, or enables it to restore the ceiling of the Allen Memorial Art Museum, etc. Indeed, you can specify which parts of the Oberlin experience benefit from your money or choose a professor to honor.

Why should Oberlin's handling of litigation from an incident that arose before President Ambar took office, when few if any current Oberlin students were matriculants, affect your generosity?

Now, I am not saying that a school cannot change its character so much that it could affect alumni giving by those who feel a debt to it. If Oberlin were a hotbed of neo-Nazism, racism or antisemitism, or if it no longer was a school that valued the combination of social consciousness, rigorous education, and eye-opening intellectual life that the Oberlin of our day did, that would be good reason to cease giving despite a sense of personal debt. Indeed, if you were a MAGA Republican, why should you give to a school dominated by students who oppose toxic aspects of MAGA politics like the dehumanization of immigrants and election denialism?

Being upset over the way Oberlin handled a lawsuit is of a different order entirely. In this connection, I wonder if you would be as upset and critical as you

SUBMISSIONS POLICY

are had you looked into what happened as closely as I have. To begin with, the College’s direct involvement in the incident, as opposed to the actions of its students for which the College bears no legal liability, was limited, if it existed at all. I think the College’s connection to the event should have been found insufficient to support a finding of liability and never justified a verdict of the size rendered. For example, a plaintiff valuation expert included in his damage estimates lost rents from properties the Gibson’s owned and testified that rental losses would extend over decades. The process was biased against the College at every turn, with the police report including testimony only from members of the Gibson family and employees, with no testimony from the involved students or witnesses who had provided the police with written testimony. The biased process included a judge and prosecutor who arranged an irresistibly lenient, if fair, plea bargain for the three charged students. Oberlin was precluded from presenting any testimony refuting the students' guilty pleas at trial.

Finally, you are most troubled by the College’s failure to settle. I think if there was a College failure, it was a failure to immediately provide, after Mr. Gibson requested it, a statement that the College condemned shoplifting and had no reason to believe that racism played a role in the effort to detain the alleged shoplifter. Did racism play a role? It didn't appear so at the time, but a story in the Review (“Judge Unseals Facebook Posts in Gibson’s Case” The Oberlin Review Oct. 8, 2021) noted that in the course of discovery the College discovered a message or two from Allyn Gibson Jr. who chased and attacked the student which suggested racial bias. This evidence was not admitted at the trial.

Central to your concerns seems to be distress that the College didn’t settle the case which would, had the settlement been reasonable, have been better for all involved. I agree that a fair settlement would have been desirable.

My understanding is that given the actual rather than fictional damages the Gibson’s suffered, a settlement in this range was

See Withholding, page 7

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OPINIONS EdItOrS

Elle Giannandrea Emily Vaughan Academia Must Adjust to Post-Pandemic Landscape

In April of this year, The New York Times published an article on the rise of the “chron ically absent student” post-COVID-19, reporting on a crisis of education occurring in American public high schools. Likewise, Times Higher Education, a British magazine, conducted a survey in June which found that university lecture attendance and engage ment had declined substantially with the return to in-person lectures.

At Oberlin, this has been our first semester since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in which there has been a conscious attempt to “return to normal,” including the lifting of the mask mandate and reduced pressure on students to test for COVID-19. The College has also discontinued hybrid classes, which would have allowed students who are sick to attend class and not worry about falling behind.

In the weeks between Thanksgiving break and the end of the semester, the cumulative pressure of this semester’s academic demands is becoming increasingly visible among the Oberlin student body. Many students complain of being overworked and exhausted, facing high levels of burnout, and being unable to get all of their work done in a reason able amount of time while still maintaining a balance between school and personal life. As students, our experience of higher education has been one of struggling to reconcile the conditions of the pandemic with the rigors of coursework. The ability to get all of our work done should not come at the expense of sleep, self-care, or socializing. This issue is particularly relevant now — classes are coming to an end and the closing of the fall semester will generate a quantitative account of student performance.

Academia is not inherently tougher now than it was before, but the situation is fun damentally different from anything in the past. Consider some features of Oberlin: the classes of 2026 and 2025 are the largest and second-largest on record respectively, which has led to a noticeable shift in the constitution of the average Oberlin classroom — espe cially in 100- and 200-level courses largely populated by younger students. Last year, the Review published an article investigating the impact of remote learning on younger class years (“Remote High School Poses Challenges for First-Years’ Transition to College,” The Oberlin Review, Dec. 10, 2021). Based on anecdotal evidence, one professor quoted in that piece felt the need to supplement regular coursework with material she would have ex pected students to have learned in high school. All reporting points to the same conclu sion: the student landscape of higher education is different, and coursework will have to change to allow students to succeed.

With a complicated issue such as this one, it is necessary to recognize the possibility that there are no convenient solutions. However, taking into consideration both the pres sure on faculty to create and maintain rigorous curricula and the pressure on students to adapt to the demands of said curricula, there are feasible changes that can be made to appeal to both sides of the equation. The College has already implemented some helpful courses called Learning Labs that are designed to help students refresh their quantitative and writing skills. However, while that sets up new students for further success, students already well into their college education could use more supportive academic resources.

For instance, contract grading, a style of grading predicated on the work put into as signments and communication between a student and professor, is a phenomenal way for students to earn their professors’ trust and receive constructive feedback while exploring material that genuinely compels them. Currently, only a handful of classes, mostly in the Writing and Composition department, use contract grading. Humanities courses across a range of departments should consider implementing this format in their courses. While STEM classes could likely not adopt an identical system — sciences being more dependent on accuracy than perspective — there are other opportunities to reward consistent work. For instance, fewer exams and graded closed-book assignments would encourage practical application of knowledge while slightly lowering the stakes. Both humanities and the sciences could also benefit from smaller, student-led discussions at more regular intervals so that students aren’t always at the mercy of hourlong lectures requiring they absorb course material. Reserving some time in each class session for stu dents to interact with one other, potentially with a student tutor in the mix, would make class sessions more engaging and conducive to improvement.

All of this is to say that, right now, we cannot return to business as usual. While it may be tempting to try to achieve a pre-pandemic “normal,” COVID-19 has fundamentally altered the way that students, especially younger students, have experienced the last few years of schooling and preparation for college. Students are still adjusting to entirely in-person learning — Oberlin’s youngest students’ last entirely normal year of schooling was ninth grade. The need to rebuild our academic landscape post-pandemic also pro vides the opportunity to think critically about the way things were done pre-COVID-19, and which elements can be improved. The goal should not simply be to bring academia back to where it was before the pandemic, but rather to maintain the best pedagogical practices and forego the parts that were dysfunctional. In this way, our new modes of teaching can be better than what they were before.

Editorials are the responsibility of the Review Editorial Board — the Editors-in-Chief and Opinions Editors — and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the Review

Oberlin Title IX Unable to Provide Adequate Support to Students

Jackie Brick

Edited by Emily Amenda

Many of us have heard the horrific statistic that one in five women on college campuses has been sexually assaulted. While many claim this number is inflated, it has since been corroborated by The National Library of Medicine as a “reasonably accurate average.” This means that, assuming Oberlin is around this average, approximately 335 Obies have experienced or will ex perience sexual assault in their time here. However, for an issue so prevalent, and on such a liberal campus, I have been struck by a lack of discourse about sexual as sault at Oberlin and the turbulent history of Title IX at Oberlin, which features a lawsuit that went before the Sixth Court of Appeals in 2019. Here are some things I have learned about the world of Title IX at Oberlin that I wish I knew at the beginning of my Title IX case.

Firstly, I would like to say the Office of Equity, Diver sity and Inclusion, which encompasses Title IX, plays a vital role for both the College and for those who have experienced sexual harm. It enforces the historic Title IX federal policy that “no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational train ing, or other education program or activity operated by a recipient which receives … federal financial assis tance.” That being said, the level of support it provides students seems to vary widely. My experience with Ti tle IX has been quite different — I found the office to be helpful, though its turnaround times leave much to be desired. Because of the Title IX process, I can now enjoy my college experience in relative peace. While working with Director for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator Rebecca Mosely, it was clear that the legal aspects of her job weighed heavily on her. I can often see her gears turning as she ponders what she is allowed to say on the part of the office and how to say it.

Mosely’s caution likely stems from the John Doe v. Oberlin College case, the verdict of which was handed down in June 2020.

In John Doe v. Oberlin College, Oberlin expelled John Doe after a hearing found him guilty of engaging in intercourse with Jane Roe while she was intoxicated and therefore unable to give full consent. John Doe then sued Oberlin on the basis of discriminating against him on the basis of sex, and sought to highlight a pattern of gender discrimination in Oberlin College’s Title IX de cisions.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of John Doe. It held that there were a number of irregular ities in Oberlin’s handling of this case. Finally, they ruled that Jane Roe was intoxicated but not incapacitated — which means that she was, in fact, capable of consent ing.

The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is both an office of student support and a legal office. However, there is a fundamental incompatibility between provid ing support for survivors of sexual harm and carrying out Title IX College and legal policies. The office can be empathetic and provide survivors with information about their options going forward within the Title IX process, but must weigh the ‘informant’ and ‘perpetra tor’ equally.

“If the College did do everything that I wanted them to do right now, there probably could be legal ramifica tions for them,” Emma Hart, one of the founders of Sur vivors Of Sexual Harm and Allies, said.

This is especially relevant in the aftermath of the John Doe v. Oberlin case, as the College might be in creasingly wary of another lawsuit.

If you or someone you know has been sexually harmed, it is often hard to know what to do. “It’s hard to even know what questions to ask if you are going through this for the first time and in a place of trauma,” Hart said. The Title IX Office can be an invaluable re source in the healing process, but it is a confusing para legal process that can be overwhelming for people who are dealing with sexual harm. In this article, I want to highlight the less well-known resources available to those who have experienced sexual harm on Oberlin’s campus, including lawyers and student advocates who are knowledgeable about the Title IX process and can help students navigate the process.

“Originally [SOSHA] came from noticing a lack of discussion on campus about sexual assault,” Hart said. “I knew [through] whisper networks that this was hap pening really often, but it didn’t seem like there was a space for people to talk about it openly and honestly. That really bothered me, especially considering the ex periences I had. It kind of felt silenced in a way because the culture didn’t allow for people to talk about it open ly. I think that’s still an issue, but I want SOSHA to be a place that people can [speak openly about sexual as sault] and to kind of start that culture change.”

SOSHA holds regular listening sessions open to ev eryone to share their experiences with sexual harm. As someone who has experienced sexual harm, it can feel isolating because family can empathize but never really understand. I did not realize this isolation until I found SOSHA. It was freeing to find a community of people who understood how hard it was to see the person who harmed you on campus and know the self-blame that often follows survivors. Obies who have experienced sexual harm and allies are all welcome.

Another great resource is the Nord Center, as it has confidential advocates independent of the College who can provide counseling and are trained to work with people who have experienced sexual harm. I personally have found them extremely helpful right after my expe rience with sexual assault and throughout the process of recovering and healing.

During the Title IX process, it can also be helpful to have legal counsel. In college Title IX processes, law yers are not necessary at any stage, but they can provide helpful insight, a greater understanding of both the pro cess and likely outcomes, and a sense of control in a situ ation that is often overwhelming. This often opens up a class issue, as sometimes perpetrators have the financial means to access legal advice when victims do not. The Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence has a free legal clinic with attorneys specialized in cases regarding sex ual violence that can represent students in “Title IX and Campus Sexual Assault matters.”

This is all to say that there are ways for students to seek support after experiencing sexual harm. Although the office itself may not be able to support students as much as would be ideal, there are resources available outside to help students heal.

Resources:

Nord Center: 800-888-6161

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence: (888) 8868388

How to Help a Friend Experiencing Sexual Violence: https://www.washington.edu/sexualassault/support/ how-to-help-a-friend/

Yelton, Staff Illustrator

Right-Wing Rhetoric Harms LGBTQ+ Community

Neva Tayler Columnist

On Saturday, Nov. 19, five people were murdered and 13 in jured in a shooting at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ nightclub. Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, has been identified as the shoot er by officials and is currently facing charges. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first shooting or hate crime of its kind against the LGBTQ+ community. Six years ago, one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history occurred at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL, where 49 people were killed and 53 left injured. There are no words to express the horrendous and heinous nature of these acts and the reasons behind them.

In light of these events, I want to turn to a trend we have seen over the years. Throughout history and even more so in recent years, many conservatives have convinced people that they should be worried about the LGBTQ+ community and Democrats grooming children to become LGBTQ+. This narrative, propagated through social media, right-wing news channels, and far-right extremists, includes accusations of pe dophilia and sex trafficking as well. This rhetoric has become mainstream among conservatives encouraging hatred of the LGBTQ+ community.

In April, for instance, U.S. Representative from Georgia Marjorie Taylor Greene said that “Democrats are the party of killing babies, grooming and transitioning children, and pro-pedophile politics.” Most of us have heard about the nicknamed “Don’t Say Gay” bill, signed into law by Florida governor Ron DeSantis, that forbids classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through third grade. In response to the nickname given by Democrats, Christina Pushaw, DeSantis’ then-press secretary, said, “The bill that liberals inaccurately call ‘Don’t Say Gay’ would be more accurately described as an Anti-Grooming Bill.” A report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate and the Human Rights Campaign named “Digital Hate: Social Media’s Role In Amplifying Dangerous Lies About LGBTQ+ People” showed that within a month of the bill being passed, there was a 406 percent increase in the use of words such as “groomers” or “pedophile” in relation to the LGBTQ+ com munity on Twitter.

Far-right conspiracy theories have further led to protests against the LGBTQ+ community. In December 2021, Fox News host Tucker Carlson interviewed Abigail Shrier, the author of Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Se ducing Our Daughters. In the interview, they discussed the California Teachers Association’s encouragement of young students’ exploration of sexual identity. Carlson said, “Yeah, they’re grooming seven-year-olds and talking to seven-yearolds about their sex lives. Where are the dads, by the way?” On June 13 in California, while the San Lorenzo Library was host ing Drag Queen Story Hour, a group of five men from the farright extremist group Proud Boys interrupted the event and yelled homophobic and transphobic insults. This Republican and far-right theory that Democrats and the LGBTQ+ com munity are groomers is not new and has consistently been used as a harmful political tactic.

For example, in 1977, after a gay rights ordinance was passed in Miami, singer Anita Bryant created an organization called “Save Our Children” that focused on the claim that LGBTQ+ people were a threat to children. An extremely powerful fear-inducing rhetoric was thus created for social conserva tives. This is just one example of its origins. Ineke Mushovic, executive director of the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit that researches public opinion on LGBTQ+ rights, said, “What the far right often does is they engage people’s reptilian brains, the fight-or-flight instinct … And so it be hooves far-right conservatives to put people in a state of fear, because then they’re reactive. They don’t support change.” This fearmongering by conservatives is a deliberate tactic that weaponizes a deeply harmful and alarming narrative.

Guised as real concern, elevated anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric is leading to hatred and violence toward the LGBTQ+ commu nity. In response to the recent Colorado shooting, Democratic Colorado state representative Brianna Titone tweeted, “The LGBTQ+ community woke up this morning to yet another horrific event of murder. When politicians and pundits keep perpetuating tropes, insults, and misinformation about the trans and [LGBTQ+] community, this is a result.” We shouldn’t be fearful of human beings having every right to be who they are. We should fear rhetoric that encourages us to dehuman ize people for who they are. We can only hope that voices like Titone’s will help awaken all of us to responses elicited by big oted political rhetoric.

Holly

Opinions Editors (finally) Decide Everything: Finals!

Emily Vaughan and Elle Giannandrea Opinions Editors

Welcome to Opinions Editors Decide Every thing. There are lots of things in this world, and as Opinions Editors, we have opinions on them. Without further ado, we proudly pres ent the answers to all of your most pressing questions as the semester draws to a close.

Best caffeine source for late nights:

Emily: Iced coffee, hot coffee, it doesn’t really matter. Once it hits a certain hour, coffee is coffee. Tea just doesn’t have enough oomph when I’m really tired, but my caffeine tolerance doesn’t allow me to have energy drinks if I still want to func tion. Either way the coffee needs to have oat milk in it.

Elle: It’s true that there really is no bad time for coffee. However, there comes a point in one’s night when the long wait for the pot to boil starts to measure up pretty poorly to the quick snap of a pull-tab on a Red Bull Sugarfree™.

When it comes to energy drinks, there are other options, but they all come with some pretty nasty side effects — including ones not listed on the can. Holding a Mon ster Energy immediately makes you look like you’re 15 and your favorite movie has just transitioned from The Nightmare Be fore Christmas to The Perks of Being a Wall flower. CELSIUS needs to be drunk quickly before the contents start melting through the aluminum. Bang operates on a 1:1 ratio of years taken off one’s life for every liter drunk. The worst Red Bull can do is add an extra 20 calories to your day and make you look like someone’s much older cousin.

VERDICT: Caffeine is good.

Best study spaces by the hour:

Hours 1–3: Whatever the first place you decided on. Be it the Science Center atrium or a cozy nook on the third floor of Mudd Center, these first few hours are when you’re still sitting upright and being pro ductive.

Hour 4: You went for a bathroom break and somehow lost all motivation to work. The same place as the first few hours, but now hunched over.

Anytime after that: Sprawled on the floor somewhere. It’s not the most socially ac ceptable to lie facedown on the floor in an academic building, but dorm room floors? Fair game. You’re just a carpet now.

20 minutes later: Dorm room desk. There are deadlines to meet, after all.

How disheveled is too disheveled when showing up for lectures?

Emily: Hmm, this one’s a hard one. On rough days, just showing up to class can be an achievement. For safety reasons, though, it’s probably best to put on shoes rather than walking to class in slippers. Crocs do count as shoes. Just please don’t take off your shoes in class. Please.

Elle: When it comes to dressing for lec tures, there’s really no point in setting our standards unrealistically high. For morning

classes, a simple pair of intact loafers paired with dark trousers and a barrel cuff shirt should suffice. Hair should be combed and parted neatly to one side, although a little scruff is nothing to be ashamed of this ear ly in the day. Past lunchtime, consider nip ping back into your dorm to put on a pair of lace-ups if you hadn’t had the chance already. Assuming you’ve already gotten through the hazards of the early dawn, take some time to compose yourself by looking in the mirror, reapplying your cologne or perfume, and making sure the collar of your jacket is adjusted properly before proceed ing forward. For those of you taking eve ning classes, I would suggest switching out your shirt for something freshly starched. French cuffs are also strongly recommend ed — as the great George Santayana once noted, “a tie without cufflinks is like a child without a mother”.

VERDICT: Whatever makes you happy, really.

Is it appropriate for humanities majors to complain about their work load?

Yes.

Best place to take a little nap on campus?

Emily: I don’t really nap, so I’m gonna de fer to Elle on this one.

Elle: I’ve always found the seats they have in the Apollo Theatre to be conducive to really good rest. The entrance fee’s a lit tle pricey, usually clocking in at around five dollars for a 1.5–2-hour stay, but they lower the lights to a comfortable level and there’s always some sort of white noise playing. I’d say that the same applies to lecture hall seating, but unfortunately they’ve always got these harsh overheads on and the sub zero temperatures make you feel like you’re napping in a cell at Guantanamo.

What does my grade actually look like?

Emily: I really don’t know. My professors haven’t uploaded them and won’t until fi nal grades are required to be posted. Guess I’ll find out in December? I could consult a crystal ball or something, but that would be a lot of work.

Elle: At this point, checking my grades feels a bit like ringing the doorbell when the house is on fire.

VERDICT: We really don’t know either.

Does anyone actually care about my thoughts on this book in my class? Any body?

Well, it depends … have you actually read the book? While people who read the things they talk about usually but not always have a better grasp on the subject matter, their conclusions are rarely as interesting, and they’re less prone to making massive gen eralizations, which tend to keep the con versation going — as opposed to specific, nuanced questions, which tend to stifle cre ative thought.

VERDICT: If you want people to care about what you have to say, stick to blissful ignorance. If you don’t mind that no one’s listening, you have to put in the work.

College Students Lack Formal Music Opportunities

Sahil Novetzke Columnist

Since the Conservatory’s integration into the College in the mid-1800s, mu sic has been an integral part of Oberlin. Students come from all over the world to engage in a liberal arts education and dabble in musical studies, while others come to hone their craft in the Conservatory. Sometimes, those stu dents are one and the same. Approxi mately 2,300 students attend the Col lege, 400 attend the Conservatory, 200 attend both. The College has histori cally been a place where students can focus on their liberal arts education while still heavily interacting with the music world.

The crossover between the College and Conservatory is one of the main reasons I attended Oberlin. I’ve been a singer for as long as I can remember — singing in school, in choirs in my area, and in private lessons. I’ve even taken lessons in India during one of my stays in Mumbai. Though I wanted to focus on a liberal arts major and decided not to apply to the Conservatory, I knew I wanted to continue music in college. That’s why I joined two a cappella groups, ’Round Midnight and Pitch Please, and am hoping to audition for other choral groups in the future, as well as taking secondary voice lessons next semester.

Oberlin College students are in a unique position to access music class es, concerts, and more opportuni ties designed to connect us to music through the Conservatory. Students in schools without conservatories don’t have the same benefits as we do. Their music course offerings are typically fewer and less varied than Oberlin’s courses, and their music groups are typically student-run. Most can only access informal music experiences. Oberlin College students, on the other hand, can access private lessons, large, well-structured groups, and countless music events.

However, non-Conservatory-led mu sic groups such as the main a cappella groups and College student bands are sometimes not held in high regard. Our performances are held in informal spaces, our audiences are often dis tracted or disrespectful, and our con certs are infrequent.

Meanwhile, Conservatory music performances are held in high regard. Students, faculty, and guest artists contribute to more than 500 musical performances and events each year at Oberlin, and most student performanc es are from Conservatory students. Their events are high-quality — with ticketing, proper concert etiquette, and publicity done by the College itself.

I can acknowledge that this makes sense. Conservatory students are here to obtain pre-professional training for

a career in the performing arts, and College musicians have opted to pur sue a liberal arts education rather than a music-intensive one. Still, it sucks at times to have College musicians work hard to put on productions only for them to be under-attended and treat ed as second-tier. The music we work on is difficult, and we put many hours into making sure that our pieces sound good. And though a cappella and other student-run groups should be carefree, unrestrictive, and fun spaces to make music, our work should be appreciat ed.

Additionally, though the College works hard to ensure there are musi cal opportunities for College students, there are many faults in the system. College first-year Luke Dodson ex pressed his dissatisfaction with his musical experience at Oberlin thus far. He is a cellist, though not in the Con servatory.

“The biggest opportunity for string musicians at this school was the Arts and Sciences Orchestra, which is no longer happening this semester or pos sibly ever,” Dodson said.

The Arts and Sciences Orchestra is not happening in the 2022–23 academ ic year, according to the Oberlin web site, though it is unclear whether the orchestra will continue the next year. Dodson moved on to express discom fort with the fact that the College is vague about what opportunities exist for College musicians.

As a vocalist, my experience with music has been generally positive. In structions for auditioning for music groups, when and where performanc es were occurring, and how to take pri vate lessons have all been made quite clear. However, being an instrumen talist is far tougher. Instrumentalists have to track down music opportuni ties, email professors several times, co ordinate meetings with advisors, and search hard for any way to participate in music-making.

This should not be the case. The Col lege and Conservatory should be more transparent about what musical op portunities exist for College students. Many College students are musicians, and for most of us, Oberlin’s musical history was a major factor that drew us to the school. There should be more of an effort on the College’s part to in clude College students in music-mak ing.

Still, I am very grateful for the op portunities that Oberlin has granted me. By the end of the semester, I will have performed in four concerts and gone to see many more. I love and ap preciate the music-oriented communi ty this school has fostered, yet I would like to be more fully integrated into it. Until that happens, I guess I’m fine with remaining musically adjacent.

Withholding Alumni Donations Only Harms Students

Continued from page 5

offered. But note that although you blame the College, the College’s insurer and not the school might well have made the decision on whether to settle. This has not been disclosed, but often an insurer will have a major or even the final say in whether to settle a lawsuit against its insured and for how much.

Moreover, it takes two to settle. I am sure that as a lawyer, you understand that in civil litigation the major impetus to settlement is the uncertainty of the verdict coupled with

the uncertainty of the outcome. One might also ask why the Gibsons did not seek to settle. Were they confident a jury would award much more than the College might offer them, or were they perhaps unconcerned about the prospect of paying lawyers’ fees? In deciding what to offer as a settlement, the College could not and should not have anticipated a verdict for damages far in excess of anything the Gibsons suffered nor should the limited involvement of a school official — mainly letting the students use a College

copier and handing a flier to a reporter — have justified punitive damages.

After thinking further about the Gibsons’ lawsuit and reviewing what happened in the litigation — the parties’ briefs on appeal are available and news sources provide additional information — I hope you will join me in continuing a pattern of generous giving to a school we both have loved and to which we both owe so much.

Alice Tumbles Down The Rabbit Hole, Up the Silks in OCircus’ Alice in Wonderland

Cal Ransom This Week Editor

Oberlin’s aerialists, jugglers, and tumblers will take to Hales Gymnasium Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m., bringing audiences into the world of Alice in Wonderland

This year, both Solarity and OCircus selected Wonderland as their theme.

“We thought this would be a really great theme because everyone already knows the story,” Zoe Knannlein, sec ond-year OCircus vice president, said. “It’s inspired by the 1951 Disney animated version of Alice in Wonderland just because the classic has a lot of fun visuals … ones that people are familiar with.”

Knannlein said the group has had to get creative while coming up with costumes due to the unique challenges certain acts present.

“For aerial, you use your arms and knees to hang onto [the silks], so if it’s not covered, you could get a silk burn or a rope burn,” Knannlein said. “Aerialists have to have skin-tight costumes because if it’s not skin tight, it could get caught in the apparatus, and that would be dangerous — or, at the very least, not graceful.”

Evelyn Lazen, a fourth-year rope aerialist, will be playing the role of Alice.

“For Evelyn’s costume, we bought a little blue dress,” Knannlein said. “You can’t really do rope in a dress, so they’ll be taking off the skirt and doing [their rope act] and then putting back on the skirt as they make their way through the rest of the show.”

Two silk performers play the twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum: Sydney Garvis, OC ’18, and College first-year Aster Shen.

“They’re keeping with the color scheme, matching yellow shirts and red leggings,” Knannlein said. “They’re going to have matching blue beanie propeller hats and blue bow ties. Color scheme is a lot of what we use, because a lot of the time, that’s the only thing that we can work with.”

While OCircus bought some new costumes for performers, it also pulled items from its closet to create characters and enhance the set.

“Some of our old costumes are very, very small, probably from when we had kids involved in the show, and they don’t stretch at all,” Knannlein said. “They’re completely unwearable, so we’re gonna cut them up and use them as leaves for trees for our set.”

For the acrobatics act, OCircus turned to the costume closet to make DIY playing card costumes that wouldn’t hamper performers.

“We were lucky to find a lot of red fabric in the costume closet, so we have white T-shirts that we sewed with dia monds or hearts and black leggings because you have to be able to stand on other people’s hips and not have your foot slip,” Knannlein said.

Some characters are coming to life through makeup, as costumes may not be able to tell the whole story.

“I’m gonna paint a big smile on my face,” Knannlein, who will be playing the Chesire Cat, said. “With circus, the make up is super huge and exaggerated.”

Knannlein pointed out another aerialist wearing a white shirt and leggings.

“Dorothy’s the doorknob,” Knannlein said. “It’s a more interpretive costume based on vibes.”

College second-year Dorothy Knutson said she’d mainly be using makeup to create her costume, embracing the avant-garde.

“Originally I was like, ‘What? How do you have a keyhole costume?’” Knutson said. “ I’m going to put a keyhole [on my chest] with face paint, and there is a key that Alice will stab me with.”

The Queen of Hearts will be played by Jude Johnson-Shoucair, OC ’21, an aerialist who had a grand vision for his costume.

“My initial dream was to do an aerial act where I was in a ballgown and then climbed out of the gown and up into the silks, but that was a bit ambitious,” Johnson-Shoucair said. “So I talked to Zoe, and we found pantaloons and a corset and said, ‘Let’s do that.’ [then,] I got oil face paint because a friend who does drag was like, ‘Here, try this.’”

Photo by Erin Koo

Photo by Erin Koo

Photo by Erin Koo

Photo by Erin Koo

Photo by Erin Koo

Photo by Erin Koo

Sydney Garvis performs on rope.

Jude Johnson-Shoucair performs as the Queen of Hearts.

Dorothy Knutson performs on silks.

OCircus members perform in Hales Gymnasium.

OCircus juggler performs during dress rehearsal.

Asher Di Maggio performs yoyo.

Flipping Through Pages of Oberlin Student Journals

Juliana Gaspar Arts & Culture Editor

After my latest breakup, journaling gave me a rea son to get up in the morning. This may come across as dramatic, and maybe it is. By the time my best friend recommended journaling, I was already tired of hearing about it. My whole TikTok ‘for you page’ was full of advice from content creators with a clean, put-together aesthetic telling me to drink green juice, do yoga, and — of course — journal. Coming from my best friend, though, it meant something.

I had plenty of empty notebooks lying around. The one I picked was a thin notebook with a gray cov er that I bought on sale at my local bookshop back home. The cover featured a picture of a cat with the phrase “evil thoughts” in pink script above it. Evil thoughts seemed most accurate in describing my feelings toward my recent ex-girlfriend.

The several diaries I had kept at the age of ten when my parents started the long journey toward their divorce had prepared me for the art of journal ing, but somewhere along the way, I stopped believ

ing that my thoughts were worth writing down, no matter how mundane.

I’m tired of writing in this journal, not because I’m better but because I have so much to say, always.

Yet there is incredible value in having proof of one’s own existence. Once I started paying atten tion, I noticed how many people at Oberlin talked about journaling and realized that their quick scrib bles in class were not jotted-down notes but journal entries. However, the more people I talked to, the more there seemed to be an idea of the correct way to journal — that the writing had to be good or in the trendy bullet-journaling form, which flooded Pinterest in 2016. The reality is that journaling is yours; it’s whatever you make it. Everyone journals differently.

“I write to process myself and to keep track of my thinking,” double-degree fourth-year Katie Galt said. “But I also use my journal as a consolidated place for grocery lists, to-dos, tracking my period, and keeping concert tickets and dried flowers and other memorable bits of paper between pages. Hav ing a journal is like having a friend … Ideally I am

being completely honest in my journal, or at least practicing doing so. There have been times when I’ve written letters to people in my journal, mostly past or present lovers, and occasionally attempts at communicating with some kind of omniscient divin ity. But usually I just start a page with that day’s date and get into it.”

Nov. 12

I woke up with my period!!

Finally. It had been like 50 days. First one post-break up. Seeing my hand covered in blood shocked me into remembering my aliveness.

Not everyone starts their journals by writing the date like Galt. Alana Florêncio-Wain, College sec ond-year, begins her entries differently. As she’s flip ping through the pages of her small, chunky note book, I can see doodles scattered throughout pages of scribbled words in both English and Portuguese.

“[I’m writing to] me, myself, maybe future kids,” Florêncio-Wain said. “I guess I’m writing to the journal too because I start with ‘boa noite journal’ — ‘goodnight journal’ — and then I end it by talking

Stepping into Style with Obie Shoes

Oberlin is an undeniably stylish place. Through clothing, students visually re flect the vibrant character of the cam pus.

Fashion and personal style is not solely expressed through shirts, pants, and outerwear. Arguably, the most im portant component of one’s outfit is what grounds them: shoes! All across the world, shoe culture takes a number of different forms and styles. Oberlin, a microcosm filled with students from various places, is no different. From sneakers to Chelsea boots to a good old pair of Dr. Martens, Oberlin students wear their personalities on their feet.

“Statement shoes feel a bit more unique, in a way, than other clothing,” College first-year Eloise Rich said. “[Shoes are] so practical, something that you just can’t leave the house with out, and they can also be very fashion able. Still, sometimes I just throw on my Mary Janes and call it a day.”

Photos courtesy of Dlisah Lapidus Center photo courtesy of Abe Frato

Dlisah Lapidus Arts & Culture Editor

Winter Term Offers Opportunities for Unique Experiences

Leela Miller Senior Staff Writer

Winter Term is a unique annual oppor tunity for Oberlin students to dig deep into an area of specific personal interest. At no other point in the academic year are students given as much freedom — or faced with as much daunting possi bility — as they are during Winter Term.

Although many students choose to take part in College-organized group projects, others go the independent route and devise a project of their own to carry out under the advice of a faculty sponsor. I talked with three artistical ly-inclined students about their plans for Winter Term and their personal processes of developing their ideas into fleshed-out plans of action.

First-year double-degree student Fae Ordaz plans to continue developing a multimedia project that she began working on in high school. Inspired by the folk opera Hadestown, which chron icles the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, she set out to create a mythological re telling of her own. Along with her best friend, she invented an origin story for the Greek muse Melpomene, the muse of tragedy. Ordaz spent the summer crafting a manipulable Melpomene doll out of fabric, wire, felt, knit yarn, and papier-mâché, then recording a stop-motion animation of the backstory she invented.

“The stop-motion is super visual, and when I show it to people they kind of make up their own interpretation,” Or daz said. “For Winter Term, I’m plan ning on finishing some of the loose ends of the stop-motion and editing it to make it a little bit more concise.”

Ordaz also plans to spend her time creating music for the piece. A double major in Jazz Voice and TIMARA, she’s interested in fusing musical styles to produce a score that compliments the somewhat disorienting, abstract atmo sphere of the short film. She views this project as an opportunity to push her self creatively in new ways.

“In the past, my compositions have been more like structured songs,” Ordaz said. “For this piece, I want a less struc tured composition — something more spacious. That’s harder for me.”

Ordaz wants to implement what she’s learned in her electroacoustic music course — taught by her advisor and Winter Term sponsor, TIMARA Chair Tom Lopez, OC ’89, — about crafting

sparse but impactful soundscapes and challenging herself to “not overcompli cate” the production process. She hopes to use the unique textures of sound that she finds in the winter landscape of her hometown of Santa Fe, NM to shape the score she creates.

“I definitely want to do a lot of field recordings,” Ordaz said. “I think the wintertime will be a perfect time to get some gorgeous sounds out of the land scape, and I think it’s a perfect time for this piece because the sounds of nature — like the water flowing in the river — will be more muted and dark, which definitely fits the theme of this piece.”

College first-year and intended Studio Art major Ever Hyman is also planning on delving into a creative project over Winter Term, and her proposal involves an element of spiritual exploration. In stead of having one main focus, her proj ect is made up of a range of parts: daily meditation, original artworks, visits to various religious and spiritual sites of worship, interviews with people from

her life who have shaped her religious outlook — all chronicled in a spoofy vid eo diary.

“I decided that this Winter Term, I’m basically just gonna try to reinvent God for myself,” Hyman said. “I’m gonna go on this little spiritual journey for a month.”

Hyman admitted that the goal of “re inventing God” was a lofty one, but she emphasized that her intention was to make space in her life for the kind of in ward spiritual contemplation that is of ten impossible in a college environment. She hopes to use the academic reprieve of Winter Term to allow herself the time and focused attention necessary to cul tivate this spiritual sphere of her life.

“Basically, the things I’m gonna be do ing are like little challenges to myself to get closer to the higher power,” Hyman said. “I don’t even know if that exists. I’m gonna try to see for myself if there is some sort of cosmic order to things, then I’m gonna return back to these people who have helped me, interview

them, and essentially just ask for spiri tual advice.”

Hyman wants to use art-making as a tool for developing her self-knowledge, reflecting on her spiritual beliefs, and recording the whole adventure.

“I’m looking to see this month actual ized into an object,” Hyman said. “Like, being able to look at a photograph of these internal experiences. I think it’ll be really interesting to put what’s inside outside. This is a great opportunity — I have one month to just vibe out and get swept up in the internal whirlwind.”

Finally, third-year Studio Art major Martina Taylor is planning to travel to Budapest during Winter Term to work on a project involving in-depth research on Hungarian textiles, specifically pár tas, ornate headpieces worn on special occasions by young, unmarried girls.

Taylor sought to propose a project that combined making art and strengthen ing her connection to her family and her identity, and she was able to obtain funding for her project via a grant from Oberlin’s Center for Russian, East Euro pean, and Central Asian Studies.

With help from her advisor and sponsor, Associate Professor of Studio Art, Reproducible Media, and OCRE ECAS Director Kristina Paabus, Taylor devised a plan to use Budapest as her classroom for learning about tradition al Hungarian embroidery and textile dying techniques while also conduct ing ethnographic research on the lives of queer Hungarians, all culminating in the construction of her own, distinctly queer version of the párta.

“I’m queer,” Taylor said. “My dad, my sister, and my stepparent are too. They’re Americans who immigrated to Hungary, so it’s been interesting hear ing about their experiences … I want to learn more about that [queer] communi ty in Hungary … Traditionally, pártas are supposed to signify a woman’s marital status or her virginity, but at the end of my project, I’m going to create a reimag ined párta that reflects Budapest’s queer history.”

Wherever your interests lie, Win ter Term is your sandbox for exploring them. Avant-garde, mythology-inspired stop motion films? Spiritual epiphanies? Queer Hungarian textiles? With the right amount of imagination, funding, and faculty support, a “personal proj ect” can take any conceivable form.

Mapping Oberlin College Architecture Through History

Liberal arts colleges have a very specific reputation, not only in their methods of instruction but also in their ar chitecture. If you’re like the majority of people, you’d probably picture a liberal arts campus as something akin to Hogwarts — buildings fashioned from heavy gray stonework, libraries with soaring ceilings, and dormitory buildings with pointed gables. Maybe your mental image has a central green, filled with Adiron dack chairs and students lounging around or tossing a Frisbee. Regardless of the specific details, there is a collective understanding of what a liberal arts college should look like. It is so prolific it has earned a stylistic designation and a Wikipedia page to match — Colle giate Gothic. This style grew out of the Gothic Revival style and characterizes many of the most lauded liberal arts institutions, including Carleton College, Reed Col lege, Rhodes College, and, as one of the earliest exam ples, our very own neighbor, Kenyon College. While often classed alongside these institutions in statistics, values, and student population, Oberlin Col lege, in classic Oberlin fashion, does not have the same

commitment to a singular architectural style. Oberlin’s campus architecture is notably scattered and dissonant. Walking around campus, one becomes acquainted with the Postmodern expression of the Venturi Art Building and the Allen Memorial Art Museum, the Victorian Ro manesque turrets that top Peters Hall, and the strange New Formalist exteriors of King Building and Bibbins Hall.

One of the most noted researchers in Oberlin’s archi tectural history, Geoffrey Blogett, OC ’53, separated this melange of style into four distinct eras of construction and innovation: the Stone Age (Peters Hall, Talcott Hall, Baldwin Cottage, Carnegie Building), the Cass Gilbert Age (the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Finney Chap el, Bosworth Hall), Inter-war Period (Noah Hall), and the Modern Age (Dascomb Hall, Barrows Hall, King Building, Mudd Center). In his book, Oberlin Architec ture, College and Town, Blogett references, but does not define, a period of Oberlin prior to these eras. During this time, buildings that have since disappeared inhab ited what we now call Tappan Square. The succession of these ages mirrors the growth of the College itself, moving from a small collection of buildings on Tappan

Square to a large expanse of unique spaces that sprawl to the east and west along the axis of Professor Street.

The move to abandon the buildings within Tappan in favor of structures situated around a central green occurred after Charles Martin Hall, an alum made rich and famous by the discovery of easily made aluminum, stipulated that the buildings in Tappan must be demol ished in order for the College to receive his endow ment. Although the physical remains of these buildings have long disappeared, their influence on the campus is far from gone. Professor of Medieval Art History Erik Inglis, OC ’83, spoke about the marks these “ghostly” buildings have left on campus. For example, a strange curve in the path that leads out of Tappan Square to ward Talcott Hall delineates the border of a pre-Stone Age building — the former French House. In these de tails, Oberlin’s early history shows its face, albeit hid den behind layers of innovation and development.

Even many buildings from the Stone Age seem to have sunk into something akin to obscurity. Bibbins Hall was built atop the location of a church-turned-zo

Hanna Alwine

Fae Ordaz’s stop motion animation features a handmade Melpomene figurine. Photo Courtesy of Fae Ordaz

Audiences Are Overthinking Netflix’s Wednesday

Dlisah Lapidus Arts & Culture Editor

Tim Burton’s Wednesday brings the beloved Addams family into the mod ern age. The show is a valiant attempt at appealing to the gloomy, horny, chronically online generation, but many Wednesday Addams fanatics found the show to be a reduction of her legendary character. The Netflix ization of Charles Addams’ iconically grim characters may have disappoint ed some fans of the franchise or even Tim Burton himself. However, it is

closed-minded to resist new depic tions of the Addams family when, in fact, its characters have only left such strong marks on popular culture as a result of their continuous redevelop ments.

The Addams family first appeared as unnamed characters in a recurring New Yorker cartoon panel drawn by Charles Addams beginning in 1938. In 1964 The Addams Family was turned into a sitcom, which named the char acters Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, and Pugsley Addams. After a num ber of adaptations, the franchise was

revived in 1991 with the feature film series consisting of The Addams Fam ily (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993). The characters have become pop culture staples, not only inspiring a number of spinoffs in various forms of media but also influencing goth subculture as a whole.

Wednesday is arguably the most recognizable of the characters. She is named in reference to the nursery rhyme line, “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.” In the original television se ries, a six-year-old Wednesday serves as a contrast to the oddities of the rest of her family. In the 1991 film, howev er, her personality evolved into a mor bidly death-obsessed and sometimes homicidal child who has since be come a goth icon. This evolution is in part due to Christina Ricci’s portray al of the 13-year-old-girl thriving on schadenfreude with a taste for torture and an inability to display emotion.

Needless to say, the Addams family has become something of a trope in the American entertainment indus try, and while not all of the spinoffs have been a success, the family and its name is nothing to be protective about. One of the major complaints about Tim Burton’s Wednesday is that it fails to honor the roles of the Add ams family’s characters, Wednesday’s in particular. Because she is older, it makes sense for long-time Addams family fans to be shocked by the rep resentation of their beloved iconic character. However, we must remem ber that the influence of the Addams family and Wednesday Addams would not exist without their adaptive na ture, from medium to medium, spinoff to spinoff.

Wednesday’s general storyline is much like that of any other Netflix series: simple and melodramatic. Without the name Wednesday Add ams backing the plot, the story of a tortured, quirky teenage girl at board ing school taking on a murder mys tery and clearing her family’s name, all while juggling numerous suitors, sneaking around school administra tors, besting her nemeses, and some how avoiding schoolwork and respon sibilities, is a tired trope. The show positions normies versus outcasts at every corner — a black-and-white

composition which mimics a painful ly cringey CW drama.

Although the style of the show has received criticism, other aspects, in cluding Jenna Ortega’s performance as Wednesday, have been the subject of praise. Ortega serves as the first actor of Latinx descent to represent the canonically Latina Wednesday Addams. Many see this role as an at tempt for Ortega to leave her Disney Channel career behind, and taking on Wednesday Addams has certainly proven her ability to suit new roles. Aside from Ortega, Wednesday has a star-studded cast, which is not un expected in a Tim Burton project.

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guz mán play Morticia and Gomez, Gwen doline Christie plays the principal of Nevermore Academy, and Chris tina Ricci, the actress of Wednesday in The Addams Family (1991), stars as Wednesday’s normie Nevermore mentor who — plot twist — has her own evil agenda.

While the simplicity of Christina Ricci’s original ensemble character in The Addams Family and Addams Fam ily Values was possible in the form of a younger child, Jenna Ortega’s char acter in Wednesday faces more ob stacles. As a teenager and the star of the show, she is now pushed to show a certain humanity in order to allow the plot and her character to develop over a number of episodes. The beauty of the original Wednesday Addams was in her deadpan charm and one-lin ers — but relying on this alone makes her an unsuitable focus for an entire show.

The one-liners that charmed audi ences when coming out of a six- or 13-year-old Wednesday Addams in previous representations begin to reek of teenage entitlement in Wednesday , but part of that seems intentional. Af ter all, this show is not supposed to be particularly deep or poignant, and, frankly, that was not the goal of previ ous Addams family entertainment ei ther. Rather than evolving into a truly macabre story to satiate those desper ate for gore and depth, figures such as the Addams family may be best kept as PG-13 entertainment, continuing to serve as gothic inspiration for genera tions through continued adaptations.

Obies Share Journal Entries and Experiences

to myself, saying ‘dorme com os anjos,’ which is ‘sleep with the angels.’ And that’s for me because my dad used to tell me that. And I like the idea of go ing to bed with angels.”

Boa noite Journal <3

Hoje foi um dia bom. Graças a deus porque eu precisava.

Goodnight Journal <3 Today was a good day. Thank god be cause I needed it.

Florêncio-Wain sees journaling less as a space to document her feelings and more as a space to create structure and recap her day. I asked her if she names people in her journal.

“Yeah, I name people,” Florên cio-Wain said. “Hello? Are you kidding me? This is me and my journal gossip ing. That’s really the best part about it.”

Boa noite Journal <3

Estou assistindo Pantanal , tá ótimo! Notei que falo comigo mesma do jeit inho que fazem na novela kakaka. Mas

sabe que eu não me importo porque me ajuda vocalizar os meus pensamentos e eu gosto de escutar a minha voz.

Goodnight Journal <3 I am watching Pantanal , it’s great! I no ticed that I talk to myself just like how they do in the novela kakaka. But you know I don’t mind because it allows me to voice my thoughts and I like hearing my own voice.

Even within one’s journal, the au dience can vary. That’s the beauty of journaling — it can take whatever shape the writer needs it to at any giv en moment. Emerson Holloway, OC ’22, has been journaling for a long time and has experienced the way the flu id nature of writing has catered to her needs.

“I journal about what I experience and notice in the world, paired with whatever I am feeling at that given moment,” Holloway said. “It func tions as a diary, mostly, but also con tains lists of things I see, places I go,

songs I’m listening to, sensations I want to remember. Journaling is a practice that allows me to translate my thoughts into something tangi ble, which grounds me. I don’t have a particular audience in mind when I journal, … but at the end of the day I know that my reasoning for journaling is based around self-expression and self-reflection, a desire to dig so deep into myself and into the world that I can figure out what it’s all made of.”

I wish I could forgive your actions, but no amount of explanations will undo the pain, the potential for my own lost life. And I love life, being alive, and I know no one deserves to live with the pain you had to shoulder… I hope you learn how to stop confusing love and pain, care and fury. I don’t know how to remember you in any other way. The joke’s on you; my life is now defined in terms of you, my firsts of everything. My life is an epilogue.

Some people doodle, draw, or write,

and sometimes journaling is grocery lists or song lyrics or poetry or an es say, or a letter. Regardless, it’s always personal. The audience could be the writer themselves, but writing, draw ing, or even typing is physical docu mentation of individual humanity.

I’m getting all sentimental about see ing family. I guess I won’t see them un til winter break, which feels like a long time! But that’s good, I guess. It’s natu ral to miss people.

Double-degree first-year George Rogers, who wrote the above excerpt, explains his reasoning for journaling. “I journal to have a log and record of my life,” Rogers said. “It makes me feel better about things, having a chance to process everything. What I like the most about it is how, once I fill the book up, then it’ll just be like a very complete documentation of this peri od of my life. I like having the ability to go back and reminisce.”

Jenna Ortega stars as Wednesday Addams in Tim Burton’s series Wednesday on Netflix.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Reconciling with Past and Future of Oberlin Architecture

Continued from page 10

ology building. King Building took over the location of the old Conservatory. Tappan, originally intended to be the center of life on campus, now exists as a means to get from one side of town to the other.

This shift occurred gradually, begin ning with the addition of Wilder Hall. Originally the men’s dormitory and now a strangely maze-like building home to study spaces and several quasi-dining halls, its construction heralded a new heart of campus — Wilder Bowl. The change became particularly pronounced when the library moved from Carne gie Building, which borders Tappan, to Mudd Center. Rather than regarding these changes to Oberlin’s makeup as a loss of history, it might be more accurate to see them as a natural consequence of Oberlin’s progressive nature. Tradition ally regarded as one of the most pro gressive institutions in America, Oberlin boasts left-wing values, an active student body, and an understanding of our place within a larger global context. Through out its history, Oberlin has commis

sioned architects at the forefront of their fields to create new and interesting spac es to house Oberlin student life. More recent developments in Ober lin’s architecture point toward these same values. New buildings and new infrastructure mark the beginning of an era in transition that should be added as the next age in Blogett’s series: the Green Age. This period is largely defined by Oberlin’s participation in the Sus tainable Infrastructure Project, a joint effort between Oberlin College and the surrounding community to emphasize and put in place climate-conscious prac tices. Part of this project has been the construction of sustainable buildings on campus, notably the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Stud ies (2000), Kahn Hall (2010), the Kohl Building (2010), and the Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center (2016). Oberlin has also partnered with Green Legacy Hiroshi ma, an organization that plants saplings descended from trees that survived Hi roshima with partner organizations in order to promote a message of resilience and hope. Now, several of these trees can be seen around Tappan Square.

The existence of this broad range of spaces is a direct result and reflection of our uniquely cobbled-together campus. Oberlin students, with their wide variety of interests and diversity of ideas, can be sure to find a space that suits their in dividual needs somewhere on campus. The varied architecture also sets Oberlin apart from other schools.

“Oberlin is different in that it has so much variety,” College first-year Elyssa Torrence said. “[It] has a nice blend of older, more classic architecture and new, modern architecture, so you never really get bored walking around campus and visiting buildings.”

While some students complain about Oberlin’s middle-of-nowhere location, the range of spaces on campus means that there is always something left to ex plore. So the next time you walk across Tappan, what Inglis called the “ghostly heart” of campus, see Oberlin’s architec ture for what it is: not something that is inconsistent by accident, but a purpose ful collection of cutting edge and utility that represents the values of the stu dents who live here.

Hall Auditorium, designed by architect Wal lace Harrison, was built in 1953.

Photo by Erin Koo

Talcott Hall, designed by architects Weary and Kramer, was built in 1886.

Photo by Abe Frato

Bibbins Hall, designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki, was built in 1963.

Photo by Abe Frato

Coverage Announcement

Sending Gratitude to McGregor Skybar

Delaney Fox Conservatory Editor

Maybe it’s the lingering spirit of Thanksgiving, but I’m really feeling thankful this week. As a student in the Conservatory, there are so many things I get the privilege of being grateful for: the beautiful music I make every day, my talented peers, my riveting professors, and the practice rooms that have the mirror lined up perfectly with the piano so I can actually see myself while I warm up. But there is something even simpler than all of these things that I think too often goes unnoticed and unappreciated among Conservatory stu dents: the McGregor Skybar.

For those unfamiliar with this campus dining establishment, Skybar is the beautiful glass heaven of the Conservatory — DeCafé in the sky, if you will. Suspended magically between the Kohl Building and Conservatory Central Unit, it provides starving students with a quick, hot meal. Skybar has some thing for every student. Not only does it contain a DeCafé fridge replica stacked with sushi and salads, Skybar also carries breakfast sandwiches from the Rathskeller and hot Stevenson Dining Hall lunches.

I would like to stop and take a moment to highlight the supremacy of the Skybar Rathskeller sandwiches compared to the actual Rathskeller sand wiches. I have never waited in line for a breakfast sandwich at Skybar, unlike at the Rathskeller. And more importantly, the Skybar sandwiches are always hot, with the cheese adequately melted. Sure, the variety is a little limited, but I would take melted cheese over the cold slab that I would receive from the Rathskeller any day. Skybar also regularly has its breakfast sandwiches available until well after 10 a.m., which is when the Rathskeller closes. On a lucky day, I can still get a Beyond Sausage, egg, and cheese on a bagel until 10:45 a.m. It’s truly a blessing.

Now that we got that out of the way, there are a plethora of other, more obvious reasons to be thankful for Skybar. First, have we really thought about how convenient it is to have a café in the Conservatory? Conservatory stu dents are too often caught skipping lunch to practice instead, but with Sky bar, it’s so easy to grab a quick meal and not have to worry about missing that practice session or being hungry during class. I can get my hot tea and breakfast sandwich and be in a Bibbins Hall classroom within minutes, en ergized for my day.

But sometimes, when I’m not in a rush to get to class, I get to enjoy my meal and do some work. I personally enjoy doing my homework in a more bustling environment, and Skybar is the perfect Azariah’s Café alternative for that more coffee-shop vibe. Of course, Azzie’s definitely has superior drinks, but as a tea drinker, I appreciate the tea selection offered at Skybar — Azzie’s just can’t compete in that department. There are also plenty of ta bles and individual seating, not to mention the complimentary view of the Conservatory buildings.

The windows are a benefit of their own — talk about natural lighting! And as I mentioned earlier, Skybar overlooks the Kohl Building, home of the Jazz department. On a warm day, you may be able to see Jazz students gathered in a circle playing Hacky Sack below or having a full-on jam session. It’s a people-watcher’s utopia.

For me, the best part of Skybar is the people. Whenever I venture up those three flights of stairs or take the elevator — let’s be honest, I rarely take the stairs — I am always greeted by a smiling face and a classmate or friend who I can sit and chat with. Skybar is an unrealized backbone of the Conservatory community. Sure, the sushi rice may not always be fresh, but having a space where we can relax, enjoy a meal, talk with friends, and get some work done is so important. And with that I say, thank you, Skybar.

Conservatory Students Teach In Secondary Lesson Program

Gracie McFalls Senior Staff Writer

Every week, students in the Conservatory share their music in more ways than one. Through the Secondary Private Lessons program, Conserva tory students can become private instructors for other College and Conservatory students seek ing to improve their artistry on their instrument or even looking to explore a new instrument for course credit. Students need no experience to ap ply but must submit an application and audition for placement with a teacher.

This program is unique in several ways. First, it helps bridge the noticeable gap between musi cians in the College and musicians in the Conser vatory. But maybe more special are the numer ous reasons students come to teach through this program and the many things they learn through reversing their relationships with their instru ments — from student to teacher.

Second-year double-degree Jazz Piano and Environmental Studies major Lyric Anderson initially became involved with the program be cause he wanted to teach some of his friends, yet teaching secondary lessons has grown to have a great impact on him as a performer.

“I have found that there’s a lot that I take for granted as a musician because I’ve been playing for so long,” Anderson said. “And then to some one who doesn’t know basic chords and Roman numeral patterns and stuff, I don’t even know how to explain that to them because it’s so in grained in my head. It really makes me go back to when I was a beginner. … I think everyone should teach.”

For Conservatory second-year and Clarinet Performance major Khai Nien Nguyen, teaching is a form of spiritual fulfillment, which he gains from helping others. This altruism is one of the reasons he wishes to pursue graduate studies so he can continue to teach as a career.

“I had one student who was very closed off from people and was struggling to connect with peers,” Nguyen said. “I tried to just make him feel comfortable and feel like our lessons were a place he could talk. And one day he just said, ‘Thank you so much,’ and I was so happy. I think the mo ments like that when you’re teaching just make it so spiritually fulfilling.”

Nguyen also highlighted the importance of having opportunities to teach secondary lessons for students looking at education as a potential

career, especially at a school that doesn’t have a music education program.

“I think the most important thing for me to get out of music school is education, and that’s kind of the path I hope to see myself on,” Nguyen said. “I think at Oberlin, because [it’s] so performance focused, it can be hard to kind of get into that sometimes, but this was the perfect way.”

Zoë Bell, a Conservatory fourth-year who teaches secondary cello lessons, had a more for mal approach to the secondary lesson sphere but expressed a similar sentiment about the effects of teaching on her musicianship. Before teach ing in the program, Bell had some experience with string pedagogy through her coursework at Oberlin, and with the encouragement of her pri vate teacher, she decided to put her knowledge to work. She spoke on the importance of peda gogy for musicians — learning about your playing through teaching others.

“I think that at least one pedagogy class would be helpful for every single Conservatory student,” Bell said. “I’ve learned a lot about my own tech nique from these classes. It’s not just about what you’re teaching, but it’s about how you teach it, and how you learn these things.”

Bell also touched on the beauty of teaching stu dents who have less knowledge about Western classical music as a way to rewrite the narrative.

“It’s really exciting to be able to introduce Col lege students or people who don’t know [very much] about the Conservatory … or just music in general to different kinds of music, to newer kinds of music, to underrepresented composers,” Bell said.

The secondary lesson program is also note worthy because the instruction counts as a two-credit course, which makes it free for stu dents. Students meet for one 30-minute lesson per week for the whole semester. While student teachers receive a small salary, organizing lesson times, reserving classrooms, and finding materi als makes teaching these secondary lessons a big logistical undertaking. But Anderson and Bell both commented on the value of the program and the need to improve promotion so that more students know to take advantage of this unique College and Conservatory experience.

“This sounds kinda cheesy, but seeing myself in [my students] — because obviously I’ve been where they’re at — … and then seeing my students actually start to understand pretty high concept stuff is so rewarding,” Anderson said.

Photo by Abe Frato, Photo Editor

Lyric Anderson teaches a secondary private lesson.

Students enjoy food, drinks, and community at Skybar.

Photo by Abe Frato, Photo Editor

The Oberlin Review will be covering the U.N Gala Concert in Carnegie Hall tonight and publishing extensive coverage next Friday. In the meantime, tune into the Review’s Instagram @ocreview for live interviews with performers and other exciting updates!

Qualifications of YouTube Boxers Spark Controversy

Chris Stoneman Senior Staff Writer

Four years ago, U.K. YouTubers Joe Weller and KSI got into an argument online and decided to settle their differences in the ring. Many fight experts across the globe viewed the event as no different from the thou sands of celebrity boxing contests that had taken place before — just two B-list personalities with inflated egos looking to gain their 15 seconds of fame however possible. However, it became clear that this misconcep tion could not have been farther from the truth. The KSI vs. Weller contest would set a benchmark in the fight going forward and create an entirely new genre in the boxing world, appro priately dubbed “YouTube boxing.”

Upon knocking Weller out in the third round in devastating fashion, KSI took to the microphone and called out brothers Logan and Jake Paul, claiming he would fight “any of the Pauls, he [didn’t] care.” This call-out allowed for the Pauls, in addition to a whole slew of other American con tent creators, to enter the once U.K.exclusive YouTube boxing scene. In the next massive YouTube boxing contest, KSI faced Logan Paul as the main event. The co-main fight con sisted of a battle between the younger brothers, with KSI’s brother Deji fac ing off against Jake Paul. Despite it being a white-collar, amateur event, the KSI vs. Logan fight did incredi bly well, selling out the Manchester Arena and netting 1.3 million pay-perview buys. It is shocking to think that millions of people around the globe wanted to see two individuals with no former boxing experience go at it in headgear and 16 ounce gloves.

The match ultimately resulted in a draw between the two headliners, meaning that a rematch was inev itable. The sequel, KSI vs. Logan Paul II, was a far sleeker iteration of the previous event. For one, both YouTubers obtained their boxing licenses between fights, which meant that now they could go at each other with 12 ounce gloves and no head gear. Eddie Hearn, a world-renowned boxing promoter who has promoted world champions like Canelo Alvarez and Anthony Joshua, stepped in to manage the fight and boosted it into the spotlight for the entire world to see. KSI and Logan did not disap point. The pair went at it in a sixround war, resulting in a KSI victory by split decision. The contest was incredibly well received, obtaining a remarkable 2 million pay-per-view buys and becoming one of the top five highest selling fights in history. This made it clear that YouTube boxing was here to stay.

Following this series of fights, both Logan Paul and KSI took breaks from the fight game. It became unclear who would take the reins as the star of YouTube boxing going forward, until Jake Paul resurfaced. He had won his initial fight against KSI’s younger brother but had not fought since, and was eager to reenter the ring after seeing his brother defeated. However, given that KSI was unavailable, Jake was forced to fight another undercard fighter, YouTuber AnEsonGib. In his second career outing, Paul mauled Gib and knocked him out in the first round, calling out KSI in the postfight interview. His destruction of AnEsonGib set him on the warpath to take over the YouTube boxing scene.

Even though previously massive

stars like KSI and Logan Paul would continue to fight and headline events, Jake became the undeniable center of attention. In his third appearance in the ring, he decimated former NBA star Nate Robinson, knocking him out cold within two rounds. He fol lowed that impressive performance up by brutally collapsing former Bellator and ONE MMA champion Ben Askren in two minutes. Askren’s defeat spurred a two-fight rival ry with former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Paul vs. Woodley I resulted in a closely con tested split decision victory for Paul. However, the second fight against Woodley concluded in a dramatic sixth round knockout which earned Paul “Knockout of the Year” honors from both ESPN and DAZN. In his most recent contest, Paul decided to go up against MMA legend Anderson Silva. Much to the MMA community’s disdain, he bested Silva via split-deci sion after an eight-round battle, giv ing him an impressive record of 7–0 thus far in his boxing career.

This brings us to the current state of the YouTube boxing world. Many are divided on the legitimacy of Jake Paul’s resume. While it is undeniable that Paul has strung together a collec tion of impressive wins, the quality of opponent remains debatable. Paul has had multiple opportunities to face opponents of the same age or skill set, yet he has seemingly always opted to compete against older fighters with non-boxing backgrounds. This would not be a problem were it not for the fact that Paul seems to be try ing to move away from his YouTube past and toward a professional boxing career. Jake has called out boxing champions and UFC legends such as

Canelo Alvarez and Conor McGregor respectively, and he has gone so far as to claim that he is the future of box ing. Paul has earned himself internet beef with UFC President Dana White himself, with White issuing a pleth ora of negative comments on social media pertaining to Jake’s actions. Fellow YouTube boxers like KSI and even his own brother Logan contin ue to compete but do not face nearly the same amount of scrutiny, as they do not claim to be full-time boxers. The question then becomes: is Jake Paul legitimate, and is YouTube and celebrity boxing equivalent to actual boxing?

Every boxing fan has to form their own individual opinion. What makes boxing and combat sports so inter esting is that each fighter has their own story as to how they made it to the top of their craft. YouTube fight ers like Jake Paul are no different. It has always been an unspoken rule, though, that everyone shows respect to their fellow competitors in the fight game, making it a classy, respect ful sport despite its violence.

However, this has changed in recent years, with polarizing figures like Conor McGregor and Jake Paul using trash-talk to increase viewer ship and gain notoriety. Such a tactic is extremely divisive. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. In the case of McGregor, it was extreme ly effective because of the popular persona he was able to create within the arena, but the same cannot be said for Jake. The level of competition he has faced is too far beneath his own to be considered a legitimate part of combat sports for now, and the jury is still very much out on the legitimacy of YouTube boxing.

Walter Moak, Oberlin Cross Country’s National Championship Runner

James Foster Staff Writer

Walter Moak is a second year on the cross country and track and field teams. Most recently, he competed at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships under an at-large bid, the first Oberlin men’s team athlete to run in this event since 2015. Moak ran the 8-kilometer in freezing Michigan weather, placing within the top 100 for his year division and 254th overall.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Congratulations on receiving an at-large bid to compete at the DIII National Championships. What were your first thoughts when you received your invitation?

Going into the regional meet, I didn’t know that was a possibility at all. I knew there was an outside chance of us qualifying as a team, but I didn’t think anyone on the team would really have a shot at the individual bid. Immediately after the regional race, Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach Ray Appenheimer came up to me and said, “If Calvin University gets a bid, then you would be the seventh individual to qualify.” That was thrilling. I knew I’d had a great race.

The conditions were pretty rough in Michigan. How did you keep your body warm in the lead-up to the race, and how did you deal with the snow and ice?

Yeah, the conditions were pretty crazy. There were three inches of snow on the ground, and temperatures were in the 20s. I’m from Virginia, so we don’t really get that much snow — certainly not during the cross coun try season. Typically those temperatures and conditions are only during the indoor track season. That was defi

nitely my first time racing in that amount of snow and cold. One of the tactics we employed to keep me warm was to use olive oil to cover my skin just before the race — it works as a layer of blubber, and it’s nice because it keeps you a bit warm but doesn’t restrict motion. The team also had these old swim jackets, which I’d never really seen before. Somehow the coaches managed to get their hands on a couple of those, so I was wearing one right before the race as well.

When did you begin running competitively?

I started running a little later than most people who run in college - in the fall of my junior year. My high school team was very good, so I was surrounded by some very talented and dedicated runners. Some of my teammates were winning individual state champion ships, and our varsity team in my junior year even qual ified for the Nike National Championships. I wasn’t on that team, but it was amazing to see what could be accomplished with some dedication.

It takes a team to get you to the top. Who has helped you the most this season and in your career?

I think one thing that is special about our team here is that we have a lot of depth. I ran virtually all my workouts with other people, and at the beginning of the regional race, we tried to form a pack and run together as long as we could. For the first mile and a half of that race, I was right next to fourth-year Ross D’Orfani, and second-year Jonah Barber, and even when I pulled away later, I knew they were working hard. Nationals were different, of course, because I was the only person racing, but we still had a really big group of people — probably about 15 of my teammates from both the men’s and women’s teams — come up to watch and cheer.

Qualifying for Nationals is an amazing accomplish ment. What are your goals for the indoor and out door track season?

One of my big goals for the indoor track season is to take down the school record in the mile. I’m currently five seconds off, and while five seconds is more of a gap in the mile than in the 8K, I think I can definitely cover that. I think there are other people on this team who can break that record too. We’re going to have a really strong mile group this year. As for outdoor track, I’m really excited to return to the steeplechase. That’s an event that I never did in high school and only ran twice last year, but I had a lot of success in it. I placed second in the conference meet, and I ran a really big personal record, so I’m excited to see what I can do with a little more preparation and experience.

Walter Moak at the NCAA Division III National Championships. Photo courtesy of Oberlin Athletics

IN THE LOCKER ROOM

Experiencing Power of Soccer in My Semester Abroad

During a November trip to England, I saw a soccer match of my favorite English club, Newcastle United FC, and experienced the power of a single goal. For 66 minutes, Newcastle battled hard with Chelsea FC before midfielder Joe Willock put the home team in front with a rocket of a goal from the edge of the box. The earthquake that took place when the ball touched the back of the net was unlike anything I’ve experi enced. The roof covering the stands sent the noise from the fans right back where it came from, and I could feel it reverberate through my bones. When I watched the NBC clip of the goal after the game, I could see the camera shake while English commentator Peter Drury made note of the volume in the stadium.

On the contrary, when the United States tied England 0–0 in the World Cup group stage, American fans com plained extensively about the game of soccer. After all, why would anyone enjoy a sport where the game can finish without either team scoring? I’m not going to argue that a goalless draw is the best example of the game (even though you can certainly appreciate mid field and defensive play), but I believe the anticipation of the elusive goal is what draws fans to the game.

Anyone packed into Newcastle’s home of St. James’ Park that day was aware that Willock’s strike wasn’t just any goal. It signified a new era of Newcastle football after an ownership change last year and the introduction of some talented new players. The club will enjoy a top three place in the Premier League on Christmas for the first time since 2002. During that same trip to England, I also saw Manchester United at historic Old Trafford to face Aston Villa — a team that

beat United four days prior. When Aston Villa went ahead 1–0 on a counterattack goal, every bit of life was drained out of the home supporters. The away end, a smaller section of Aston Villa supporters, went into a frenzy as the rest of the stadium looked on with thou sand-yard stares. The famous club that won 13 Premier League titles from 1992–2013 was at risk of losing to a mediocre Aston Villa side twice within one week. The silence was also symbolic of the underwhelming way things have gone for the club since its last Premier League title in 2013. Although United would come back and win the game 4–2 with a raucous crowd cheering on each goal, the first Villa score showed how a goal can drain every bit of happiness out of fans just as much as it can provide it.

My actual study abroad program is in Denmark, and although the quality of its league doesn’t touch England’s, the fan intensity is about the same. The club I’ve seen the most, Brøndby IF, has some of the most passionate — and reckless — fans I’ve ever been around. During a September match against a Western Denmark club, Randers FC, the stadium exploded when Brøndby scored in the first minute. Carlsberg pints went flying as the stands rocked with traditional Danish football chants. On this day at Brøndby Stadium, there wasn’t a story of a perennial underdog finding success or a foot ball dynasty finding frustration, but one of a fanbase that simply lives for the game. The Brøndby supporters are made up of primarily blue-collar people who live to the west of expensive central Copenhagen, and you can tell that being able to cheer on a local club that they feel represents them means everything. That opening minute goal seemed to serve as a reward for the fans’ loyalty, and they fully embraced it.

Drawing from my own experiences this semester to determine why soccer has the hold on the world that it does, I’ve come to the conclusion that it centers around the elusiveness of that single goal. The game can make you wait just a minute for it to happen, or it might not even happen at all. When it does, though, it can create the most dramatic moments in the sporting world.

Navigating Athletic Identity In Wake of UVA Shooting

Continued from page 16

“Part of me thinks it stands out more with them having the platform and identity as athletes,” he said. “But at the same time, I feel like it would lead some people to ignore the tragedy and just see them as ‘football players’ instead of people. I don’t watch UVA football too much and did not know of the players prior to their passing, but will likely remem ber them for what the narratives say about them as players.”

Diskin is no stranger to being known for athletics statistics. Benched due to injury, the football team missed their top wide receiver out on the field this year. However, he says that looking at people based on one aspect of their identity or role can be unin tentionally dehumanizing.

“You don’t see them for who they are, their actions off the field, and the character they possess, but instead

you just see them as numbers,” Diskin said. “Every athlete, student, and per son has many identities, but when we just look at one of their roles, it closes us off to the other parts of the person that make them unique.”

Fourth-year football captain, star quarterback, and basketball guard Chris Allen Jr. also believes that being referred to as an athlete first has different meanings and connotations to people, especially for Black stu dent-athletes, who historically and continually face exploitation within the NCAA.

All five students killed or injured in the shooting were Black. Additionally, the bus was returning from a field trip to Washington D.C. where they had watched a play about the life of Emmett Till that was organized by Theresa Davis, a Theater professor for a class about African-American

playwrights.

“I think being a student-athlete provides a unique opportunity, but it also comes with great responsibility and is something that you have to pay attention to everyday,” Allen Jr. said. “As much as my life involves being an athlete, I wouldn’t say it’s the most important to me, because at some point my time as an athlete will end, and you have to be able to be a well rounded human being.”

Allen Jr. agrees with Diskin in that merely looking at statistics limits a full understanding of a program, and he hopes to be remembered more for his impact on people rather than just his athletic records.

“You don’t see the behind the scenes of everything that goes into the preparation of a team,” Allen Jr. said. “I think a lot of outsiders take that for granted when watching sports. They

don’t see the hours of blood, sweat, and tears the athletes go through on a daily basis. It’s almost disrespectful to look at a player or team that way. Every person has a role on the team–it’ll be different for every person, depending on the role, but whether big or small, every single person mat ters for a team to achieve success.”

It can be easy for fans and com mentators to judge an athletics team based on how they’re ranked in the conference, to criticize a coach for their strategies, or to determine a player’s worth based on how many minutes they’ve played in a game. But the UVA shooting, and the coverage of those affected by it, has shown that student-athletes and coaches deserve to be recognized for more than just their athletic abilities. Their charac ter and humanity cannot be pushed to the sidelines.

Photo courtesy of John Elrod

John Elrod

John Elrod poses at a Newcastle United FC game.

Swim Shatters Oberlin Records in Midseason Invite

Victims Reduced to Statistics in UVA Tragedy Reports

Kayla Kim Zoe Kuzbari Contributing Sports Editors

On Nov. 13, a shooting occurred on a charter bus at the University of Virginia. Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D’Sean Perry, three varsity football players, were killed. Additionally, Mike Hollins, another football player, and Marlee Morgan, a sec ond-year student, were injured. In the weeks fol lowing, the Charlottesville community has taken time to process the event, commemorate the vic tims, and support the survivors.

Andrea Nguyen Sports Editor

The Oberlin swim and dive team was extremely successful at its Midseason Invite, which took place at the Robert Carr Pool in Philips Gym and spanned three days. The Yeowomen took home first place, and the Yeomen placed second out of 12 competing teams. The team made 27 top 10 times, broke four school records, and set 60 personal records over the duration of the meet.

Starting off with the relays, first-years Leo Powers and Daniel Bocsi, with second-years Myles Felt and Isaac Viviano, broke the school record for the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1 minute, 33.42 seconds. Bocsi, Felt, and Viviano, joined by second-year Erik Fendorf, also broke the 400 med ley relay record with a time of 3:25.10 — an aston ishing six seconds faster than the previous one. Earlier this season, the same group placed third in program history in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:09.81.

Members of the two medley groups also did well in their individual events. Bocsi ranked sev enth in program history for the 100 breaststroke (59.44) and eighth for the 100 free (47.50), and Felt ranked second for the 100 backstroke (52.23). If Felt had not already made his mark as fourth in program history for 200 butterfly, his time at the invite (1:57.70) would have placed sixth on the record board. Powers ranked fifth for the 100 fly (51.78) and tenth for the 200 individual medley (1:59.52), and Viviano ranked second for the 100 breast (57.30) and sixth for the 200 I.M. (1:58.17). Additionally, Fendorf placed third in the 50 free (21.07), fourth in the 100 free (47.00), and broke a school record for the 100 fly with a time of 50.35.

Felt reflected on the team’s record-breaking per formances.

“I think the [Midseason Invite] was the team’s breakout meet,” Felt said. “We all had incredible races, and you can see that the effort we’ve been putting in is finally getting shown. We crushed our old times and those relay records, but that’s definitely not our peak. I think we still have room to grow, and it’s exciting to see how far we can go.”

Felt, Fendorf, Viviano, and first-year Miguel Siwady ranked fifth in program history for the 800 free relay (7:07.29). Siwady also placed third for the 500 free (4:41.38), the 1000 free (10:00.16), and the 1650 free (16:30.75), and seventh for the 400 I.M. (4:16.34).

Fendorf believed that the meet showed how much improvement the team made within a year.

“I was excited for the Midseason Invite to get an idea of where our team was compared to last year,” he said. “I think overall, the team has grown tremendously since years prior, as shown through the amount of records and top times that were set. All the work that we’ve put in was showcased with how fast everyone swam, and I think it’s just the start for the team.”

Finally, second-year Finley Barber ranked ninth and eighth in the 100 and 200 breaststroke (59.97 and 2:11.57, respectively).

On the women’s side, second-years Ava Peyton and Elinor Frost, third-year Hannah Hale, and fourth-year Elly Ragone broke the school record for the 200 free relay with a time of 1:38.52. Hale, Frost, Ragone, and first-year Nyrobi Whitfield ranked 10th in program history for the 400 free relay (3:41.17), less than a second behind last year’s ninth-ranked time. Ragone, who earned North Coast Atlantic Conference Swimmer of the Week, raced the second fastest time on the 50 free (24.27) and placed ninth for the 100 free (54.20).

Head Swimming and Diving Coach and Aquatics Director Alex de la Peña was extremely proud of the team’s performance at the meet.

“It is a great sign for us going into the back half of the season,” de la Peña said. “After this meet, we push the reset button as we regroup and get ready to approach the back half of our season.”

Starting at the beginning of Reading Period, the swimmers and divers will have a break until they start training again in Florida over Winter Term. After the success of this meet, Coach de la Peña sees the calm before the storm.

“[We] want to give more flexibility to them during the tougher academic time periods and also give them some time to go home to spend [time] with family for the winter holidays,” de la Peña said. “In total, there are three weeks where we send workouts [for] them to do. This puts a lot of responsibility on their shoulders to continue to train if they want to see a successful back half of the year, but this is a hardworking and responsible group that cares deeply about the team perfor mance as well as their individual performance. … We are also looking to continue to improve on their performances in the water and have great confi dence we will see that happen in February!”

Football was undoubtedly a significant part of Chandler, Davis Jr., and Perry’s lives, especial ly at UVA, a Division I school. However, it took much longer for the public to take interest in who they were off the field and learn about Chandler’s passion for his American Studies major, Perry’s skill in visual art, and Davis Jr.’s role in the Groundskeepers, a group advocating for social change and activism. Before a school-wide memo rial service on Nov. 21 where teammates, friends, and family members celebrated their lives, media coverage and commentary referred to them pri marily by their identities as athletes. For instance, there were discussions of Chandler’s recent trans fer from the University of Wisconsin and Davis Jr.’s anticipated comeback after a recent injury. All three of their numbers — 1, 15, and 41 — along with their media day photos, were featured prominent ly on tributes and art.

Journalists also brought up UVA’s ranking in the conference, head coach Tony Elliot’s overall record, Chandler, Davis Jr., and Perry’s rankings in high school recruitments, and their football statistics at UVA. Additionally, although reactions to UVA canceling the remaining two games of the season were mainly positive, there were still some fans who were angry that the rest of the season ended abruptly.

Jack Diskin, a third-year on the Oberlin football team, believes that referencing the victims as ath letes affected how people viewed the tragedy.

Mourners paid respect at a candlelight vigil on Nov. 14 at UVA.

Photo courtesy of the New