Campus Bulletins | 91ֱ��

A&PS Brown Bag Lunch and Open Mic

Suzanne Denneen — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 10:06:02 -0400

Bring your brown bag lunch to the ’Sco on Wednesday, August 14 to see your coworkers show off their talents and interests – and perhaps unleash some of your own.

Wednesday, August 14
Noon to 1:30 p.m. at the ’Sco

Spectators

If you just want to enjoy the show without taking the mic, all you need to do is

set a reminder on your calendar to bring your lunch that day,
invite your coworkers, and
enjoy your lunch at the ’Sco.

Performers

Are you considering taking the mic? We all have talents and creative impulses, but we don’t often have an opportunity to show them off for our work friends. You know what I’m talking about…that thing you’re really good at, or at least you really love to do? Yes, that! There is an opportunity to share it with your A&PS friends and colleagues. Sing a song, play an instrument, read one of your poems or short stories, tell some jokes, show off your best mime moves (no mic needed)…whatever you can think of. It’s the first time we’re trying an event like this so we’re not sure what will happen – but we promise a supportive and forgiving audience!

You’ll have 5–7 minutes in front of the mic, but 7 is the max – don’t make us give you the Vaudeville hook!
Bands are welcome, but we’ll only have one mic set up so band performances will be acoustic.
Performers must register. Those who register at least a day in advance will be assigned an estimated performance time. Participants who register that day will be slotted in after the registered performers, and we’ll get through as many of you as we can before the event ends at 1:30 p.m.

People who want to perform can sign up here:

Please email Suzanne Denneen with any questions about this event.

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Posted to Faculty and Staff.
Suzanne Denneen

Will you help us bring in the class of 2027?

Suzanne Denneen — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 11:30:59 -0400

Each spring after admissions decisions are released, our admitted students are invited to campus to get to know 91ֱ��. This program is called All Roads Lead to 91ֱ��, and this year the visit dates are March 31 and April 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21.

I don’t even work in Admissions but I look forward to All Roads each year. It’s exciting to see the bright-eyed admits and their families discovering the 91ֱ�� that I know and love – which is the 91ֱ�� all of you bring into being. And while our colleagues in Admissions do an amazing job putting these events together and welcoming the visitors, it seems important to let them know every single staff and faculty member is glad they’re here, too. That’s why a group of like-minded colleagues from across campus has received permission from Admissions to augment the programming that they’ve put together. Will you join us in making our campus as welcoming as possible during these visits?

What are we asking you to do?

It’s easy –

On All Roads days wear a button we’ll provide that identifies you as a staff or faculty member.
Be out and about on campus when you’re able to be a welcoming presence and to answer questions our visitors might have.
If you’re willing to do more, sign up for a 30-minute shift to direct the admitted students to their classes inside one of the classroom buildings.

What if someone asks a question you can’t answer?

Besides the button, we’ll also provide you with a campus map and an All Roads schedule, which should cover most of the questions that you’ll encounter. However, these are future Obies, after all, so there could be some challenging questions, too. We’re putting together a cheat sheet of contacts so if you don’t know the answer to a question you can say, “I don’t know, but let me find out.”

How can you take part?

Fill out this brief form to request a button, and/or to let us know times you might be available to direct students to their classrooms. We’ll send you information about how to get a button, what your responsibilities will be on those days, and to confirm your schedule.

I hope you’re able to get out and help with this important work in the coming weeks.

Thank you,

Suzanne Denneen

Posted to Faculty and Staff.
Suzanne Denneen

Executive Director of The Center for Race, Equity, and Inclusion Search Update

Carmen Twillie Ambar — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 15:13:28 -0500

Dear Obies,

As outlined in the Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity Commission’s Report, one of the various recommendations we are committed to as an institution is the creation of a new, innovative center – The Center for Race, Equity, and Inclusion. This Center will ensure 91ֱ�� continues to be a valued contributor to the national conversation on race. The Center will bring together academic opportunities, co-curricular experiences, career programming, mentorship, community building, and civic engagement related to race, equity, and inclusion all under one umbrella.

At the helm of this work, 91ֱ�� will need a distinctly qualified and committed leader, uniquely poised to launch the Center as envisioned. To help us in the search for this person, we have retained the services of Spencer Stuart to work with us on this important endeavor. The search committee has been established and a position profile will be posted shortly. As we think about potential candidates to fill this position, I wanted to provide you with the names of the search committee members so you can nominate candidates either through Spencer Stuart via their confidential email inbox at 91ֱ��EDCREI@SpencerStuart.com, or by reaching out to the search committee. As the search progresses, I look forward to updating our community on this important step to cementing 91ֱ��’s voice in the national conversation.

Executive Director of The Center for Race, Equity, and Inclusion Search Committee

Carmen Twillie Ambar, President – Chair of the Committee
Laura Herron, Associate Dean for Academic Standing & Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies
David Hertz, Chief of Staff – ex officio member
Scott Hwang, Senior Assistant Dean & Director of the Multicultural Resource Commons
David Kamitsuka, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences
Gunnar Kwayke, Robert W. & Eleanor H. Biggs Professor of Neuroscience
Chudi Martin ’23, student
Jan Miyake ’96, Associate Professor of Music Theory & Division Director of Music Theory
William Quillen, Dean of the Conservatory of Music
Sally Takada, Associate Dean, Artistic Programming and External Relations
Kymber Taylor, Associate Vice President & Chief Data & Analytics Officer
Veronica Padilla Vriesman, Assistant Professor of Geosciences

Sincerely,

Carmen Twillie Ambar
President

Posted to Presidential Initiative.
Carmen Twillie Ambar

Student Support Requests

Communications Staff — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 11:01:09 -0400

91ֱ�� provides a range of on-campus resources to help students navigate the many opportunities and challenges of being a college student. One such resource is the Student Support Request form, which parents and families can submit on behalf of a student. This form provides a way to express concern for students, connect them with resources, and support their well-being and academic success.

What are Student Support Requests?

The Student Support Request is a form that is available to students, faculty, staff, parents/guardians, families, and others. It is a method to refer a student who may be struggling emotionally, behaviorally, or academically to obtain additional support and resources.

Who should submit a Student Support Request?

Often there is more than one person who has a concern for a student, so the form is available to faculty, staff, and students on campus, as well as to parents/guardians, family members, and others off campus.

When should I submit a Student Support Request?

Please submit a request whenever you have a concern about a student and believe they would benefit from additional support. The earlier a student connects with resources, the more options they will have for addressing their concerns.

When should I not submit a Student Support Request?

If there is an emergency or immediate threat, contact Campus Safety at 440-775-8911 (open 24 hours 7 days a week).

How do I submit a Student Support Request?

Access the form here or on the Office of the Dean of Students website.

What happens when I submit a request?

Staff members from the Dean of Students Office, the Academic Advising Resource Center, and the Conservatory Dean’s Office will review submissions during business hours Monday through Friday and determine the best follow-up actions based on the nature of the concern. Please note that while you may submit a Student Support Request to the college, the Federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) may prohibit the college from sharing students’ academic, personal, and medical information with others without the individual student’s written consent.

Posted to Current Students, Faculty and Staff, Parents.
Communications Staff
Academic Advising Resource Center, Office of the Dean of Students, Office of the Dean of the Conservatory

Investment Committee Creates Impact Investment Advisory Group

Investment Office — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 15:27:22 -0500

In September 2022, the 91ֱ�� Investment Committee approved the formation of the Impact Investment Advisory Group (IIAG) and selected its inaugural student members to support the endowment’s Impact Investment Platform.

The roles of the IIAG are to:

consult with the Investment Committee regarding the continuous development of the Impact Investment Platform
offer meaningful experiential learning opportunities for students in partnership with academic programs within the College of Arts and Sciences
help educate the student body and the broader 91ֱ�� community on the Impact Investment Platform, as well as the mission and purpose of the endowment in general.

In partnership with the Social Entrepreneur in Residence program presented through 91ֱ��'s Center for Engaged Liberal Arts, five student Social Entrepreneurship/IIAG Fellows will work closely with the Investment Committee, Investment Office staff, and faculty members to conduct research projects in impact investing related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG); diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); and other relevant topics.

Students interested in future IIAG opportunities are invited to contact Laura Baudot, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Investment Office Home

Posted to Current Students, Faculty and Staff, Parents.
Investment Office

Zoom Ceases Support for Software Below Version 5.8.6

The Center for Information Technology — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 10:37:46 -0400

Zoom plans to implement a new Software Lifecycle Policy in which they will block client versions below a minimum version, and enforce a minimum version on a quarterly schedule — the first weekend of November, February, May, and August. This will take effect on November 5, 2022.

Users who are running version 5.8.6 or below after November 5 will not be able to join meetings via the Zoom Client and will be prompted to update, or join from the Web browser. On that same schedule, they will announce the minimum version required across products and services for the next scheduled enforcement in order to provide three (3) months notice. However, there may be additional updates outside of this release window to address larger security or compliance features.

We highly recommend you regularly download and update to the latest version of Zoom software to take advantage of all the latest security and functionality features. Please review how to check your current Zoom client version and update Zoom if it is below version 5.8.6.

Posted to Current Students, Faculty and Staff.
The Center for Information Technology
Center for Information Technology

91ֱ�� Partners with United Nations Institute for Training and Research and the Global Foundation for the Performing Arts

Carmen Twillie Ambar, President — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:44:00 -0400

Hi Obies,

I could not be more proud and excited to share the news that 91ֱ�� has formed a new partnership with the United Nations and the Global Foundation for the Performing Arts, or GFPA.

Last summer, the UN Institute for Training and Research, UNITAR, approached 91ֱ�� seeking a partnership with a like-minded institution that is working toward equity, social engagement, carbon neutrality, and above all has a mission to do good in the world.

Attracted by the conservatory’s world-class reputation, UNITAR approached us with the idea of partnering. They quickly realized that 91ֱ��’s excellence in both the conservatory and arts and sciences would make 91ֱ�� an attractive undergraduate institution to partner with in an effort to enhance the culture and quality of life in countries around the world.

This partnership is only one of a handful that UNITAR is creating with US colleges and universities, and their 91ֱ�� partnership is the only one focused on undergraduate students.

It didn’t take us long to identify ways in which 91ֱ�� and UNITAR could collaborate, and we’ve agreed to partnering in three areas.

Perhaps most significant will be our shared work to provide access for students in UN member countries to come to 91ֱ�� to study in our undergraduate programs in arts and sciences and music. These students will apply to 91ֱ�� through our existing processes, meet our existing rigorous academic standards, and matriculate into our existing academic programs. But the UN and 91ֱ�� will partner on outreach efforts and coordinate funding of students through the UN and students’ home countries.

We are also in conversation about developing an intensive English immersion program designed to prepare international students for study in UN partner programs across the US. The program will bring students from across the globe to 91ֱ�� each summer.

Finally, we will work with the UN on joint practice-based initiatives that include performance opportunities, educational and research opportunities, conferences, and symposia, all in partnership with the United Nations’ Institute for Training and Research and the Global Foundation for the Performing Arts.

The first of these initiatives will kick off in December, when our choir and orchestra will perform for the United Nations at Carnegie Hall. Many of our students and faculty are already working to prepare for this December performance.

I cannot overstate how excited I am and how much potential this partnership has to transform 91ֱ�� in positive ways, making our campus more global and helping us live out our mission to improve the world for good. 91ֱ��, UNITAR and GFPA will have more to announce in the coming months, and I am looking forward to helping shape our work with these incredible new partners.

Carmen Twillie Ambar
President

Read the press release to learn more about the parternship.

Posted to Current Students, Faculty and Staff, Parents.
Carmen Twillie Ambar, President
Office of the President

Wireless Improvements in Residence Halls

Center for Information Technology — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 08:40:59 -0400

CIT made significant wireless improvements were made in all residence halls over the summer. If you experience wireless problems, please contact the CIT Help Desk by opening a ticket at https://support.oberlin.edu.

Posted to Current Students, Faculty and Staff.
Center for Information Technology
Center for Information Technology

Reproductive Healthcare Will Continue at 91ֱ��

Carmen Twillie Ambar, President — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 08:49:52 -0400

Recent media reports have inaccurately characterized 91ֱ��’s plans pertaining to reproductive healthcare and gender affirming care for our students. I wish to be clear. 91ֱ�� is committed to the health and total well-being of all of our students. This commitment requires that we provide a high level of care across a wide scope of services, including reproductive healthcare and gender affirming care.

That is why we were intentional earlier this year in selecting Harness Health Partners (HHP), a division of Bon Secours Mercy Health, as the provider who would staff and operate Student Health Services. Harness Health was a strong partner throughout the pandemic, when they were invaluable in our COVID testing protocols. Bon Secours, a Catholic health system, owns Mercy-Allen Hospital, which has cared for our students for years as the only hospital in the city of 91ֱ��.

This year, before we committed to expanding our partnership to the operation of our Student Health Services, 91ֱ�� and HHP held a number of conversations about the type of care required to serve our students effectively. These conversations included discussions about gender affirming care and reproductive health as it relates to access to birth control. HHP provided assurances on these issues and both parties worked together to prepare for a new school year.

In recent days, Bon Secours informed 91ֱ�� through media reports and emails that they are no longer comfortable with their prior position with respect to the prescription of contraceptives for the explicit purpose of birth control and the implementation of gender affirming care. While we were disappointed by this change so close to the start of the semester, we quickly moved to ensure the needs of our students would be met without interruption. Our solution was to turn to another partner with whom we have had an established working relationship.

Last year, Family Planning Services of Lorain County (FPSLC) supplemented Student Health Services and conducted Sexually Transmitted Infection testing clinics on campus. This year, (FPSLC) will provide reproductive healthcare services on campus, including offering contraception, STI testing and treatment, PrEP and PEP for HIV prevention, as well as Pap exams. FPSLC will offer gender affirming care and dispense reproductive health contraceptives and medication such as Plan B on campus. Currently, they will operate out of the Student Health Center three days a week; on the days they are off-campus, 91ֱ�� will provide transportation to FPSLC, which also is considering offering telemedicine visits for students.

91ֱ�� already hosts three vending machines that dispense condoms. We are exploring the possibility of placing vending machines on campus that would dispense Plan B and other contraceptives.

As I have said in my various public statements on this issue, equitable access to reproductive health is a personal value that is critically important to me. I also believe this to be an institutional value as well. So I want to assure our students and parents, faculty, staff, and alumni that we will have a layered approach to student care that will include the full range of reproductive healthcare services that our students deserve.

Carmen Twillie Ambar
President

Posted to Current Students, Faculty and Staff, Parents.
Carmen Twillie Ambar, President
Student Health Services, Office of the President

Reproductive Health at 91ֱ��

Carmen Twillie Ambar, President — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 12:47:40 -0400

Hi Obies,

As you prepare to return to campus, I’m reaching out today from 91ֱ��’s Student Health Center, to talk about an issue that I know is on the minds of many in the 91ֱ�� community.

Following the Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, we have understandably received questions about how reproductive health services might be affected here at 91ֱ��, and I am pleased to be able to answer those questions, and address concerns.

When the Dobbs decision was released in June, I expressed my strong belief that access to reproductive healthcare is a matter of equity, and promised that 91ֱ�� would continue to support the reproductive health needs of our students, faculty, and staff, even as the state and federal climate has made this more difficult. As always, the health, safety, and welfare of the 91ֱ�� community is our institutional priority.

Earlier this month, I traveled to The White House to participate in a roundtable discussion with Vice President Kamala Harris, where a select group of college presidents addressed the Supreme Court decision and its impact on the reproductive rights of students across the nation.

Here at 91ֱ��, we will continue to provide students access to the full range of reproductive health services that we have in the past. As many of you know, 91ֱ�� has a new partner in student health services. You may be familiar with Harness Health Partners as the organization that helped support our COVID testing on campus.

When we signed the contract with Harness we were intent on ensuring that the services available at our Student Health Center were comparable to those services provided in the past. The Student Health Center, for example, will continue to provide prescriptions for birth control and Plan B, referrals for those seeking an abortion, and STI testing and treatment. Additionally, the College is partnering with Family Planning Services of Lorain County to further provide access and support.

The Sexual Information Center will continue to be a resource for students seeking access to contraceptives, including Plan B, as well as sexual health promotion and educational resources. We will also continue to work with the 91ֱ�� Doula Collective, which provides support and community for those seeking abortions. And while we have never inquired about the exact purpose of a student’s use of emergency funds needed for health procedures, these funds will still be available to those who meet its criteria.

I know these are complicated and challenging times for many who are unsure of what access they may have to reproductive healthcare in a moment of need. As the landscape evolves nationally and in Ohio, 91ֱ�� will continue to evaluate the best ways to ensure our community’s access to these services and support. In the meantime, I encourage you to reach out to the College’s Student Health Center should you have additional questions and concerns. I know the staff in these offices want to be of service to you.

Regards,

Carmen Twillie Ambar
President

Additional Resources

Posted to Current Students, Faculty and Staff, Parents.
Carmen Twillie Ambar, President
Office of the President, Student Health Services