91ֱ�� College Reaffirms its Commitment to Accessibility with New Scholarship</h1> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� College Reaffirms its Commitment to Accessibility with New Scholarship</h1> <p>swargo — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 18:56:04 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� College Reaffirms its Commitment to Accessibility with New Scholarship</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-09-25T14:56:04-04:00" title="Friday, September 25, 2020 - 14:56">Fri, 09/25/2020 - 14:56</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>OBERLIN, OHIO — To help families address the increasing cost of higher education, 91ֱ�� College will award a $10,000 91ֱ�� Commitment Scholarship to all new students who apply and enroll in fall 2021. The scholarship will be renewable for up to four years for students pursuing degrees in either the College of Arts and Sciences or the Conservatory of Music, and up to five years for students who are pursuing a double degree.<br> <br> Each year, 91ֱ�� dedicates more than $60 million dollars to financial aid to support students and their families and is committed to making higher education affordable for all who aspire to join the 91ֱ�� community. By meeting 100 percent of every student's demonstrated financial need, it is ensured that an 91ֱ�� education is accessible to students from all financial backgrounds. 91ֱ��’s generous merit-aid policy provides an opportunity to further address the rising cost of college for all admitted students while also rewarding their achievements. <br> <br> In many cases, the $10,000 91ֱ�� Commitment Scholarship will be part of a larger need- and/or merit-based package that will be calculated once a student has been admitted. Providing the 91ֱ�� Commitment Scholarship to all students as a baseline sends the strong message that the college is committed to making an 91ֱ�� education affordable for everyone. It is important that 91ֱ�� College reaffirms its commitment to accessibility in this straightforward, universal manner, especially during these uncertain times. </p> <p style="text-align: center;">- ### -</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2020-09-25T12:00:00Z">Fri, 09/25/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2556">Admissions</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2359">Administration</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2385">Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� College Establishes Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity in Response to National Distress</h1> <p>swargo — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 14:40:30 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� College Establishes Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity in Response to National Distress</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-08-28T10:40:30-04:00" title="Friday, August 28, 2020 - 10:40">Fri, 08/28/2020 - 10:40</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>OBERLIN, OHIO —President Carmen Twillie Ambar and 91ֱ�� College announced today the launch of the Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity in response to increasing injustice and racial tensions in America. The Presidential Initiative will elevate and advance 91ֱ��'s more than 180-year commitment to the education and rights of Blacks in America, and will provide the framework for faculty and students to address issues of violence, police-community relationships, and racial injustices. </p> <p><a href="https://www.marshall.usc.edu/personnel/shaun-harper">Shaun Harper</a>, one of the nation’s foremost experts on racial culture on college campuses, will work with the commission to assess and improve 91ֱ��’s approach to campus diversity.</p> <p>‘‘The work of dismantling the vestiges of white supremacy, anti-Black policies, and gender inequality has long been embedded in the promise of 91ֱ�� College,’’ Ambar wrote in her <a href="/news/oberlin-college-establishes-presidential-initiative-racial-equity-and-diversity-response-0">charge to the commission</a> of 21 faculty, staff, and students from the college and the conservatory. ‘‘This work in the 21st century, however, looks different than it did in 1833.’’</p> <p>The announcement follows a personal note Ambar wrote to the 91ֱ�� community after the killing of George Floyd and reflects sentiments expressed across the country after the recent shooting of Jacob Blake. </p> <p>‘‘At every turn it seems we are watching in anguish a world that views African-Americans as less than human and unworthy of dignity,’’ she wrote. ‘‘The Black community—my community—is in excruciating pain. We are contending with what appears to be an unending well of racism and bigotry. We are witnessing an unraveling and a democracy that is now in search of its foundational societal norms. Hatred, anger, illness, and death fill our screens. There is grief at the abandonment of our ideals and a tearing of the heart as we see the impact on our children.’’</p> <p>Meredith Gadsby, associate professor of Africana studies and comparative American studies, and Bill Quillen, dean of the Conservatory, will cochair the commission, which will evaluate 91ֱ��’s programming in both the college and conservatory, review hiring, and examine divisional and departmental climates to identify methods to elevate 91ֱ��’s commitment to equity.</p> <p>‘‘Although this is an incredibly painful moment for Black people, people of color, and all people of conscience, I am energized by examples of generations of Black men and women who mobilized and continue to mobilize in struggle,’’ said Gadsby. ‘‘This energy propels me forward to engage in this important work with President Ambar, colleagues, and students.’’</p> <p>‘‘ 91ֱ�� are united in undertaking this critical mission to help improve and redefine education in America,” said conservatory Dean William Quillen. ‘‘It is imperative that we respond to these challenges with immediacy, for the sake of our students today and for the sake of future generations who deserve a world grounded in equity and an expanded, shared sense of belonging.’’</p> <p>The commission’s work will span the 2020-2021 academic year, with the expectation of both short-term and long-term strategic recommendations at year’s end. Their partnership with Harper and the USC Race and Equity Center will help guide the work, which will include quantitative and qualitative assessments of related efforts already under way at 91ֱ�� and a climate assessment survey of the institution. The commission will lead the development of meaningful anti-racism education and professional development for all members of the campus community and will assess the viability, form, and structure of what a Center on Race and Equity could look like on 91ֱ��’s campus. </p> <p>The commission will evaluate hiring policies and practices that ensure accountability in both the development of diverse applicant pools and the assessment of candidates and will offer initiatives that more effectively launch Black students into graduate programs and professional pursuits after 91ֱ��.</p> <p>President Ambar’s charge requires that recommendations have both an internal and external framing, to ensure the institution can speak nationally and internally in a moment that is critical to both higher education and to the nation. </p> <p>‘‘There are national moments that call upon all of us to gather our energies and take hold of moral missions, and this is one of those moments,’’ Ambar said. ‘‘Once again, we should assess ourselves and the role we play in educating our students to go out into the world to act upon the change that we want to see manifested in it."</p> <p><strong>About 91ֱ��</strong></p> <p>Ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts schools, 91ֱ�� is known for its exemplary academic and musical pedagogy and its commitment to social justice, sustainability, and creative entrepreneurship. The college, founded in 1833, holds a distinguished place among American colleges and universities as the first to grant bachelor's degrees to women in a coeducational environment and was a leader in the education of African Americans. The Conservatory of Music, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, was founded in 1865, making it the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States. 91ֱ�� Conservatory alumni enjoy illustrious careers in all aspects of the music world, achieving prominence as performers, conductors, composers, music educators, scholars, and arts administrators.</p> <p>Contact:</p> <p>Scott Wargo<br> Director of Media Relations<br> 440-775-5197<br> <a href="mailto:Scott.Wargo@oberlin.edu">Scott.Wargo@oberlin.edu</a></p> <p style="text-align: center;">- ### -</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2020-08-28T12:00:00Z">Fri, 08/28/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2359">Administration</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2385">Community</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3490">Presidential Initiative</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Appeals Verdict that Sets Troubling Free Speech Precedent</h1> <p>bdenneen — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 13:42:41 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Appeals Verdict that Sets Troubling Free Speech Precedent</span> <span><span>bdenneen</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-10-08T09:42:41-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 8, 2019 - 09:42">Tue, 10/08/2019 - 09:42</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; justify-content: space-between;"><span>For Immediate Release</span> <span>October 8, 2019</span></p> <p>OBERLIN, OHIO—91ֱ�� College’s Board of Trustees announced today that it voted to appeal the jury verdict that held it and the college’s Dean of Students liable for a protest organized independently by students. Attorneys representing the College filed a Notice of Appeal today appealing the case to the Ninth District Court of Appeals in Akron, Ohio.</p> <p>“The decision is grounded in the board’s fiduciary responsibility to the College’s long-term financial health,” said Board Chairman Chris Canavan. Left standing, the verdict could also set a troubling precedent for those institutions, like 91ֱ��, that are committed to respecting free speech, he said.</p> <p>The College will continue to support the 91ֱ�� business community, Canavan said.</p> <p>The College has assembled an appellate legal team to take on the many dimensions of this case, he said.</p> <p>The team includes First Amendment attorneys Lee Levine and Seth Berlin from the Washington, D.C., office of the national law firm Ballard Spahr and appellate attorneys Benjamin Sassé and Irene Keyse-Walker from the Cleveland office of the national law firm Tucker Ellis. These attorneys will work with trial counsel from Taft Stettinius & Hollister of Cleveland and from Wickens Herzer Panza of Avon to address the intersection of defamation law, First Amendment principles, and Ohio tort reform doctrines this case raises. </p> <p>Levine has a national reputation as a leading First Amendment attorney and, during a career that spans four decades, has argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, has appeared in most federal appeals courts, and has written extensively on First Amendment and defamation law.</p> <p>Berlin has represented clients in First Amendment cases for more than 25 years and has argued cases in numerous federal trial and appeals courts and in state courts across the country. He is also an Adjunct Professor of First Amendment and Media Law at Georgetown University Law Center. </p> <p>“The verdict and judgment in this case set a precedent that endangers free speech on campuses and for all Americans,” Levine said. “The jury was allowed to award substantial damages for speech that is protected by the Constitution. The case should absolutely be reviewed by an appellate court.”</p> <p>Ben Sassé is the chair of an Appellate & Legal Issues group with a long history of taking on state and federal cases at the appellate level. He has successfully argued cases on a broad range of issues before the Ohio Supreme Court and is a regular speaker on Ohio Supreme Court cases and practice.</p> <p>Keyse-Walker has argued hundreds of state and federal appeals across the nation, with a focus on Ohio’s Supreme Court and 12 intermediate appellate courts. She was the first Ohio attorney to be elected to the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and has written and spoken extensively on the development of an appellate practice.</p> <p>“This case never should have gone to the jury in light of the heightened speech protections in the Ohio Constitution, and the trial court made several procedural errors during trial that led to this verdict. Among other things, those errors prevented jurors from hearing critical information about the original incident,” Sassé said.</p> <p>On November 9, 2016, a student was accused of shoplifting and attempting to use a fake ID to purchase alcoholic beverages at Gibson’s Bakery. A member of the Gibson family confronted the student, pursued the student out of the store into nearby Tappan Square, and engaged in a physical altercation with the student, detaining him until police arrived. Two other students also got physically involved in the incident. Several students and others in the Square witnessed the altercation.</p> <p>Within 18 hours, students had organized a protest. The College took steps, consistent with its protest policy, to ensure that it was peaceful and sought to de-escalate tensions in the community.</p> <p>In June 2019, a Lorain County jury awarded Gibson’s Bakery and its family $44 million in connection with the lawsuit. The judge in the case has since reduced the judgment to $31.6 million.</p> <p>“The College and the town of 91ֱ�� have been vital to one another since 1833, and we value our long-term relationships with the town’s citizens and businesses,” Canavan said. “We also have a mission to support free inquiry, allow faculty and students to ask difficult questions and to reach and express their own conclusions. The judgment in this case effectively punishes us for doing just that. In the meantime, the College will continue to focus on bridging divides in our community and pursuing academic excellence, because an intellectually vibrant 91ֱ�� makes a difference for good in our community and in the world.”</p> <p>Additional information about the case and appeal process can be found <a href="/node/169716">here</a>.</p> <h2 style="font-size: 1.5rem; margin-top: 1.5em;">About 91ֱ��</h2> <p>Ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts schools, 91ֱ�� is committed to academic rigor, artistic and musical excellence, and civil engagement in support of a just and equitable world. Founded in 1833, 91ֱ�� was the first college in America to adopt a policy to admit students of color and to award degrees to women in a coed program. 91ֱ��’s history of academic achievement has led its forward-leaning graduates to challenge conventions and to create meaningful positive change in the world.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">- ### -</p> <p>Contact:</p> <p>Scott Wargo<br> Director of Media Relations<br> 440-775-5197<br> Scott.Wargo@oberlin.edu</p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2019-10-08T12:00:00Z">Tue, 10/08/2019 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Procedural Errors Prevented Jurors from Hearing Key Evidence</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2359">Administration</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> </article> <article> <h1>Report: 91ֱ�� College generates $143 million in annual spending for local economy</h1> <p>anagy — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 19:06:30 +0000</p> <span>Report: 91ֱ�� College generates $143 million in annual spending for local economy</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-09-25T15:06:30-04:00" title="Wednesday, September 25, 2019 - 15:06">Wed, 09/25/2019 - 15:06</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>OBERLIN, OHIO— 91ֱ�� College contributes more than $143 million in annual spending to the local economy, according to the college’s first comprehensive economic impact analysis.</p> <p>The results included in <a href="/media/19937/download">“Our Community: 2019 91ֱ�� College Community Impact Report” </a>released today measure the college’s direct and indirect spending, overall economic output, cultural contributions and impact on the community’s residents, workforce and employers.</p> <p>“This report demonstrates how the college and town have always been physically, socially, and economically intertwined,” 91ֱ�� College President Carmen Twillie Ambar said. “Often, the intangibles of community service and instruction can be overlooked when assessing the importance of an institution. We at 91ֱ�� are proud of our community integration, and the impact the college has on quality of life across our region.” </p> <p>In 2019, 91ֱ�� College will directly and indirectly influence more than $200 million in expense output, directly and indirectly influence over 4,000 jobs, and influence just over $29 million in taxes, according to the report.</p> <p>Some additional facts in the report:</p> <ul> <li>About 7 percent of 91ֱ��’s 2,840 students come from Ohio</li> <li>More than 600 graduates live and work in Lorain County</li> <li>Almost 700 graduates reside in Cuyahoga County</li> <li>91ֱ�� students annually engage in 115,000 hours of community service</li> <li>The majority of 91ֱ��’s 1,100-plus employees live and raise their families in Lorain County</li> <li>Over the past 18 years, 79 91ֱ�� High School graduates have attended 91ֱ�� College tuition free.</li> </ul> <p>The college’s contributions to the quality of life in the community are outlined as well, including its ownership of community icons such as The Hotel at 91ֱ�� and the Apollo Theatre.</p> <p>The college’s Bonner Center for Community-Engaged Learning, Teaching, and Research provides the opportunity for students and faculty to connect with community service opportunities in 91ֱ�� and beyond, the report said.</p> <p>“91ֱ�� is committed to community-engaged learning at facilities such as the Bonner Center,” Ambar said. “We also play a significant role in our community’s sustainability efforts. Five buildings on campus have been constructed or renovated in accordance with the Green Building Counsel’s LEED Silver status or higher.”</p> <p>The college contracted with <a href="http://www.implan.com/">IMPLAN</a> of Huntersville, N.C., to conduct the study to determine the college’s financial and cultural impacts on the community. The company used public economic and institutional data, along with information from the college, as the basis for its analysis. </p> <p><span style="font-size: 1.25rem;">The full report can be viewed <a href="/media/19937/download">here</a>. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><span style="font-size: 1.25rem;">Contact:</span></strong></p> <p>Scott Wargo<br> Director of Media Relations<br> 440-775-5197<br> Scott.Wargo@oberlin.edu</p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: center;">- ### -</p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2019-09-25T12:00:00Z">Wed, 09/25/2019 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2385">Community</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2359">Administration</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The Cox Administration Building.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Gregory Pendolino</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>