Revitalized Campus in Critical Moment for College Traditions

OPINIONS

October 29, 2021 Established 1874 Volume 151, Number 4

Racism and Assault Allegations: Ugly Side of Oberlin Yik Yak

Kayla Kim Columnist

EdItOrIal BOard

EdItOrS-IN-ChIEf Anisa Curry Vietze Kushagra Kar

MaNagINg EdItOr Gigi Ewing

OPINIONS EdItOr Arman Luczkow

Editor’s note: This article discusses anti-Black racism and sexual assault.

As a first-year at Oberlin, I’ve learned that there are a lot of things that aren’t explained at Orientation. I’ve learned where to find the womb chairs in Mudd Center and how to jaywalk between Wilder Hall and the Science Center without getting hit by a car. I’ve also learned about Yik Yak, a popular app where you can make anonymous confessions that are only visible to people within a five-mile radius. I’ve seen humorous posts about topics that are quintessentially Oberlin: long lines at Stevenson Dining Hall, the elusive albino squirrel, and things that are probably best kept between friends. However, I have also noticed some more disturbing trends: posts making students of color uncomfortable, severe anti-Black racism, and posts exposing sexual abusers.

One such incident on Yik Yak involved white students complaining about being uncomfortable while walking through Afrikan Heritage House to get to Lord-Saunders Dining Hall. The Afrikan Heritage House is a living space and community for students who are part of the African Diaspora, and it’s worth noting that the main entrance to Lord-Saunders Dining Hall does not require anyone to pass through the dorms. When Black students expressed their own discomfort with the posts on Yik Yak, non-Black students were quick to mock and harass them in the comments.

While all posts related to this incident were downvoted, deleted, and unable to be screenshotted, I was able to get a screenshot of another concerning post. In this post, the user wrote, “So we’re not talking about how flex points are like being paid ‘store credits’ for picking cotton?” comparing the controversial Oberlin meal plan to chattel slavery.

In less extreme cases, I’ve seen students of color voice their frustrations about being talked over by white peers or experiencing microaggressions; yet, far too often, there are comments talking down to them and their experiences.

To be completely honest, I wasn’t very surprised to see this happening. I knew that Oberlin, as a predominantly white institution, would have these issues despite building its brand and reputation on being “inclusive” and “accepting.” Furthermore, as a person of color, I already knew that there are plenty of white “allies” who will say one thing to your face and another behind your back. It was comforting to know that the majority of the Oberlin community did not agree with these messages, with users quick to call out and downvote the people who made racist posts. Despite this, it’s still incredibly unsettling that people feel comfortable making these statements in the first place. Yik Yak gives people the ability to be anonymous and say whatever bigoted statements they would like with absolutely no consequences.

In addition to perpetuating racism on campus, people have also been using Yik Yak to call out sexual predators, specifically on the men’s athletic teams, and have used full names and social media handles to warn others. Most of these posts get taken down because Yik Yak does not allow posts with full names, but this does not deter people from continuing to discuss rape culture at Oberlin. While people post names with good intentions, this harms survivors emotionally.

Emma Hart, College third-year and founder and leader of Survivors of Sexual Harm and Allies, emphasized that conversations centering sexual harm survivors need to be held, but she also acknowledged the complexity of using social media to make allegations.

“When posting on social media, speak from your own experience,” said Hart. “When other people take [a survivor’s story] to debate or use as a form of gossip, … it’s retraumatizing for a survivor.”

Though I understand that there are laws, privacy issues, and regulations involved, learning about these sexual assault allegations from Yik Yak has been disturbing. It’s barely been a full month since I’ve been here, but because of these posts, I’m already having doubts about how well Oberlin truly supports victims of sexual assault.

With that said, it is important to acknowledge that the College has taken some steps

See Troubling page 7

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Revitalized Campus In Critical Moment for College Traditions

For the first time since March 2020, the full student body is on campus. For those of us who were at Oberlin during the past three semesters, when campus was “de-densified,” this can feel both overwhelming and invigorating. The campus once again feels full of life — some argue too full — and yet it’s also apparent that things are very different than they were the last time we all were in town.

The reality is, more than half of current students, both first- and second-years, have never experienced “traditional” college life. Secondyears, just like their first-year peers, are encountering for the first time a lively, full campus with events like concerts and Splitchers. For most of last year, the basic elements of the college experience — such as indoor dining, studying in libraries, and parties — were outlawed. First-years had their high school years irrevocably altered by COVID-19, and many are starting their college experience on shaky legs. In first-year seminars and Peer Advising Leader groups, first-years have expressed concerns about whether they are prepared for the academic rigor required at the collegiate level.

Underclassmen now have to navigate many aspects of Oberlin’s culture for the first time. Some traditions — such as attending “Organ Pump” in Finney Chapel or watching a movie at the Apollo Theatre — are easier to carry on. However, COVID-19 dealt a serious blow to the larger campus culture.

Student organizations are one of the primary drivers of Oberlin culture. While many clubs shut down during the pandemic, their hiatus was prolonged past the initial shutdown by the de-densified campus that continued through the summer. With fewer students on campus at a time, gaining quorum for smaller and more niche clubs proved to be a challenge. Now, clubs are reinvigorated — improv troupes that have not performed in years are holding auditions, student support networks are gaining momentum, and identity-based organizations have a higher membership.

But the lack of student institutional knowledge is creating challenges. Clubs that had paused for months, and failed to recruit new members, are now lacking the knowledge that has historically been transferred from older students to newcomers. This ranges from logistical tasks, such as how to run officer elections or plan meetings, to traditions such as community dinners and social events. Larger goals often fall by the wayside. Many third- and fourth-years are burned out from running student organizations over Zoom, and new club leaders now feel that they are engaging in the daunting task of reinventing the wheel.

There’s also a noticeable disconnect between upperclassmen and lowerclassmen. While third- and fourth-years grew closer over the summer semester, when they were all living together on north campus, they have only spent a single, hybrid semester on campus with secondyears. This has resulted in fewer close friendships and meaningful interactions between upperclassmen and lowerclassmen.

As a result of this distance between class years, it’s become more difficult to pass on the culture of Oberlin. This isn’t just a loss for Oberlin’s student institutions, it also constitutes a devastating loss of a classic Oberlin tradition: peer mentorship. This Editorial Board has many alumni to thank, not only for supporting us through social pressures and academic opportunities, but also for teaching us how to love Oberlin. We can’t imagine having the same Oberlin experience without their support.

As we transition back into a newly revitalized campus, we are not only setting the tone for the academic year ahead of us, but we are rebuilding Oberlin’s culture for generations of Obies to come. Moving into the rest of this semester, we invite all the members of our Oberlin community to be more intentional about the culture and tone they are setting. The actions we take now will define Oberlin in the coming years.