December 22, 2023

To:      Alumni for Oberlin Values (AOV) Steering Committee Oberlin College

From:   Matthew Lahey, vice president, general counsel and secretary of Oberlin College
            Transmitted via email from: secretary.office@oberlin.edu

Dear Alumni for Oberlin Values (AOV) Steering Committee –

Thank you for your emails of October 10 and July 10, 2023.  I am responding as Secretary of the Board of Trustees – my apologies for the delay in my response.  As you may know, Oberlin College’s Chair of the Board of Trustees, Chris Canavan, has engaged in discussions on two occasions (in Washington D.C. and at Homecoming) this fall with groups that involve a number of AOV members. The discussion focused on a number of issues, some of which were similar to those raised below.  While it is fair to say that AOV’s steering committee and Oberlin College’s leadership disagree on some of these points, it is undoubtedly the case that all involved have Oberlin’s best interests in mind. 

Your suggestion that Oberlin work to increase the percentage of Pell Grant recipients is intriguing.  Your suggestion would require an investment of $50,000 per student per year.  For example, an increase in Pell students from 8% of the total student body to 10% would increase total Pell recipients by approximately 60 students, which would require an investment of $3.0 million a year ($750k in year 1, $1.5 million in year 2, $2.25 million in year 3, and $3.0 million each year thereafter).  If your group would be willing to commit to donate those sums each year going forward, Oberlin would be willing to invest in the additional support resources required to assist with the retention and success of additional Pell students. Another way to consider ongoing support would be to create an endowment of $1.14 million per student or $68.6 million for 60 students. Please let me know if you would like to embark on this fundraising effort, and if so, we will discuss how Advancement can establish a fund for this purpose.

As for your other suggestions, the Oberlin College Board of Trustees will not be able to engage with or respond to the list presented below. Please know that the Board’s decisions on these issues are made through careful and deliberative processes, in keeping with good governance and institutional practices. 

Again, thank you for your passion and enthusiasm for an institution that means so much to all of us.
 

– Matt

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