Mission Statements

Mission Statements of the Oberlin Democratic Socialists

Transparency

The Transparency Campaign’s mission is to hold the Board of Trustees accountable to our demands of publishing a pre-meeting agenda and meeting minutes in a way that is accessible and digestible to all students. We want to establish a broader connection between students and the board, reinforcing our financial say in the institution as its constituents, and creating a dialogue so that we are informed and part of the decision-making.

Education

The Education Committee’s mission is to improve historical literacy, cultivate class consciousness, and provide tools for critical thinking within the Oberlin College student body. We strive to collaborate within the Oberlin Democratic Socialists and beyond to emphasize community action.

Labor

The Labor Committee aims to connect our mission as student socialists in general to the labor movement in particular by supporting working people in the Oberlin community in labor conflicts, encouraging working-class consciousness among working students, advocating for better conditions for student workers, and increasing the knowledge level of labor politics and organizing among the student body, keeping in mind that we will all be workers in the future — if not already.

Community Outreach 

The Community Outreach Committee's mission is to cultivate a relationship between Oberlin students and the broader Oberlin community through practical action and collective community effort, specifically focused for Oberlin students to gain insight into the inequalities and policy of the surrounding town and county. The efforts of the committee currently pertain to residents, such as the cut of SNAP benefits, loss of housing and development needs, and the future of the megasite currently underway in Northeast Ohio.