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Oberlin loses Gibson lawsuit appeal
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Anonymous
| Oh, litigator. You know just enough to think you know what’s going on, but not nearly as much as you think you do. Do you not see the fundamental flaw in the reasoning of true commentary piece you linked to? |
Anonymous
Wow. I hope you don't litigate insurance coverage disputes. This is the usual insurance carrier BS. |
Anonymous
According to this, applications and yield are declining and acceptance rate is going up. This article says they’ve kept enrollment steady by offering generous merit aid, which they can’t sustain financially. In 2016, Oberlin’s acceptance rate was 28% & it was 36% in 2020 & 35% in 2021. Apps were up slightly in 2021, but yield dropped from 30% to 20%. Note the dates when the downward trend started? https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/04/18/amid-budget-deficits-and-unfavorable-demographics-oberlin-pushes-do-more-less |
Anonymous
As an insurance coverage insurer, I will submit that this is a bit different from the “usual insurance carrier BS,” although that is not the same as saying the carrier’s position has merit. That said, I agree that pp most likely doesn’t know anything about insurance coverage beyond what they could comprehend of the article they cited. Beyond that, I can say nothing about this because AIG is a client. |
Anonymous
That article is from 2019 and therefore says nothing about 2020 and 2021 statistics. |
Anonymous
Whether or not the insurer’s position stands, PP is just annoyed that they were called out on the “this isn’t Oberlin’s call because the insurance company is calling the shots on the litigation” bs. That’s clearly not the case, and it also explains a lot about some of the boneheaded, emotionally-driven, decisions Oberlin has made. Further, I certainly hope pp isn’t operating under the assumption that their company E&O policy would cover any willful tort or slander they should commit on the job. |
Anonymous
I know. I looked those up separately. https://www.collegetuitioncompare.com/trends/oberlin-college/admission/ https://www.acceptancerate.com/schools/oberlin-college |
Anonymous
Plus, the article has to do with a potential rebalancing of seats between the con and arts and sciences Becaise the con loses the college so much money and there is demand in A& S for Con resources. |
Anonymous
Those numbers don’t line up with the CDS. |
Anonymous
Yes, because they were running unsustainable deficits (even before the Gibson verdict). From the article: Needed: More Revenue Like many other small private colleges, Oberlin faces challenging financial times ahead. In addition to structural deficits that could last several years if unaddressed, Ambar said, Oberlin is confronting the reality of smaller numbers of high school graduates in the Northeast that puts it at a distinct disadvantage, since unlike many larger colleges, it primarily serves traditional-age students. The extra revenue from more liberal arts students can’t come fast enough. Last June, the board approved a $160 million budget that included a projected $4.7 million deficit. Without making cuts, the college’s deficit could have been as high as $9 million this year, an "unsustainable" figure that would hamper Oberlin's ability to offer financial aid "and to invest in our faculty, staff and campus," college officials said in an open letter to campus. Ambar, along with Chris Canavan, Oberlin’s board chair, and Chesley Maddox-Dorsey, the vice chair, said the college last year raised enrollment. "But we’ve also had to contribute more financial aid, so the net revenue gain from improved enrollment has been modest. In other words, we are exhausting our pricing power," they wrote. |
Anonymous
Actually, this bit about Lexington tells us nothing about whether the primary carrier is directing the defense. |
Anonymous
It doesn’t state it directly, but from the pleading, it’s pretty clear that there is not agreement that Oberlin is covered. That makes sense, since the jury found “actual malice” on the part of Oberlin administrators. In any case, an Oberlin press release says the Oberlin board voted to authorize the appeal and Oberlin “assembled” the appellate “team” representing them. This doesn’t read like a board that isn’t concerned because an insurance company is picking up all the legal fees and judgment. https://www.oberlin.edu/news/oberlin-appeals-verdict-sets-troubling-free-speech-precedent For Immediate Release October 8, 2019 OBERLIN, OHIO—Oberlin 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. “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 Oberlin, that are committed to respecting free speech, he said. The College will continue to support the Oberlin business community, Canavan said. The College has assembled an appellate legal team to take on the many dimensions of this case, he said. |