By Jeanne-Kay

Research: Brian Springer, Kathryn Leahey, Jeanne Kay

Prelude: The Discourse of Toxicity

“Toxic Culture.” Steve Lawry’s infamous phrase is now part of the vocabulary of virtually all Antiochians. The year before the Antioch University Board of Trustees (UBoT) resolved to close the college, the key political issue on campus and the polemic that reached alumni revolved around the question of Toxic Culture–whether there was one, how it manifested itself, how to fix it or how to debunk its myth.

To alumni whose only contact with the community in years had been filtered through Media and University intermediaries, “toxic culture” meant a steady decline in academic excellence and increased political narrowness from their time at Antioch onwards; to conservative reporters, “toxic culture” came to be the perfect excuse to write diatribes against political correctness at liberal arts colleges; and to many observers “toxic culture” was a perfect shortcut to explaining how Antioch College had found itself in such an incomprehensibly dire situation: Antioch students were narrow-minded, unstable, out of control–they chased away new students, driving down retention and preventing Antioch from achieving financial stability. The toxic culture narrative made sense–and it was useful.

By Alaa Jahshan

I remember talking to some friends and the words, ?I hate heterosexuals!? came spewing out of my mouth as I realized I was surrounded by several of them. So what, I thought, I?ve heard people around me my whole life say they hate homosexuality, disgusted by it, wouldn?t even consider discussing it, sin itself. I wanted to say fuck you, and I still do. It makes me feel better, but it doesn?t accomplish anything.
First, I thought, I need to deal with my own problems. I feel hate towards traditional heterosexuals and hetero-normative culture. I am many times resentful of the male culture I grew up in, consequently leaving me with an insecure image of manhood and sexuality. Stereotypical men were obscure to me; they interested me because of how oddly charged they were. For lack of a better description, these were the dude bros, man. It was an identity that I felt I had to habituate because my other options did not make much sense. Hell, I had the privilege of physically being one of them, but still I became resentful because I didn?t thrive in that kind of population.

This term, the Record wouldn?t have come to life without our extroaordinary staff who worked with  a (nearly) unfaltering dedication to write articles on time on top of overcredits, busy schedules and other nonstop Antioch activities.

We thank warmly:
Sally for never needing a reminder, Alex for the amazing centerfolds,photos, and time, Sarah for her instituional knowledge, Levi for teaching us so much (!!) Paige for not letting us forget her, Eva for the hours  and the lastminute breakfasts, Zach for all his unpublished op-eds, Ben for the popularityscopes sometimes done in extreme circumstances, AJ for jumping on board so late and getting it so fast, Stacey for her efforts, Billy for managing to make community meeting reports actually entertaining, Kathryn for crossing state borders, Natalie for volunteering, Carl for making us see beyond the bubble, Tommy for being so reliable, Miyuki for her breathtaking bravery, Diana for her journalistic talents, Yuko for her literary mastery and delightul late night playlists, Bryan for his time in the office (Utley for Congress in ?08!), and Mish for being so unbashedly herself and letting it show in her articles.

We also thank all the alumni who have contributed to the Record, by sending contributions, gifts, or letters of support

We thank passionately:
Rowan Kaiser for his unfaltering presence on layout nights
Laura Fathauer for knowing more about Antioch than the whole University Leadership combined
Jonathan Platt for his warm presence
Matt Baya and his webteam for getting the Record online every week
Christian Feuerstein without whom there would have been no first issue
Tim Noble for ?being really great?
Michael Casselli, …he?ll know why.

?You asked me to visit, so here I am? declared Antioch University Chancellor Toni Murdock as she sat down at the AdCil table at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Murdock was responding to an invitation sent to her two weeks prior by the Administrative Council –which was also extended to Board of Trustees Chair Art Zucker and College President Steven Lawry. The invitation?s purpose was ?to discuss the process by which the current leadership of Antioch college was appointed.?

Student Representative Julian Sharp opened the discussion. ?Question number one is why AdCil wasn?t consulted in the change in college leadership.? Murdock said that under more ?normal conditions…, a more thorough process,? would have been followed. When Steve Lawry ?resigned,? he recommended Andrzej Bloch to run the college under the suspension of operations. ?Since we are under suspension there was really no need to have a new president,? she further explained. ?It?s very normal, when a president is [out of office] that the Chief Academic Administrator takes over in that interim type of position.? Murdock confirmed that Lawry was currently under Administrative Leave until December 31st, when his resignation will take effect. When Sharp insisted to know whether Steve intentionally ?stepped down? or was forcibly ?placed? under administrative leave, she refused to make any comment. ?That?s a personnel issue,? she argued. ?I would subscribe that indeed when you have a situation of lack of normalcy and crisis you need to act with more legitimacy and credibility in order to heal the crisis,? remarked faculty member Hassan Nejad, ?and that has been lacking and I don?t know why.?

James Russel from Kettering is browsing the book store on his first day of class at Antioch University McGregor. It?s usual preparation for an entering master?s student, only this time, it?s not just the students that are new to the turf. Last Sunday, McGregor welcomed incoming and returning undergraduate and master?s students to its new 25 Million dollar building on Dayton-Yellow Springs road.

At 55, Russel is above the average age for degree candidates at the adult learner campus, which lies at 40 for master?s students and 38 for undergraduates. With years at the same position working for Montgomery County, it was time for a career change. ?I was attracted to the accelerated full-time Management program,? Russel says on his way back into the classroom on the first floor, for the second portion of the day. ?It?s 22 months. I want to a little more control over my life.?