Oberlin College. College of Arts and Sciences.

The system of faculty self-government, and the complex structure of elected councils and committees which gave rise to the creation of a Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 1906, grew out of decisions made in the 19th century, most notably the adoption of the Finney Compact in 1835 which gave control of the academic affairs of the College from the Board of Trustees to the faculty. Charles E. St. John (1857-1935), appointed as the first Dean in 1906, resigned after one year, at which time the administrative duties of the College division returned to the President. Charles Nelson Cole (1871-1945) became Dean in 1911 and served until 1936. His tenure marked a growth in faculty size and student enrollment. Carl Frederick Wittke (1892-1971) headed the division through 1946. Post-World War II decades were characterized by several major administrative reforms which included a revision of faculty governmental bodies. The post-war decades saw enrollment top 2,000 and witnessed the growth of new programs such as Black Studies, East Asian Studies and Women's Studies.