tOfficial Undergraduatenmmentntnr Newspaper of Yeshiva College September 21, 1993/ 6 Tishrei 5754 YFSIDVA UNIVERSITY,NEWYORK, NY Volume L VIII, No.2 fJlemorlal �tlgn .on.Rav.David Lifschitz, Pages"7-9 Marttila & Kiley ; ·, / ,... Release Survey by Ryan S. Karben program, said that while the reportcqntained "fewSUiprises," � A May 1993 survey of YC it is "extremely valuable as part [ students designed to shapenew of an ongoing effort to attract ;.:: recruitment techniques has more qualified students to the � Administrators expressing College." optimism about the school's The report recommends that FormerProfessor William Dean Schwartz of prospects for growth, and YU use a more "values­ confidence that they can oriented" approach to Boston U. Law overcomethe deepdissatisfaction recruitment, citing the 68% of with the University's respondents who said that ',)Raj A.ppointed administration expressed by completing their college (Ii� , MillerMei; G�uiwicht, Rav Dovid Lifshitz. zt"/ and D;, Israel education in an Orthodox /' ' , ' , , respondents. , . dancing in the Beit Medrash, Purim 1992 'Academic VP The. survey, completed by Jewish environment was the by Gene Alperovich 57% of the student body, was "most important" factor in their conducted by the Boston-based decision to come to YU. YC Cracks Down On In a long awaited decision, firm of Marttila and Kiley. It Thereportnotedgreatconcem YU President Norman.·H. poil\tsto the growing positive about YC' s academic program Lamm announced on influence of the Israel experience bystudents;one-thirdofstudents CLEPs September 8, 1993 the on YC's recruitment pool, and said academic concerns gave appointment of Dr. William reinforces the notion that the them greatestcause for hesitancy Schwartz as the new Vice school'svalues and philosophy, aboutatten ding YU. Ten Subjects to be Phased Out President for Academic Affairs. rather than its academic Administrators say those Dr. Schwartz, who will replace program or reputation, attract concernsare being addressed, by Sandor Bak background in the subject area, the retiring Dr. Egon Brenner, students to YC. and expect the hiring of a new and breezing through with will officially assume his post Associate Director of Academic Vice President to Ina move aimed at bolstering "twenty minutes of studying on October 11, 1993. Admissions Michael Kranzler, greatly aid the process. As part the quality of education at the the night beforethe test." Hecht The former Dean of the who is responsible for YU's of the effort,school officialsnote University, the Academic noted that "many students have undergraduate recruitment Boston University School of continued on page 11 StandardsCommittee has dErided come over to me after taking Law, Dr. Schwartz has served toreduce the number of College­ the exams and told me that the as counsel to the nation's oldest l.evelExaminationProgram(CLEP) tests were way too simple and law firm, Cadwalader, YU·APPOINTS DAVID testsfor which YC willgrant credit fell far short of college-level Wickersham & Taft, since 1988. Beginningwiththespringsemester, work." In addition, Dr. Schwartz is a GOTTESMAN CHAIRMAN OF CLEPexams in ten willsubjects no YC Dean Norman Rosenfeld University Professor at YU, a longer be recognized. affirmed Dean Hecht' s title which allows him to lecture YC Associate Dean Michael comments and explained the at any of the University's THE BOARD Hecht chaired the July 15, 1993 decision as a way to "protect affiliates, and an Associate meetingat which the new policy academic standards." Board Trusteeof the Rabbi Isaac by Yehuda Fruchter With his election, Gottesman was adopted.He explainedthat However, he did note, "The Elchanan Theological continues in his family's the Academic Standards reason forpermitting the CLEPs Seminary. A native of Over the summer, David tradition of holding leadership Committee reviewed the CLEP in the fall semester is so as not to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, who Gottesman, son of former positions at YeshivaUniversity. tests in all coursesand foundthat impose an undue burden on received his education at trustee Benjamin Gottesman, Mendel Gottesman, David only a few meet University students who were counting on Brooklyn's Torah Vodaath and himself a member of the Gottesman's grandfather, requirements. The College will these CLEPs for their Yeshiva and the Boston Board of Trustees since 1979, emigrated to the United States continuetorecognizetheGeneral graduation." University School of Law, Dr. was elected to the position of fromHungary in the 1880s. In Biology, General Chemistry, Dr. HenrySilvert, Professor Schwartz is a longtime resident Chairman of the Board of YU. the early 1920s, as Vice Introduction to Microeconomics of Sociology, believes the move of Newton, MA. He and his He succeeds the late Ludwig Chairman of the Yeshiva and Macroeconomics, Calculus, will work to the students' continued on page 13 Jesselson. College Building Fund, he and Foreign Languageexams. advantage in the long run. headed a group of leaders who The Administration'sdecision "Students who "CLEP" an F O C U S wished to move the University's hasbeenmetwithmixed reaction introductory course end up - 68% ofrespondents described themselves as "modemOrth odox". campus from the Lower East on campus, with many students hurting themselves," he - 26% described themselves as "right-wing Orthodox". Side of New York to calling the move long overdue. maintained. "In an introductory Washington Heights. At the Others,however, viewtheCLEP course, a student gains a - 63% of YC students have a family memberthat once attended the conclusion of thismove,Mendel exams as a legitimate way to foundation for all future classes University. Gottesmanfounded the Yeshiva bypass introductory level he will take in that subject. There College Endowment classes in subjects they know. is no way that can be learnedby - 37% of students applied only to YU. Foundation, and became its first Several students spoke simply preparing for a CLEP benefactorwithagiftof$50,000. candidly of having taken test." numerousCLEP exams with no - 73% of students spent one year in Israel; 35% sp.�nt two years. continued on page 13 - On a seven-point scale, 15% of students "stronglyagree" that they will encourage theirown ·children togo to YU; 59% were neutral, and ··· YC and SSSB Career - 24% "stronglydisagree" that they would do so. ·. Se,rvlces Merge - 60%of students said that YU was their firstchoice forcollege. •. lllant?fforttomolda more . effective.placement team, - 39% of students plan tomake 17% said that theywould not catering to both YC and · make and44% said thatthey aliya; were not sure. .. SSSB students, aoombined aliya, careerservicesofficehasbeen - 63% ofthe respondents said that theAdministration ofYU does not created. care.abo ut them;60 % ofthe respondents said thatthe Administr ation does not understand them. · J,>age3 page 2 nmmttttnfnr1--------------·-5e�p _te_m_be_r_2_1_. _19_9_3 Welcome, Mr. Gottesman We applaud the choice of David Gottesman as the new Chairman of the Board of Yeshiva University. He and his family have long played an outstanding role in supporting the growth of this institution. 500 West 185th Street, New York, NY 10033, Telephone and Fax: (212) 740-2155. Published bi-weekly during the academic year by the Yeshiva College Student The unfortunate passing of many benefactors of Yeshiva University Council. The views expressed in these columns are those of the writers alone and has left the Board with the opporhmity to restructure itself. The do not neccesarily reflect the opinions of The Commentator, the student body, alumni base of YU is, in general, still too young to have profoundly the faculty, or the Administration of Yeshiva University. We do not endorse any made its mark in the world and the Jewish community. Yet, many of the products or services advertised in these pages. Copyright 1993 The of them are of substantial means and influence and could, if given the Commentator. chance, play an outstanding role on the Board. The University's SENDER Z. COHEN ROBERT B. FAGIN need to court outsiders for the Board is understandable and even commendable; but alumni of the undergraduate colleges have a Editors-in-Chief deeper understanding of, and commitment to, this University. At the outset of his tenure as Chairman of the Board, we urge Mr. D. ALEX BAILEY MOSHEI. KINDERLEHRER NOAM NOVICK Gottesman to create a Board in which the alumni are more involved. Layout Editor News Editor · Managing Editor The Board could be restructured to include a set number of alumni members and general board members. The alumni members would JOSEPH NUSSBAUM STEVEN TIGER be elected by their peers from a slate nominated by the Board, while Features Editor Copy Editor the general members would continue to be drawn from the communityas a whole. We feel that such a board would best be able ASSOCIATE EDITORS to serve the University with the expertise, resources, and commitment Steven Ackerman, Copy that Yeshiva needs. Yisroel M. Holczer, Ryan S. Karben, Ari Listowsky, News Sid Singer, Features David Goldenberg, Adam Melzer, Sports On Clobbering the CLEPs PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF: Kudos to the College for eliminating all of the the easier CLEPs. To Benjamin Aronoff, Richard Soclof put it bluntly, these CLEPs were a joke. For example, it was not ART STAFF: uncommon for students to take the psychology or sociology CLEP Daniel Baron, Daniel Sentell without having studied, and still receive full credit. CLEPs such as TECHNICAL CONSULTANT: these hurt the reputation of the College. Many students have relied Joshua Guedalia on these CLEPs as a means of spending less time on campus so that they might spend more time in Israel learning, and that is certainly • M-ember: understandable. But other, more beneficial, options for graduating Associated AMERICAN JEWISH I• Collegiate � • .,..,.,l�! PRESS quickly do exist, such as summer school. Inevitably, this decision is Press ASSOCIATION going to cause much grumbling, but on this matter we stand behind the College. Taking an easy CLEP is a penny-wise and pound foolish approach to education. Yet, I too can put my opinion in fact form.