The Yeshiva College Student Senate Stop Simplifying the Problem

FEBRUARY 8, 2016 TheHow to be an accountant OMMENTATORKey Career Guidance For Volume LXXXI CThe Independent Student Newspaper of Yeshiva College, Sy Syms School of Business, and Yeshiva University • www.yucommentator.org Issue 6 From the President’s Desk: YCSA - The Yeshiva College Student Senate By Josh Nagel The New York Times in May 1969 published an article about Yeshiva University. No, not about a scandal, but rather about Yeshiva President Dr. Samuel Belkin’s approval to create a college senate comprised of students, faculty, and administrators at Yeshiva College. The Times called it “one of the most ambitious and far-reaching in the nation… [going] far beyond the formulas adopted at other universities.” Universities across America established sen- ates around that time as well - many in response to violent student protests against administrators’ decisions - but Yeshiva’s model seemed to significantly expand the powers of the student body, without the pressure from protests. At first, the Yeshiva College Senate operated as a policy-making body, whose decisions became Col- lege policy, unless vetoed by President Belkin or the majority of the Faculty Assembly. After a few years, the Senate lost this absolute power, but remained in an influential advisory capacity. As the founding student leaders of the Senate noted, once the students, faculty, and administration representatives on the Senate approved a recommendation, the university community would have a hard time ignoring it. The Senate acted as a forum to share the respon- sibilities “for the operations and improvement of the College among the groups that constitute the College” (Constitution of the Yeshiva College Senate, 1969). Six students, eight faculty members, and a small group of administrators (which usually included the Dean, the Director of Admissions, the Registrar, and at least in the early years, the Vice President for Aca- demic Affairs) would meet regularly to discuss aca- SHLOMO FRIEDMAN/THE COMMENTATOR SEE SENATE, CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 The newly renovated Gottesman Library was recently unveiled. Read more on page 9. Stop Simplifying the Problem: Why is American Health Care so Expensive? By Tzvi Levitin Political theater notwithstanding, campaign season provides a great opportunity to familiarize ourselves with current problems facing our country. Health care, a main- As America enters the 2016 presidential primary season, we can expect heated de- stay on the political agenda, imposes a great stress upon the American economy. Ac- bates amongst the candidates on issues ranging from gun control to education reform, cording to the World Bank, health care costs in the US are significantly higher than health care to foreign policy, and immigration to Planned Parenthood. While these in other developed countries with safe and reliable health resources; the average hot-button topics make great small talk material (“Is it just me, or does Rubio men- American spends over $9200 on health care each year, as compared with $5700 in tion Jesus more than Hillary tries to use slang?” or Canada, $5000 in Germany, and $3600 in the United “How did he turn a question about Kim Davis into Kingdom. a rant against ISIS?”), they also entice us to crown “ESSENTIALLY, CANDIDATES The most common misconception about higher ourselves experts; we align our views with candi- PROVIDE US WITH SNAPCHAT costs in the United States relates to our privately dates we already support, echo their sentiments, and funded health care system. Many people assume that consider ourselves part of the “discourse.” VERSIONS OF THE FACTS AND THEIR health care is cheaper in Europe and Australia because However, we get an incomplete picture from citizens pay higher taxes, and the government places watching Democrats and Republicans duke it out. In OPINIONS IN ORDER TO SUIT THE these taxes in a public fund spent on health care. How- truth, politicians ignore the complexity of major eco- SHORT ATTENTION SPANS OF THE ever, according to data collected by The Organization nomic and social issues in order to separate them- for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), selves from their opponents and connect with a large MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC.” an international economics forum with members from audience in a restricted amount of time. Essentially, 34 market economies around the globe, the United candidates provide us with Snapchat versions of the States spends more tax dollars per capita on health facts and their opinions in order to suit the short attention spans of the media and care than the UK, Canada, Australia, and many other developed countries (See graph the public. The ways we consume media further distill and trivialize the issues; tweets on page 13). take quotes out of context, Buzzfeed summarizes entire debates in listicles, and Satur- This data is surprising because even though Americans devote more tax dollars to day Night Live reduces campaign endorsements to seemingly unconnected strings of public health care than other developed countries, far fewer people actually benefit words (“Right-winging, bitter-clinging proud clingers of our guns.…” Bad example, it turns out that one was completely real). SEE HEALTH CARE, CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 2 Editorial Monday, February 8, 2016 - 29 Sh'vat, 5776 The DITORIAL YECHIEL SCHWAB E Editor-in-Chief The Value of Expectations DANI WEISS Managing Editor By Yechiel Schwab dents to participate in multiple academic or athletic teams, and “lead at least one.” Further, the applications offer no direct Expectations often influence our lives’ path and direction. forum for students to express their passion and commitment Expectations from future jobs or graduate school can affect our to these activities, but simply to list as many as they can. To AVI STRAUSS YADIN TEITZ choice of major, summer plans, and extra-curricular activities. Yeshiva University’s credit, the essay section of the honors ap- Senior News Editor Senior Opinions Editor Many students pursue fields of study or internships which con- plication has moved farther towards this personal approach, DAVID HILLEL FIELD with one essay explicitly requiring personal/creative expres- form to these job market requirements. While for some these RUBINSTEIN Junior Opinions Editor plans coincide with their passions and interests and lead to sion, and even allowing students to choose their own medium Junior News Editor fruitful opportunities, others pursue areas outside of their pas- for this essay to further display their personality. However, the list of honors requirements still reminds students that honors sions in order to better prepare themselves to fit into the work- DORON LEVINE force. This can lead to the dulling of interests, and the develop- essays are “error-proof and reflect sophisticated critical re- ADAM KRAMER Senior Features Editor ment of marketplace skills instead of personal reformation. sponses.” Disclaimers like these often encourage parental in- Senior Business Editor David Brooks, in a famous 2015 New York Times article, of- volvement in these essays, lessening the personal expression ETAN NEIMAN ETAI fers a similar distinction when comparing resume virtues and available to the applicant. Junior Business Editor SHUCHATOWITZ eulogy virtues. He argues that our culture places extreme value In terms of communal or moral involvement, though these Junior Features Editor and importance on resume virtues, or skills that lead towards attributes can be expressed in letters of recommendation or in jobs and the achievements required for marketplace success. essays, the opportunities are far less significant and apparent Contrastingly, eulogy virtues, which represent moral charac- to the student than academic achievement or extracurricular Senior Layout Editor teristics like kindness and caring, are undervalued by our so- involvement. In those areas student see clear expectations, as TZVI LEVITIN ciety. Since our society doesn’t expect this kind of moral refor- well as defined areas to express their success in these areas. This system of expectations, found in admissions processes mation, we then too often ignore these moral values in pursuit Layout Editors of perfect resumes. across the country, sends the wrong message to young high While this trend pervades throughout our culture, a re- schoolers. Obviously, an Honors college expects academic SHIRA FEEN cent study from the Harvard group “Making Caring Common” success from its applicants, and its application should reflect STEVEN KOHANE pointed to its troubling placement in the college admissions that. But higher education, and Yeshiva University specifically, process and its deleterious effects on young high schoolers. The should also expect passionate students. Students with unique Staff Writers study, entitled “Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern for Others personalities and interests. Students who are searching to con- ARTHUR SCHOEN tribute to the world. Students who remain committed to help- and the Common Good through College Admissions,” (http:// SHLOMO FRISHMAN mcc.gse.harvard.edu/collegeadmissions) notes how the ap- ing their families and communities. plications for many colleges place extreme value on academic At a time when colleges across the country have endorsed AREL LEVKOVICH success and broad extracurricular involvement, with little ex- Making Caring Common’s study, and sought to shift the expec- EITAN LIPSKY pectations for communal involvement or moral contributions, tations of their admissions process, Yeshiva University should JOEY

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