- POLLACK LI·· ""RY MAR 0;) 13:34 at 1t ommrntator 0fficial Undergraduate Newspaper of Yeshiva College_ VOL. XCVIII, N0 • .4"5"° YESHIVA UNIVERSITY NEW YORK CITY THURSDAY, MARCH I, 1984 ------··' CURRICULUM.PASSED By MORDECHAI TWERSKY Feb. 29 - The Yeshiva College • The so-called "Social and requirements should have the effect faculty voted today, by a IJ'!argin of Science Requirement" have been of providing the students with Summary of NewRequirements 24-13, to approve the first major renamed "Western Thought and greater.. flexibility and freedom of Basic Courses (ENG, HEA) .......................................................... 5 credits curriculum revision at Yeshiva Institutions," and the options for choice. He added that "While the Literature and Humanities Options .................................... 12-14 credits College in more than 20 years, it satisfying this requirement has been final version does reflect a number Western Thought & Institutions was announced by · Dr. Norman broadened (see chart).. of compromises. it goes a long way (ECO, HIS, PHI, POL, PSY, SOC) ............................................... 6credlts Rosel'!feld, dean. • A new requirement, "Restric­ towards addressing those problems Natural Science........................................................................ 6-10 credits ted Electives," has been adopted. A which motivated a curriculum Jewish History ................................................................................6 credits The announcement came this student will be required to take two review.". Hebrew Language ......................................................................... 6credits afternoon following the counting of courses outside of his major The vote culminated a year-long Bible ................................................................................................. 8 credits the mail-in ballots. division. At least one of these series of meetings of the Restricted Electives................................................................... 5-6 credits Some of the major features of courses must beabove the introduc­ Curriculum Committee and of the the new set of requirements, which tory level. general faculty, respectively. The Total Electives With Restricted 54-61 credits were released today to the . Curriculum Committee formulated Comnwntator, include the following Changes "Generally Binding" its recommendation for revision provisions: Dean Rosenfeld indicated that and submitted them in a report to year in Israel "should have no ced courses in disciplines in other a. There will no longer be a fixed the new curriculum will take effect the general faculty, which in turn problems in meeting the college than that of their major." language requirement other than as of the fall semester, 1984. Asked modified the report prior to the requirements in this area.'' Dr. William Lee. associate Hebrew. how th.: change will affect current balloting. professor of English, s'aid of the •The total number of credits students. the dean responded that According to the Dean Rosen­ Reaction vote, "It's more flexible.It's better required in college Jewish studies of the Academic Standards Commit­ feld. the recommendation bv the Dr. Michael Hecht. associate for th.: school. the students, and the MVP student will be reduced to tt:e of Yeshiva College is consider­ Curriculum Committee came· after dean of Yeshiva College, said, "I enrollment." 20 from the current 27-28. ing the matter. He added, however. an intensive review and analysis of think this is a historic day for the Professor Rebecca Stearns, • The "Science Requirement" that according to the University's such factors as recruitment. attri­ College. and I hope the vote will instructor of Speech. said, "I'm for non-science majors will allow undergraduate catalogue. changes tion. Israel study, and the pre­ not be viewed in anv wav as a glad it's finally settled. Something for the use of a quantitative in regulations "are generally professional interests of an increas­ dimunition in the academic· quality had to be done, and we knew it methods course (such as binding on current students." ing number of students. of the college's offerings." Dean would take ..time to consider all the "Statistics") to satisfy one semester The dean added that' as a result Ht:cht added, "I hope that as a possibilities . of the requirement, in addition to "Greater Flexiblllty" of the reduction of credits in result r.:sult of the curriculam Professor Anthony Beukas, one semester of a laboratory Commenting on the curriculum college Jewish studies requirements, change. students will select science. change. the dean said: "The new the MVP student who has spent a challenging an� stimulating advan- (Cont. on Page5, Column J) Freshmen Attrition Rate RIETS Restructures Semikha Rises to 16.5 Percer-it · By SAUL BURIAN · · Program rFOurth· Year is Added Special to the COMMENTATOR mt:eting of Roshei Yeshiva. new clt:mcnts. In the past three years. enroll­ drop of 13% of the total incoming Feb. 22 The Semikha T�e outline for the program. • The study of certain parts of ment at Yeshiva College has Freshman class. To further com­ (ordination) Program of the Rabbi after much meticulous deliberation, \'oreh Deah which. until now were dropped approximately 10%, owing plicate matters. the final figures for Isaac Elchanan Theological receiv.:d linal approval from Rabbi option.JI, will now become man­ to Yeshiva's inability to attract a r.:gistration are expected to be Se111inary (RIETS) of Yeshiva Dr. Norman Lamm. President of datory and include the laws of large group of new students, and to considerablv worse. LJ niversitv has been restructured Yeshiva. It was prepared. or Nidah andAveilut. satisfy current students needs. As a ·direct result of the and expa�ded from a three year to course. in conjunction with the • There will be a strong ,-\ccording to the projected spring enrollment decline. Yeshiva has lost a four-year program. it was Rav. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik "Halakha L'masseh" component. 1 1984 registration· figures. approx­ valuable tuition money and as one announced todav bv Rabbi Zevulun and the RI ETS Roshei Ycshiva. Students will he required to prepare imately 654 students are currently 1Conti1111ed 011 Page 5. Col. I I Charlop. Director ·of RIETS. at a Rabbi Israel Miller. Senior Vice certain parts of the Shulthan enrollt:d at Yeshiva College. 17 less President. and Rabbi Robert Hirt. Arukh, beyond the Yoreh Deah than the 671 enrolled in the fall Dean. Max Stern Division of required now. including Even semester. Although this 3% attri­ YCSC Plans Jewish Art Festival Communal Services. were also Haezer. Orach Chaim, and notablv tion rate is lower than the expected involved in the formulation of the Hilthot Shabbat, and Maachalo't figure, nevertheless. it signifies the For April At Main Center various aspects of tht: program. Asurot. overall trend which has taken effect In an interview with • Certain Roshei Yeshiva will over the past 3 years. --1• _By STEVEN FRIED C�mmencator, Rabhi Charlop dis­ 1m:rsee various parts of the clos.:d tentative details of the "Halakha L'masseh" st:mikha 13% drop In freshman enrollment The Yeshiva College -Cultural Society will perform two short revamped program. which will curriculum. and will serve as Aside from the steady attrition Affairs Committee is organiz­ plays. and the Tora Dojo Karate take effect next fall. Although "mentors". • There will he a newlv rate, Yeshiva College·s incoming ing a Jewish Spring Festival of Association will have an exhibition. Rabbi Charlop indicated that Freshman class has dropped ap­ Mr. Jeffrey Katz. president or "nothing is cast in concrete:· instituted ''Cnn temporary proximately 13% over the past 2 the Arts for Sunday, April I. the Student Council, emphasized student input will he further solicit. llalakha" component. In the The street fair will take place that many students will participate as has been in the past two .\e.irs as course of two years. some 45-50 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on in the fair, including student artists the new program was being topks regarding contemporary Amsterdam Avenue between and musicians, as well as members designed. He also reiterated that •halakhic problems will ht: dealt from an original sugya and 184th and 186th Streets. The of the Jewish Theatre Company with and karate exhibition. Dis- rcsponsa point of view. streets will be closed off for the tinguished Yeshiva University • The eight-week Mentorship event. Alumni, including poet Isaac Shimush Program will continue in The Cultural Affairs Committee Moseson (who recently appeared at the third year of the· Sernikha was established specifically to help the 92nd Street Y). will be among Program. plan the fair, which has been in the participants in the fair. ,\ signilkant dimension of this works since last May. Although the Thousands Expected 11e11 program will he the fourth fair is being funded by the Yeshiva Mr. Auslander said that mojor 1ear Shimush. whii:h will consist of College Student Council, the synagogues and youth groups in the :111 011-the-joh training for rah­ University has also taken an active New York area have been invited. hinical students. and for tho�e Ms. Judy Paikin role in the planning of the fair, and and some four thousand persons RI LTS mu�makhim intending lo years. In 1981. out of approximate­ has engaged the services of a are expectt:d to attend the event. cnter the field of C'hinuch. ly 356 Freshman enrolled at consulting firm at the disposal of President