In a meeting with students in the Gottesman board room in the 215 Lexington building, President Joel, Provost Botman, and Chair of the Stern Board and Trustee member Shira Yoshor announced that as of July 1, 2015 there will be a consolidation of all arts and science departments. Dean of Stern College, Karen Bacon, will enact as the Dr. Monique C. Katz Dean of the Undergraduate Faculty of Arts and Science at Yeshiva University.
Amongst other important breaking news, President Joel announced that Dean Eichler will be taking a sabbatical next semester, and will be returning as a professor.
At the meeting, Provost Botman and President Joel both mentioned that this will hopefully give the opportunity for departments that exist on one campus, and not the other, to eventually be present on both campuses in a matter of time and a display of interest. This includes a Computer Science department in Stern College, which Provost Botman mentioned will be instituted by Fall of 2016, and possibly an Education department on the men’s campus.
Both President Joel and Provost Botman emphasized that having one faculty will allow both campuses to benefit from talented professors that previously have only taught on one campus. In addition this will enable more diverse course offerings then previously offered due to the diverse talents and interests of professors now being distributed on both campuses. They also noted that this will not increase the amount of courses that professors are currently expected to teach, which as of now is approximately three courses a semester.
This merging will be modeled after the current single departments of the History and the Economics departments. Provost Botman insisted that this will help both smaller and larger departments in expanding professor resources for students.
Though students are rightfully skeptical, President Joel stated that current students who will be here next fall will not feel the ramifications of these upcoming changes in the structure of faculty.
Provost Botman stated that this model of cross campus departments will take up to three years to be fully implemented and gradual changes will begin as of this summer.
Letter from President Joel:
For several years, we have been discussing the need for a more unified undergraduate faculty of arts and science. With the support of the Board of Trustees and the endorsement of Board of Overseers leadership and key faculty, we are unifying the Stern College and Yeshiva College faculties into a single Undergraduate Faculty of Arts and Science. During the next three years, we will work together to fashion collaborations, synergies, unified departments and processes to function as a single entity. Where appropriate, we will develop blended courses and use technology to ensure that your teaching and our students’ learning is the best it can be. To assist and lead you in this effort, I am delighted that Dr. Karen Bacon has accepted my invitation to serve as the inaugural Dr. Monique C. Katz Dean of the Undergraduate Faculty of Arts and Science at Yeshiva University. As you all know Dean Bacon is a valued educator of integrity and has served with distinction in the highest levels of academic leadership. A biologist and administrative leader, she brings a deep knowledge and understanding of Yeshiva University and its values to this new position. Dean Barry Eichler has invested his heart and soul in Yeshiva College, having assumed the deanship at my request and will conclude his service at the end of this academic year. He will take a much-deserved sabbatical and then return to pursue his teaching and scholarship interests, which are his first love. As a community, we must join together in unity to look to the future and remain true to our mission. The faculty, individually and collectively, are the lifeblood of this critical institution and we will now advance to right size the administrative parts of the university. I know how challenging this period of change has been for all of us and I will strive to provide better communication with the faculty. I also look to the faculty to continue to exercise its prerogatives in shaping what is a fine curriculum still further. Dean Bacon will have offices on the Beren and Wilf Campuses and will be assisted by associate deans for Stern College and Yeshiva College, which will retain their unique identities and function as separate schools. The Sy Syms School of Business will continue its successful growth and its partnerships with Stern College and Yeshiva College. There are many details that the dean together with the faculty will deal with in an effort to play to all our strengths. I am pleased to share this news with you, and anticipate building from strength to strength with a renewed sense of trust and collaboration. President Joel President Bravmann Family University Professor