This past week, the majority of the faculty of Yeshiva College voted “no confidence” in President Richard Joel. This vote was organized by the Yeshiva College Executive Committee, the elected body for faculty governance of the undergraduate college for men.
The full time faculty teaching at Yeshiva College voted 80% “no confidence,” 3% “confidence,” and 17% abstaining, with 64% of the faculty voting.
Open Letter from the Faculty of Yeshiva College:
We, the Yeshiva College faculty, write to make public our concern for the future of our university. It is now known that, aside from the Albert Einstein Medical School, the university was spending on average $50 million more annually than it was taking in. There were no systems in place for financial reporting, and the administration essentially flew blind when it came to finances, leading the university to the brink of catastrophe. Only when the university’s finances came under intense scrutiny did the administration finally admit to the reality it had created.
We now face the inevitable educational consequences of this mismanagement. Plans have been presented to us by the Provost and a team of hired financial consultants, with only minimal time for proper consultation through accepted governance procedures. These plans threaten to reverse ten years of improvements in undergraduate education at our University. Staffing may be so greatly reduced that we must choose between eliminating key parts of our core curriculum and shutting down courses of instruction for majors. Whatever choice we make, we will no longer be able to offer anything resembling the education that the Yeshiva College diploma ought to represent.
As faculty members, we have indicated our willingness to partner with the administration and trustees to ensure a vibrant, educationally sound curriculum and maintain high academic standards under the current budgetary constraints. Indeed, we view this as our responsibility. Despite numerous requests since the beginning of the current academic year, we have never received clear statements regarding the budgetary impacts of the proposed curricular changes.
It has been deeply disturbing that the Administration has consistently refused to take responsibility for the results of their mismanagement. Statements have repeatedly been made about the markets, about particular one-time scandals, and about the broader economic situation generally and in higher education. But the depth of the financial crisis and its direct impact on education at Yeshiva University are actually found nowhere but here.
Letter from Henry Kressel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Yeshiva University
You might be aware that a majority of the undergraduate faculty of Yeshiva College who participated in a vote passed a resolution of No Confidence in President Richard Joel. This is an unfortunate development, given the Administration’s work and many meetings with the faculty to develop plans to enhance the quality of the educational experience at YU while saving costs. While it’s regrettable that a small number of contract faculty will leave the University, we are building an organization and an academic program that creates more flexibility and options for students. Details will be shared soon on ways more of our students can enjoy and benefit from our outstanding scholars, and how smaller programs can be strengthened.
Sometimes change can create concern. But the fact is that change needs to be embraced, and change provides an opportunity to make improvements in our structure, and in the way we support the needs and aspirations of our exceptional students. Change will allow YU to move forward with excellence.
Below is a statement I am sharing on behalf of the Board of Trustees. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the unique mission of YU:
Statement from the Yeshiva University Board of Trustees
The faculty at Yeshiva University are among the best anywhere. They are at the core of supporting our unique mission, and instilling the values to both learn and live.
What must be clarified, however, is that the Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for ensuring the University is able to move forward with excellence. This responsibility includes implementing a financial plan to ensure the sustainability of the institution. Under our direction, President Richard Joel, his administration and the Board’s outside advisers, Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), have identified areas across the entire university to streamline and realign operations, while ensuring the student experience remains vibrant. They have performed admirably in a difficult environment.
While important gains have been made, including the proposed investment by the Montefiore Health System in a joint venture concerning the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, we cannot find all of the solutions and meet our deficit reduction goal without the participation of our faculty. We deeply appreciate the important insights and opinions offered by faculty in the course of many meetings, and hope they continue to partner with the University to implement the necessary changes.
The Board is confident that President Joel and his administration will continue to work diligently to strengthen the bonds of collaboration and maintain the focus on the needs of our students, as well as the needs of the University as a whole. This is the best way to ensure YU continues to flourish.