Earlier this week, the Office of the President sent out an reporting several initiatives taking place across Yeshiva University campuses. While some are necessary, long term improvements, others are effective immediately—and are causing stress to current students..
Firstly, the current Cardozo Law School student residence, The Alabama on 11th Street, is being sold instead of beginning a long repair project. Funds from the sale will enable the Schottenstein Residence Hall’s East Wing will be reconfigured as a new, separate facility for Cardozo students.
The building for Cardozo students, to be called The Benjamin, will have a completely separate entrance on Lexington Avenue (Schottenstein dorm’s current entrance is on 29th Street and will remain that way). The two dormitory buildings will also have separate security guards, fitness rooms, laundry rooms and lounges, the President’s email reported.
This initiative has already begun affecting students living in the Schottenstein dormitories. Rachel Kraut, the director of Residence Housing and Student Life, called a meeting with the Beren Campus students living on the 7th floor of Schottenstein’s East Wing immediately after the email from President Joel was issued, on Tuesday, March 29th. Students were asked to move to a different available room around campus within the next two weeks. The 7th floor of Schottenstein East will be the “guinea pig” of this initiative to make sure there are no other issues to be aware of before renovating, which is why the University wanted to begin construction before beginning major renovations.
Adina Chesir, one of the students being told to move, is a graduating senior, along with many other girls on that floor, and therefore won’t be receiving the benefits of these changes. “It just seems a bit unfair to us because we didn’t choose to be on this floor, and had no idea this [the spontaneous eviction] would be happening,” she said. “A lot of us purposely requested to be on the same floor, but now we’re all getting split up right before graduation.”
“It would’ve probably been easier if we got this notice over winter break,” Chesir continued. “I do understand why it’s necessary, though.” Chesir also noted that Housing has been accommodating: a $2,000 housing credit was issued to each student as a compensation for the inconvenience, and people will be available to help these students move over the next two weeks.
Other changes happening in the Schottenstein dorm noted in President Joel’s email include a new fitness center, a remodeled front lounge and a large communal kitchen, all projected to be completed by Fall 2017. .
In the Brookdale dormitory, 16 “Brookdale Deluxe” rooms will be created, which will include redone bathrooms and kitchens, as well as a makeover of the outdoor garden spaces. In the 36th Street Residence Hall, the outdoor garden space will also be renovated, and the communal bathrooms will receive added shelving.
Besides for those mentioned in the email, other possible changes are currently being discussed by the Office of Student Finance and the Office of Residence Housing and Student Life. When housing applications are issued within the next few weeks, there will be an increase in the cost of housing for most of the dormitory buildings.
Additionally, there is talk that the rules regarding the 35th Street Residence Hall will change. Students receiving over $10,000 of financial aid will no longer be able to apply for housing in 35th.
On most other college campuses, students applying for on-campus housing are given a randomly issued lottery number, but the number improves each year the student remains in school. At Stern, however, the housing assignments are generally discretionary and assigned on a case-by-case basis.
“I think the system for choosing which students will be able to live in which dorms should be assigned more randomly, because there’s less chance of a student feeling slighted,” said Syms student, Estee Levi, when asked about the possibility of the financial aid consideration. “But because it isn’t, I suppose the rationale behind this change makes sense.”
The logic is that if students cannot afford school, there is no reason the school should sponsor luxury living for the students through scholarship.
The meal plan on the Beren Campus may also receive an overhaul. Students will now have three options regarding the meal plan depending on how much they want to pay. It is not yet confirmed how much each plan will cost; however, the “premium” meal plan will cost more than the current, standardized plan.
Other renovation changes mentioned in President Joel’s email are affecting the men’s campus as well, including the installation of air conditioning throughout Rubin Hall, and adding in more communal spaces for students to prepare and cook food in Rubin, Morgenstern, and Muss Halls, as well as renovating the lounges in all three buildings.
To find out more information and become a part of this conversation, students can attend the Town Hall Meetings President Joel will be holding on Wednesday, April 6th on the Beren Campus and Wednesday, April 13th on the Wilf campus.