Town Hall meeting with President Joel happening now on the Beren Campus in 215 Lexington’s Yagoda Commons.
LIVE BLOG; Happening Now–>
Alright ladies and gentlemen, you can sit in the front and if you have to leave you can leave….
It’s a pleasure to be here with you.
I encourage you to ask probing questions. It’s mamash erev Pesach. A key motif of seder? Mah Nishtanah. Questions followed by conversation. Role of questions is a role of freedom. Freedom to choose a commitment–the commitment of naaseh vi’nishmah.
Updates: Sarachek Tournament, Model UN, Jewish Jobs Fair, Alumni phone-a-thon. It means so much to see your commitment.
Board of Trustees Meeting: Put forth 3 key issues/priorities:
1. Education Next
2. Practical Business Plan–we need enough money to pay our staff! If we’re going to progress, we need to see where we can get more money. We’ve cut everything we can cut.
3. Shleimut Agenda
S-stud/y-stud about Provost Lowengrub stepping down. He will continue to teach in mathematics dept.
I would like to welcome Jennifer Goldin, new international student advisor.
Also, it’s important to welcome initiatives. (Applause) PJ is presented with YU swag. Complimentary YU apparel. Who wouldn’t want this?
Rabbi Reiss stepping down as head of RIETS. Appointed Av Beit Din of Chicago Rabbinical Council–a national position. Rabbi Marc Penner is stepping up. A terrific force for good.
New director of security–senior officer in naval reserve and police force.
And, question time:
1. Chana Eson: Shabbat waitresses haven’t been paid.
PJ: I’m shocked that you….have been getting paid. I was under the impression that it was an incredible act of Chessed (jokes). We’ll fix it.
2. Adena Kleiner: Current policy in English Lit. Dept. Thoughts on this policy–thoughts on repealing? Embrace of technology like you said in your introduction?
PJ: As someone who has taught recently, it’s always a challenge to provoke attentiveness in a classroom. I don’t know if anyone has an awareness of the distraction for a teacher at looking at students lost in an i-pad, computer, or phones and not knowing if they’re listening. We’re looking to create environments that create an attentiveness back and forth. Should there be a right to text in the classroom? No! It’s clear to me that the English Dept. felt saying “please don’t text” wasn’t enough. If you feel strongly about it, you should engage in conversation with the head of the English Dept. Have students all pledge that they’ll only be taking notes on their computers. Clearly in domain of faculty, and not in my domain. There shouldn’t be competition for attention, as a teacher.
3. Atara Clark: Students have been increasingly frustrated with caf hours at night and on weekends. Can this be worked on?
PJ: I don’t know. No question that we want services to meet student needs. We need to find out how real is the need, and how much is it going to cost. I’ll work harder to be on top of these issues.
4. Ayelet Bersson: Food in general is very expensive. A pack of water-bottles is $37.
PJ: This is not a profit center. Price of coffee just went up? Because the supplier increased the price of coffee. We’re the cheapest food service in NYC.
VP Rosengarten: It is a juggling act. We’re looking into the dining plan to give you more flexibility and support local venders, who are open later hours. Next year you will have greater opportunities. The input has come from you.
PJ: I’m supportive of supporting extended caf hours.
5. Sara Malka Berger: Recently in all the dorms, tremendous WIFI issues. Classrooms in 245 Lex, wireless doesn’t work.
PJ: Sometimes computer by computer issue, sometimes we’re victims of Verizon. That’s all I know. No question, we need to give you that service. Whenever there is an outage, the department emails you! Who sees that?
VP if IT–We are having trouble keeping up with the growth. 4/5 devices per person. Originally designed for 2 devices per person. If using a MAC device, go to academic computing. They’ll help you.
6. Rachel Weber: Dismayed to hear about recording of Rav Hershel Schachter for using offensive language and racial slurs? How are we reacting as a university to something students find completely unacceptable?
PJ: Textured answer. The President of YU speaks for YU, no one else. There is a principle of academic freedom for faculty members. This does not mean freedom from criticism. Statement I made on Friday: the comment was “inappropriate, offensive, and does not represent values and mission of YU.” Concerned about other things said in speech? If any of you think R’ Schachter is a hater, you just don’t know him. But the words were horrible! Starting speaking about our children’s safety, then went off on his own merry way. At present time, our sensitivity to safety of children is very high on our agenda.
RW: Does YU do anything proactively to let faculty members know what they say reflects on YU?
PJ: Of course we do, but we have to do it carefully. Could cross over into rights of free speech questions.
Personal shout-out to our EIC, Rachel Benaim, on her acceptance to Columbia School of Journalism!
7. Elana Betaharon: I’m a Sociology major. While the classes are interesting–there aren’t enough classes. Only five classes available.
PJ: I’m sorry. But I also take the first part of your statement seriously. We are limited as a university. That’s why I encourage you to stay 4 years. That’s what they do in other universities. Then again, in other universities, the President doesn’t talk about the internet problems;)
Chag Kasher Vi’Sameach!