MFAT Sparks Controversy Among Administrators, Professors, and Students

Anyone who has been following the national news recently knows that standardized testing - everything from elementary achievement tests to the SATs - have come under a barrage of criticism. Not to be outdone, Yeshiva University has its own controversy over the MFAT standardized tests, administered to seniors majoring in the liberal arts and sciences. Recently administered to students applying for January graduation, the MFAT has once again become a hot topic of discussion among students at YU.

The MFAT, which stands for Major Field Assessment Test, is administered twice a year, in both the fall and spring semesters. Many years ago, according to Associate Dean Michael Hecht, students were required to take the GREs, the standardized tests for graduate school admission. However, Dean Hecht explained, that requirement was eliminated due to student opposition. Years later, the MFAT was instituted. Hecht adds that Yeshiva University was commended by the NY State Department of Education for leading the way for other schools in quantifying academic achievement.

One question that students often ask about the MFAT examination is, "what's the point?" Hecht explains that the examination really serves two purposes. First, it serves as a "quality control," to make sure that students have indeed received an education. To this end, a student must score at least in the thirty-third percentile (as good as, or better than, 33% of the people taking the examination) in order to receive a diploma. However, according to Dean Hecht, if a student fails to meet this requirement, the various departments have alternatives "which serve the purpose." These alternatives range from a "serious research paper," to a departmental exam. Dean Hecht does caution that "failing the MFATs can delay a diploma," though it doesn't happen very often. For this reason, he suggests that "some students ought to take it (the MFAT) more seriously."

In addition, Dean Hecht explained that the MFAT can also help the university to assess the curriculum. If the MFAT stresses a certain approach to political science which it has not stressed in the past, it is an indication to YU administrators and professors that a shift has occurred in what major universities stress in their curricula. When such a shift occurs, "a senior faculty member [in the particular discipline] will sit down with the dean to see if we should reevaluate our curriculum," Dean Hecht stated.

Still, some students and professors would prefer that the exam be done away with as a requirement for graduation. "Students see the test as a worthless headache," according to a history major who has not yet taken the MFATs. This student, wishing to remain anonymous, explains that it is silly to expect students to remember "tiny details" from a sophomore survey class, at the end of their senior year.

According to Nir Knoll (YC '98), a history major who took the MFAT on November 21st, the requirements at Yeshiva College for receiving a B.A. in history, do not cover all of the information required to do well on the examination. "It is simply not possible," he says, "to know all the information well enough to do well, if one hopes to concentrate on any specific period within the major." Dean Hecht argues that it is important for students to take the survey courses to get the breadth of information that a college education offers.

Dr. Ellen Schrecker, professor of history, gives two reasons of her own for eliminating the test, at least in the field of history. First, she argues that the MFATs "don't measure analytical skills," as they are made up solely of multiple choice questions; "they simply measure factual knowledge." Dean Hecht still maintains, however, that "we need an objective standard." In other words, in order to claim a B.A. from Yeshiva College, a student should indeed have acquired certain factual knowledge in the area of his major by the time he graduates.

Dr. Schrecker also points out that "students are handicapped because they are only three years in attendance." She explains that it is unfair to expect students to acquire the full range of information that they would acquire if they were in attendance at college for the normal four years. Dean Hecht sees this as an argument for students to remain at YU for four years, though he does understand the financial issues that students must deal with to consider this.

However, those who are against the MFAT don't necessarily believe that students should be allowed to graduate based on taking the required courses in their majors. Dr. Schrecker supports replacing the MFATs with a "senior seminar," requiring a paper based on original research. Schrecker pointed out that Stern College does have this requirement. While Hecht does see merit to that suggestion, he argues that "most students would prefer to take the MFATs." Additionally, students have expressed concerns that the Yeshiva College library simply doesn't have the resources necessary for a serious research paper.

Given all of this controversy, one might think that this issue is up for constant debate between various professors and administrators. Dr. Schrecker says, however, that "it hasn't really been brought up." Dean Hecht stated that if the issue were to be discussed, "the Academic Standards Committee would be the appropriate forum," for such a discussion.

Nevertheless, one thing is certain: students would be happy to see the test go.