YCSC Performance Review

A Glance at Promises Fulfilled and Neglected

The Yeshiva College Student Council is charged with the consequential mission of representing the interests of the student body in all collective dealings with the administration and faculty of Yeshiva College. They are further responsible for the coordination of extra-curricular activities and enhancement of student life on campus. Council members are granted a tremendous amount of power and influence, and are seemingly capable of generating extensive change within this university.

Last year, as part of his election campaign, Dror Barber listed in The Commentator several major ideas that would serve as focus of his administration should he be elected President of the Yeshiva College Student Council. Barber and other council members have now been in office for almost a year, and were recently asked to document their major accomplishments as well as explain the obstacles that impeded their efforts to deliver the advertised campaign promises.

Among the objectives initially set forth by Barber were the following: A large-scale effort to revamp the Academic Advisement Center with the introduction of advisors specializing in particular majors; procuring empty YU Museum space to create a 24-hour study hall, reference library, and computer center; making the Food Services Department a top priority in order to improve the quality, quantity and price of cafeteria food; shuttle service to airports for out-of-town students; creating a course evaluation booklet published by the students, for the students; wiring the dorms for Ethernet and an intra-college phone system; and improving the communication between YCSC and students through more frequent meetings. Finally, as one of the major promises of his election campaign, Barber stated last year, "I have already spent many an hour as Chairman of the Registrar Committee developing a system for on-line registration. I intend to monitor and secure the implementation of this program, already guaranteed by the administration."

YCSC officials assert that as a direct result of the pressure they placed on administrators, funds have been allotted for the development of a new Academic Advisement Center. The Academic Deans Office has interviewed and successfully hired a director for this center. Barber declared that "by next semester the new and improved Academic Advisement Center will be up and running, mainly through the efforts of this year's student council."

The YU Museum has not yet finalized a definitive plan for its relocation therefore YCSC maintains that they were not able to find space for a 24-hour study hall. "The Student Council had to wait until the Museum informs us of their decision. Simply, until they get out, we can't get in!"

The Food Services Committee, headed by Dov Brandstatter, has met with Jake Leiberman, Associate Director of Food Services, on a regular basis. However, as is YU tradition, many students have complained that they've found no tangible improvement in either the quality or pricing of the cafeteria food.

Barber claims that "they've been working on solutions to problems. Being that the menus are set out a year ahead, our work this year will be more clearly evident in what the Caf serves next year." Listed as the Committee's only recognizable accomplishment is that "this year we successfully pressured the Cafeteria management into allowing students to substitute soup in place of their side dish."

One noticeable improvement was the execution of an airport service rebate program through which students are given discounted rides to JFK and LaGuardia. YCSC helped nearly fifty students get subsidized rides to airports and other out-of-town destinations. Barber announced, "if students give us enough notice, we can arrange full van and taxi service to area airports."

Despite the campaign promise, no student-published course booklet has yet been distributed. YCSC has, however, helped with the establishment of a Mesorah Committee that has been advertised throughout the school. Seniors with various academic experiences have been assigned as student advisors to incoming students and underclassmen. The Student Senate recently passed the "Mesorah Memorandum," allowing for old tests and notes to be filed in the library for student use.

While many faculty members now have Ethernet set up in their offices, the dorm rooms have not been wired. Barber explains that "Ethernet's first function is as a teaching medium, and then as a source of entertainment to the students. Only after the faculty is fully equipped with Ethernet will setup begin in the dorms." Student Council officials further state that an intra-college phone system will not be fully considered until the dorms have been wired for Ethernet.

Many students expressed disappointment that Ethernet installation has not yet been realized. Eric Schubert, Senior Class Vice-President, recognized that "the administration may have given student council certain problems, but I think the board of YCSC are underachievers. Many promises were made that were ultimately not fulfilled, but could have been."

With regard to his previously mentioned pledge of more frequent student meetings, Barber said, "I must admit that I didn't have as many student meetings as I would have liked, but I found that one-on-one meetings with concerned students have accomplished more than a public forum ever would." He explains that open student meetings often turn into a forum for people to flaunt their own agendas rather than advance realistic change.

An online registration program has not been completed as of yet. Barber explains that "I have spent time with Mr. Davis of the Registrar's Office and it seems that the administration is still working on the security involved with the implementation of such a process. However, there has been nary a complaint about the current registration process…We can only look forward to bigger and better things."

Many students have recognized the achievements of the Student Activities Club, headed by Moishe Singer and Shlomo Herman. Events planned by the club include trips to see "Footloose," "Les Miserables," and "Visiting Mister Green." Singer explains that "we plan our own events and go to YCSC for funding."

Barber pointed out that the Club is "no more than a committee of YCSC... The students involved in planning those events are interested in assuming a leadership role even though they don't want to be elected members of student council."

Barber concluded by stating, "I am proud of the hard work done by this year's Executive and Class Boards. As is generally the case, we could not accomplish every one of our objectives... but the behind the scenes work which so often goes unnoticed is a personal testament to our hard work, even though most people never hear of it. I am fully confident that next year's student council will come up with new ideas and even greater motivation."