Honors Colleges To Be Endowed

Schottenstein, Abraham, to Bankroll New Academic Programs

Mr. Schottenstien

In a development that could potentially alter the academic face of Yeshiva University and realize the aspirations of various administrators, funding has been secured for honors programs at Yeshiva College and Stern College for Women. The Commentator has learned that S. Daniel Abraham of the Slim-Fast Corporation and namesake of the Yeshiva University Joint Israel Program, has agreed to donate ten million dollars to create an honors college at Stern while the Schottenstein family of Columbus, Ohio has agreed in principle to sponsor the same program for Yeshiva College.

Sources within the administration have indicated that the Stern donation has been secured, with Mr. Abraham signing an agreement with the University, while the Schottenstein family is still in negotiation concerning the final dollar amount of their gift.

David Rosen, Director of Yeshiva University Public Relations, denied any official knowledge of the donations and said, "I expect the University will be soon announcing honors programs at Yeshiva College and Stern, but as of today we have nothing to announce. It would be premature for The Commentator to speculate about these programs at this time."

The Office of the Vice President for Business Affairs was unable to comment. Daniel Forman, Vice President for Development, declined to comment as well.

While both Dean Norman Adler of YC and Dean Karen Bacon of SCW purported to have no knowledge of the gifts, neither dean could restrain their obvious enthusiasm when queried about honors programs. "I am overjoyed that the funding will be available for this very important project," said Bacon, bordering on giddiness. "These new academic opportunities, along with our new facilities, will put Stern College on the map where it belongs." Adler was no less reticent, stating that an honors program, combined with the high intellectual caliber of YU students, could catapult the University into the front ranks of liberal arts colleges in America.

What all the new money will buy is far from clear. The original proposal for an honors program at YC was put forth by Adler three years ago. Honors courses would be open to all students and would be noted as honors classes on student transcripts. Students who took the requisite number of honors courses would be designated "Honors Scholars" and be required to spend a summer doing research in their field and possibly stay for a fifth year on campus.

Though these plans were never actualized, a small group of honors courses was created. With interdisciplinary classes in subjects such as modernity and composition and advanced courses in diverse subjects such as Latin, biotechnology and Jewish intellectual history, the era of an honors program at YC began, albeit on a smaller scale then envisioned by its planners.

S. Daniel Abraham

The new funding promises to allow the programs to expand greatly and actualize the visions of the deans. Current honors offerings at YC include courses including "Nationalism and Patriotism," "New Physics and Astronomy," "Early Jewish Biblical Interpretation," "Experimental Psychology/Biopsychology," and a writer-in-residence program. Adler stated that funding could be used for new faculty hires, research opportunities, and advanced classes in new fields of study such as neuroscience, molecular biology, and communications.

"Funding would be very important," said Adler, "but the push towards intellectual excellence was developed by the students and faculty. Watching thirty to forty students applying for advanced academic scholarships; seeing students going to the Dean's Table meetings and participating in the highest forms of intellectual discourse; listening to young Jewish actors and artists performing at the Arts Festival; all this has convinced me that this school can be the leading institution in Jewish thought."

Dean Bacon voiced similar hopes for an honors college. "Money could be used for a variety of improvements. New faculty could be hired to teach specialized classes, students could be sponsored for conferences and summer research positions and mentoring program could be instituted." Acceptance to the courses would require incoming students to have at least an A- average, while current Stern students would be required to have qualified for Dean's List status. Prior to graduation, an honors student would have to give an oral presentation and a paper to an honors committee composed of administrators, faculty, and students.

"I think that at Stern College we have very bright and motivated students and a talented faculty," said Bacon. "What we have been looking for is the financial resources to give the students even greater resources and greater intellectual challenges, and an honors program gives us that opportunity."