Although Yeshiva classes have been in session for more than ten weeks, a number of concerns continue to plague the Office of Admissions, as well as the offices of Student Services and Enrollment Management

As The Commentator reported last month, classroom shortages led Director of Enrollment Management John Fisher to promise that rooms on the upper, unoccupied, floors of Belfer Hall would be converted into new classrooms in time for the spring term. According to Fisher, however, this project remains "not yet claimed." And while Dean of Students David Himber noted that "every student has a room and desk," some students seem to disagree. "There were not enough desks for everyone in my English class, just last week," one YC Sophomore observed.

Still, regarding academic facilities, Himber commented that Yeshiva is "concerned about providing appropriate facilities with [a] high level education." Himber even detailed that his office is looking at Yeshiva's entire academic schedule and evaluating which rooms are being used, which could be used, and which rooms have the potential to be converted into classrooms. Fisher seconded the sentiment, remarking that he, along with Steve Frucht of the Facilities Department and Leah Honigwachs, Interim University Registrar, is actively monitoring the room shortage and hopes to be touring Belfer Hall for potential classroom conversions. Both seemed to agree, however, that the current situation is not optimal.

Interestingly, the lack of classroom space seems to be a problem, despite the fact that the enrollment figures initially reported at the outset of the fall semester somewhat overestimated the actual number of undergraduates at Yeshiva. Himber explained the disparity between initial and current enrollment figures, stating that, as of October 21th, while ten to twelve men and twenty-five women had abandoned plans to study in Israel in favor of enrolling at Yeshiva, these additions were more than offset by the number of men and women who had committed to attending Yeshiva and then backed out. According to Himber, each campus lost approximately two to three dozen students due to such last minute changes.

The confusion surrounding the actual number of undergraduates on campus caused even more problems for the Office of Student Housing. Because Yeshiva was expecting a significant boost in enrollment, a number of beds were reserved and left unoccupied during the first week of school, despite the fact that students were still waiting to be placed in student housing. The situation was eventually resolved, leading Himber to comment that, "Bottom line, in terms of housing, any student that needed housing eventually was placed in undergraduate housing." But many students were not as upbeat about their experiences. One Yeshiva College junior complained, "At Yeshiva, they don't plan ahead of time; rather, they consistently wait and see what happens when the students arrive on campus before they respond to the issue."

With regard to students who will be returning from Israel for the spring semester, the administration claims to be on top of the situation. Asked about the coming semester, Fisher said, "[we are] not finished with the planning," emphasizing that he and his colleagues "still need to assess the situation" - to get a better idea as to what the spring enrollment will be. According to Fisher, most of the students studying in Israel, in particular the second year yeshiva students, have yet to decide if they are staying in Israel until the end of the fall semester or until the summer. Fisher did relate that the Director of the Yeshiva University Israel Office Mark Lerhman and his staff, who have been working on the issue and visiting the yeshivas in Israel, will have an estimate sometime soon as to how many students will be returning to each campus in January. "We have been in contact multiple times each week," Fisher said.

As of now, Fisher expects the typical number of students - about one hundred men and about fifty to sixty women - to return for the spring semester. Himber, however, was much more cautious, refusing to estimate the influx of new students into the current student body. "It is too premature to give an estimate," he said.

Security has been another housing concern for a number of Yeshiva students. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, some students living off compass have inquired about relocating to on-campus dormitories, which enjoy newly heightened measures by Yeshiva Security. Commenting on this possible influx of students, Himber remarked confidently, "Any student is invited to join us on campus if they will feel safer or securer, meaning in [the on-campus] housing program." Later, however, Himber was unable to project if there would be enough on-campus housing for students returning from Israel for the second semester. "No guestimate," Himber remarked.