The Student Life Committee, the primary conduit between the student body and the administration, has already convened on two occasions during the early days of the spring semester, a marked contrast to the single meeting held during the previous semester.

According to Yeshiva College Student Council President Lou Shapp, the dearth of meetings held during the fall semester was primarily a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks, which delayed many university processes, including the meetings of the Student Life Committee. "The situation at the time put many school issues on hold, as the University coped with problems stemming from the disastrous attacks," he explained

Committee Secretary and YCSC Secretary Jason Koslowe asserted that the increase in meeting regularity this semester is due primarily to an article that was published in The Commentator criticizing the Committee's lack of dedication and resolve.

This semester, the agenda for the Committee contains various issues ranging from improving the University transportation system to assessing current prices in the cafeteria. Additionally, a system that would enable online registration is under discussion, with hopes that its integration will ease the tension students experience during registration. Other issues that have been discussed include the upsurge in cellular phone usage in the library and the installation of change machines in the laundry rooms.

The Student Life Committee consists of twenty-four members, of which ten are Yeshiva administrators, while the remaining fourteen are student leaders. The administration's constituency includes Dean of Students David Himber, Associate Dean of Students Chaim Nissel, Director of Enrollment Management John Fisher, Associate Director of Facilities Management Jeffrey Socol, Director of Supporting Services Administration Jeffrey Rosengarten, Chief of Security Don Sommers, Wilf Campus Registrar Lea Honigwachs, Associate Director of Finance Harvey Spolansky, Coordinator of Student Services Avi Rosman, and Director of Athletics Richard Zerneck.

The student component is comprised of both elected and appointed student leaders, including Shapp, Sy Syms Student Association President Michael Davis, Student Organization of Yeshiva President Ilan Rosenrauch, Isaac Breuer College Student Council President Simon Landsberg, Commentator Editors-in-Chief Shmuli Singer and Pinchas Shapiro, and Syms junior Jonathan Mantell.

According to Koslowe, the purpose of the Committee is essentially to improve the condition of student life at Yeshiva. "The committee deals with policies of the administration, and gives Yeshiva students a voice to express their suggestions," he explained. "We try to build and maintain good relations with the school bureaucracy. By working with the administration, we plan on achieving the goals of our agenda, and responding to student suggestions and complaints."

Responding to student complaints regarding such issues as cafeteria food prices and transportation, as well as the seemingly sluggish speed of how many issues are dealt with, Koslowe elucidated, "Students have to realize that there are numerous policy issues and many different factors to be dealt with before large changes can be undertaken. The process is slow but viable, and the Committee has been working hard to continue progress." Although Koslowe maintained that the Committee had shown considerable improvement since the prior semester, he recommended that the Committee create additional subcommittees within the system to increase efficiency.

One such subcommittee, which deals directly with the issue of Yeshiva's new, much-criticized intercampus shuttle service, met on Thursday, February 14th. According to Shapp, "When we realized that the new transportation was the most important thing on everyone's mind, we convened a meeting just to discuss it." Shapp explained that he formed a transportation subcommittee, committed to working with the administration in order to alleviate many of the problems with the system, such as its infrequent schedule. Consisting of head Resident Advisor Dov Feldman, Davis, and chaired by Rosenrauch, among others, the Subcommittee reports directly to the Student Life Committee.

The meeting, however, produced no concrete plans for improvement in the transportation arena, while the abrupt cancellation of a full Committee meeting earlier in the day raised larger questions among committee members about the continuing commitment of the Committee to regular sessions. "I hope that our committee is not reverting back to the bad habits of last semester," said one Committee member, who requested anonymity. "To accomplish things, we need to meet like clockwork, with a serious agenda. Anything less would be failing the students we represent."