Dean Safir Charged as Unfit for Office; Student Council Orders Immediate Probe of Indictments (Vol. 1, Issue 14)

Formal charges against Dr. Shelley R. Safir, culminating in the declaration that he has proved himself unfit for the office of Dean at Yeshiva College, were brought at Student Council during its last session held on Monday, March 16.

In an indictment which took well over half an hour and to which all members gave their closest attention, Student Council was strongly urged to act immediately by adopting a resolution to the president of the faculty demanding the resignation of Dr. Safir from the Deanship. 

After a heated discussion, however, Student Council decided to withhold its judgment until the facts could be corroborated. A unanimous resolution was immediately passed to appoint a committee to investigate the charges, and to report to Student Council at its next meeting with recommendations as to what action the committee believes should be taken.

Charges Listed 

The charges against Dr. Safir were listed under four separate heads. He was accused of a total disregard for the religious ideals of the institution, incompetence in fulfilling the office of dean, a complete alienation of the confidence of the student body, and arrogant, unsympathetic, and moral actions entirely unbecoming the dean of Yeshiva College. 

Charging that no one had done more towards the abolition of the harmonious blending of secular and Jewish culture, it was claimed that on this score alone Dean Safir had already shown his unfitness for his office. 

Claim Subjugation

In scathing words, the accusation was made that “the student body has no greater enemy to its independence and self-government than Dr. Safir.” Repeatedly Council heard the claim that if faculty-student relations are disrupted because of a danger of censorship, it would be only through the untiring efforts of Dr. Safir to subjugate the student body. “The reputation of Yeshiva naturally bears the brunt of all wrangles,” it was pointed out. 

Closing with the statement that a man who enjoys neither the respect nor the confidence of the student body or faculty has a claim to any Deanship, the indictment urged Student Council …[illegible… only the scorn it deserved from faculty and students. 

When questioned after the meeting as to what the reaction of the administration would be, Council members would express no opinions. They placed no stock in the warning that Dr. Safir might use the occasion to impose a faculty censorship on student activities.