Private Tutor Nomi Ben-Zvi Tutoring Illicitly on Beren Campus Despite Deauthorization by Dean’s Office

A private tutoring service has been illicitly conducting sessions for undergraduate students on the Beren Campus, without permission from the Office of Events, Security, or the Dean’s Office, an investigation by The Commentator has revealed. The Chromium Prep tutoring service, conducted by Nomi Ben-Zvi, a science tutor who has been known to Beren students for several years, operated on the Beren Campus with permission in the past but had its authorization rescinded by the Dean’s Office after the Fall 2017 semester.

Director of Security Paul Murtha informed The Commentator that YU Security was “not notified that [Ms. Ben-Zvi’s] services were canceled and [they] were unaware that she was conducting unauthorized tutoring sessions.” Mr. Murtha also confirmed with the Dean’s Office that “Ms. Ben-Zvi’s tutoring services were canceled and she was no longer authorized to tutor in Beren.” Ben-Zvi will no longer be permitted to enter any YU building unless her visit is cleared with YU security. 

Ben-Zvi did not return repeated requests for comment on her tutoring services.

According to students currently using Ben-Zvi’s tutoring service, the sessions have been conducted in different rooms in Beren Campus buildings at different times each week. Last year, the sessions were operated out of the same room at the same time.

The Dean’s Office did not respond to immediate requests for comment on why the course was de-authorized.

According to the YU Office of Events, any tutor not affiliated with Yeshiva University is required to gain approval from the Dean’s Office before beginning to tutor on campus. The tutor is required to pay an insurance fee as well as a room rental fee of approximately $150 per session.

Dean Karen Bacon, the Mordecai D. Katz and Dr. Monique C. Katz Dean of Undergraduate Faculty of Arts and Sciences, informed The Commentator that “way back in time” no formal policies existed “regarding outside ‘for profit’ and ‘not for profit’ groups wishing to use our facilities. Now we do have such policies,” Dean Bacon continued, and “each request is considered on a case by case basis.” Dean Bacon would not comment on Ben-Zvi’s previous arrangements with YU, but did say that Ben-Zvi “would need to be prepared to [comply with the policy] in order for us to consider a future request.”

The Office of Events told The Commentator on April 26 that the only approved tutor currently holding sessions on YU campuses is Fischel Bensinger, who runs an LSAT course on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in Furst Hall on the Wilf Campus.

Ben-Zvi, who has tutored on the Beren Campus for several years, currently teaches group tutoring sessions on the Beren Campus for General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry. This semester, Ben-Zvi tutors General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry classes. A Biochemistry session was run at the beginning of the semester but has not been taught on a consistent basis.

Ben-Zvi is the founder of Chromium Prep, a tutoring service offering both private and group sessions and specializing in Chemistry, Biology, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Physiology, MCAT, and DAT.  

This article has been updated since it was originally published with a quote from the Dean's Office.

UPDATE: Click here to read the follow-up investigate article on Ms. Ben-Zvi and Chromium Prep, published by The Commentator on Friday, April 27.

Photo Credit: Chromium Prep Facebook page.