Yeshiva University Raises New Security Fee to $750 in Wake of Recent Antisemitism
Yeshiva University has increased its new student security fee to $750 a semester per student, starting with the Spring 2024 semester. The fee is intended to offset the costs of increased security measures implemented by the university following the rise in antisemitism after Oct. 7.
The fee, doubling the $375 fee originally applied to students at the start of the spring semester, was announced in an email from campus security to students last month. New security measures being pursued by the university include additional security officers and NYPD patrols, including members of the NYPD’s Counterterrorism Response Command resources and Critical Response Group.
Other security measures announced in an email include the conducting of lockdown and readiness drills and augmenting security officers with members of the NYPD Paid Detail Program, which brings off-duty police officers to YU’s campuses as an additional security measure. The email also mentioned that the NYPD continues to hold daily intelligence briefings on relevant activity and provides extra security during large gatherings and programs at YU.
The security team also disclosed that they have been working with Pinkerton Security, a risk management agency, to ensure security at high-profile events and in more difficult-to-secure areas of YU. The team has also partnered with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to assess the effectiveness of YU’s physical and cyber security apparatus.
The email also mentioned that there have been no credible threats against YU.
Students had different attitudes toward the new fee.
"I'm very conflicted about the fee as an increase of nearly double the original amount is absurd,” Eitan Schulman (YC ‘25) told The Commentator. “Nevertheless, at the same time we are in a very difficult time in terms of antisemitism so it does make sense that security would need to be greatly increased.”
“I personally think that this is almost like a military-industrial complex,” Eli Levi (YC ‘24) told The Commentator. “I think it’s ridiculous that they don’t include this stuff in the tuition. If you’re going to charge me a crazy amount of money, then why not insert every fee you can come up with into the tuition? This is stupid, and it’s ridiculous that they separate out these expenses for no good reason. Include it in the tuition, and then everyone will be happy. Or at least I will.”
In fiscal year 2021, the latest year from which data is available, YU spent $10 million overall on security, an increase of $2 million from fiscal year 2020.
Security did not respond to The Commentator’s request for comment.
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Photo Caption: YU will be increasing its new security fee to $750.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Levin
