YU Hosts Town Hall, Addressing New Club Guidelines
The Office of Student Life (OSL) hosted an online Town Hall on Sept. 12 to address widespread confusion surrounding YU’s new club guidelines. Dr. Jonathan Schwab, the director of OSL, emphasized that the changes are designed to elevate the standard of student organizations and strengthen campus life.
Schwab explained to the more than 45 students in attendance that the new framework — developed, he said, after years of frustration — will improve leadership training, ensure continuity, and align club goals more closely with the university’s values.
Schwab began with highlighting the nature of student organizations on campus, noting that clubs foster community, bolster growth, and, in his own experience, “changed my life and formed how I see the world.”
“Student organizations are an essential part of education,” he said. “They are a really valuable source of learning and of forming community. These changes are not an attempt to limit or curtail any of those things in any way, we want to enhance and elevate these experiences for students.”
In a meeting with The Commentator, Schwab acknowledged that the initial email announcing the guidelines was poorly communicated.
“If everybody’s telling me they couldn’t understand what the email was saying, then it’s clear that the email was vague,” he said. “It was not excellent communication. In fact, well below that.”
Schwab ran the Town Hall in order to provide clarity and improve communication with the student body. He noted that only about 15% of the student body attended the session and said he would be eager to host additional meetings if more clarification is needed.
Schwab had been considering these changes since assuming his role three years ago. However, the urgency to implement them stemmed from “increased publicity, attention, and scrutiny on clubs and the club process, especially in the spring semester,” he told The Commentator.
He also clarified that although the initial email referenced Project Yamim, the guidelines were not created as part of that initiative and, in fact, predate it.
During the Town Hall, Dr. Schwab outlined five main pillars of the new policy framework, later elaborating on them in a follow-up conversation with The Commentator.
The first pillar is preparing the student leaders for their roles, he explained to the students at the town hall. Student leaders will now undergo formal training to run a student organization, plan events and adhere to university protocol. Training will include logistical guidance on transportation, food service, and room reservations, as well as mandatory workshops on healthy relationships, violence prevention, and bystander intervention.
Second, each club must plan for leadership succession to ensure longevity. “If you are going to start this student organization, our expectation is that it will last for more than a year,” Schwab said. He noted that while YU typically has over 200 clubs, 60-70 fail to continue each year — a pattern these changes aim to address.
Third, every club must clearly define its educational or developmental goals, whether through skill development, learning, or community-building. Social clubs, such as AMC or Broadway Club, remain permitted so long as they serve a broader purpose beyond purely social interaction.
Fourth, clubs must align with YU’s values. “All student organizations must reflect the values and mission of Yeshiva University,” Schwab explained at the town hall. To reinforce this, each club will now be assigned a Torah Mentor. They will serve as a first point of contact when halachic questions arise, and will primarily consist of Torah Studies faculty, not Rabbis exclusively. Student leaders should meet with their Torah Mentor when initially forming their student organization, Schwab told The Commentator.
Finally, the fifth pillar attempts to consolidate the number of clubs. Last semester, 45 clubs didn’t hold any events, and 32 clubs held only one. According to Schwab, there were many clubs with overlapping or redundant objectives. Consolidating similar clubs will help improve sustainability and reduce duplication, Schwab explained.
The updated framework also changes how club budgets are handled. Previously, each organization received $500 in funding, and if an event cost more than $500, they would join with other groups as co-sponsors. Under the new system, clubs can now request additional funds from OSL for events exceeding that amount. Annual budgets will be determined based on documented spending and activity levels rather than automatic allocation.
Another controversial change prohibits clubs from adopting names associated with external organizations. With this new rule, YU has sole discretion regarding events, speakers, and funding.
“We are happy to work with other organizations, but they do not have the say about what happens,” Schwab told The Commentator. “That sole discretion lies with the Office of Student Life, which operates under the Torah leadership of Yeshiva University.”
On Sept. 15 and 17, OSL hosted mandatory Leadership Workshops for club leaders. Schwab apologized for the rushed rollout, telling students that “the idea here is a really good one — one that will really benefit you and a lot of the students on campus.” The sessions reviewed the new rules and provided opportunities for student questions.
Students expressed appreciation for the town hall following the rushed launch of the club framework.
“The town hall event removed many of the concerns about the future of YU clubs,” Yishai Gross (YC ‘28) told The Commentator. “Information in the emails about the changes was very ambiguous, so it was nice to see OSL take the time to clarify the changes and allow students to ask their questions about the new policies.”
Club applications opened on Sept. 30, with a priority deadline of Oct. 13 and a final deadline of Oct. 26. After that date, no new applications will be accepted for the 2025–2026 academic year.
Photo Caption: Yeshiva University
Photo Credit: Yeshiva University
