The Safir Investigation — A Plea for Fair Play (Vol. 1, Issue 14)

An official investigation by Student Council to thoroughly report on the fitness of Dr. Safir for the office of deanship has been voted. To many outsiders, the suddenness of the charges and their scope may seem a bit bewildering. But to the majority of the student body and faculty the initiative Student Council has shown will be viewed with utmost favor. 

Relations with the dean at Yeshiva have been fraught with misunderstandings and animosities ever since the first few years of the college’s life. On countless occasions bitter stories have run their rounds concerning alleged unfairness by the Dean and his unfitness for office. 

Already last year an organized opposition to Dr. Safir in the student body began to crystallize. Although the movement rarely manifested itself openly, it was only a matter of time before an aroused student opinion would reveal itself. 

Since the beginning of this academic year misunderstandings and bitterness between students and the dean’s office have grown so rapidly that many feared student outbreaks of the nature that take place at City College might be visited on Yeshiva.

Realizing the devastating consequences such events would have on the academic Standing of the college, responsible student leaders felt it was high time that the validity or, non-validity of charges against Dr. Safir, was finally established. No future course for the welfare of Yeshiva by the student body could be justified unless this element of doubt were definitely removed and the true situation revealed. 

It is for this reason that Student Council acted most wisely in refusing to demand the resignation of Dr. Safir until an objective and thorough investigation into the validity of all charges could be made. By declining to be stampeded into action, Student Council has gained the confidence of moderate elements of the student body, and an added prestige for mature and deliberate action. 

Concerning the charges themselves, The Commentator wishes to refrain from expressing any opinion. Now that an investigation has been voted to determine the true state of affairs, it would be violating every sense of fairness to attempt to influence investigating committee one way or another. 

Particularly do we hope to impress on the student body this point of fair play. The charges against Dr. Safir are of such a serious nature that, if substantiated, they would definitely disqualify a man from the deanship of any college, much less Yeshiva. Realizing the grave implications of the investigation, we urge students to exercise the control over their attitude and emotions that a true sense of impartiality demands during such a crucial period. 

We await with the utmost interest and suspense the report of the investigating committee and its recommendations.