News Briefs
New Tenure Appointments Strengthen College
In another fortunate year for tenure-track faculty, Yeshiva College tenured all five professors up for review during the 2013 review process. YC’s Dr. Aaron Koller, Dr. Anna-Lisa Cohen, Dr. Silke Aisenbrey, Dr. Joshua Karlip, and Dr. Jess Olson were among 20 University-wide tenure promotions. Dr. Aaron Koller, a graduate of Yeshiva College, who later received his PhD at YU’s Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, was recently named Assistant Dean. He is an assistant professor of Bible at Yeshiva College and Revel and is exceptionally popular with students, having won the student-voted “Professor of the Year” award in 2011. “With these new appointments,” said YC Dean Barry Eichler, “the university is solidifying the excellence of its faculty.”
“Mandate to Matter” Campaign Extended
YU has expanded their fundraising campaign to include an additional target of $400 million for undergraduate scholarship funds. The campaign, which kicked off in 2006 with a $100 million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Ronald P. Stanton, has raised approximately $800 million thus far despite calamitous economic times. These commitments have enabled YU to increase financial assistance, strengthen its faculty and research programs, improve campus infrastructure, and enhance its quality of education. “Academic excellence and fiscal strength require significant philanthropic support,” said Ira Mitzner, a former YU student turned successful businessman who will chair the campaign.
Commentator Archive on File at Library
The Commentator is pleased to announce that it has established an archive of all issues from the founding of the paper in 1935, until 2001, when The Commentator went online. The archive is available on reserve in YU’s Pollack Library and can be viewed by all students, visitors, and historians. While microfilms of The Commentator have been available for research purposes, Commentator editor-in-chief Gavriel Brown, who created the archive, said “this collaboration with our library archivists represents a huge step forward in terms of accessibility.” The archive, comprising 22 large binders of facsimiled issues, was dedicated in memory of Cheryl Stern (SCW’ 1981): librarian, wife, and mother of four. “The next step forward,” said Brown, “is full, online, digital access.”
Rabbi Brander Promoted to Vice President
Over the summer, Rabbi Kenneth Brander, most known on campus for his work as the first dean of the Center for the Jewish Future (CJF) at YU, was appointed by President Richard Joel to serve as the vice president for university and community life, a position most recently held by Hillel Davis, who made aliyah in 2011. Rabbi Brander will retain his position as dean of the CJF until the university can find a successor, although he will now primarily focus on his of new role on campus - that is, supervising a broader swath of YU’s various community service initiatives, student life programs, and involvement with Israel. Brander mentioned that he “hopes to serve in a supportive role working alongside our wonderful faculty, roshei yeshiva, community professionals, administrators and treasured student body to help facilitate wonderful synergy.”
Students Run Summer Camps
This past summer, a group of 56 handpicked students volunteered in Israel running summer camps for financially burdened communities as part of the University’s Counterpoint Israel Program. The program catered to nearly 300 campers in a wide variety of cities in Southern Israel including Arad, Be’er Sheva, Dimona, Kiryat Gat, and Kiryat Malachi. The camps’ curricula included English classes, arts and crafts, music, sports, and dancing. The volunteers hoped to provide campers with fun and formative opportunities that many of the campers are not privileged to have at home. The benefits of the program were felt reciprocally; the campers had a wonderful summer, and the counselors left inspired by making such a summer possible.
