News Briefs

Editor's Note: An Earlier version of the News Briefs misstated that Dean Bacon said the Wilf campus would begin accepting credit from Advanced Placement tests with a score of 4 or higher. The corrected version below details the proposed change to AP credit acceptance.

Movember Comes to YU

This past month, Yeshiva University joined activists across the country in “Movember”, a contraction of Mustache November, in an effort to raise awareness for men’s health. While many different events, rallies, and articles are put out during Movember, the hallmark of the annual event involves growing facial hair and encouraging others to do the same. At Yeshiva, the student council and other students have been active promoting Movember, set to culminate in a Chulent Cook-off where students will have a chance to “establish chulent dominance” according to y-studs sent out describing the event. “Chulent,” the traditional Jewish stew originating in Jewish populations in Europe, is typically a mainstay of Shabbat meals but has earned special prominence in the realm of cook-off competition in recent years. Team names for the event include “Movember to Remember” and “Chulent’s Angels,” among others. In addition to the cook-off, students on the Wilf Campus growing out their mustaches will be given an opportunity to showcase their facial fur by submitting pics of their ‘stache to the Office of Student Life. At the Beren Campus, student council have been tabling with mustache themed paraphernalia, giving female students the opportunity to show their support for men’s health. For much of the month, YSU president Noam Safier could be seen sporting a specially designed Movember shirt with a Yeshiva logo sporting a ‘stache of its own.

Dean Bacon Begins to Make Changes To Integrate Campuses

This year, Dean Karen Bacon became the Dr. Monique C. Katz Dean of Undergraduate Faculty of Arts and Sciences as part of a larger effort to integrate and “rightsize” aspects of the university. As dean of undergraduate programs, Dean Bacon has been working to streamline and combine various aspects of the different undergraduate schools. Mainly, as reported here, that effort involves the integration of departments on the Wilf and Beren Campuses. And, as reported in The Observer, some of these are starting to be made. Perhaps the most noteworthy change could be reconciling the discrepancy between campuses regarding the minimum Advanced Placement (AP) score required to receive college credit. Whereas currently, students on the Wilf Campus need a 5 to receive credit, students on the Beren Campus receive credit for a 4. Dean Bacon has proposed that both campuses accept 4s for credit. Further, a concerted effort is being made to offer the majors that exist on one campus at the other campus. Most prominently, this will result in the expansion of computer science course offerings for Stern students. These updates will be worked into course offerings by the Fall 2016 semester. Dean Bacon has also explained that while the departments will be integrated, course offerings may remain different on both campuses due to the varying expertise of individual faculty members on each campus. It is unclear what these changes will mean for requirements on both campuses.