Message From Our President
Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Friends,
I am pleased to present to you this Guide to our plans for the upcoming fall semester and reopening of our campuses. In form and in content, this coming semester will be like no other. We will live differently, work differently and learn differently. But in its very difference rests its enormous power.
The mission of Yeshiva University is to enrich the moral, intellectual and spiritual development of each of our students, empowering them with the knowledge and abilities to become people of impact and leaders of tomorrow. Next year’s studies will be especially instrumental in shaping the course of our students’ lives. Character is formed and developed in times of deep adversity. This is the kind of teachable moment that Yeshiva University was made for. As such, we have developed an educational plan for next year that features a high-quality student experience and prioritizes personal growth during this Coronavirus era. Our students will be able to work through the difficulties, issues and opportunities posed by our COVID-19 era with our stellar rabbis and faculty, as well as their close friends and peers at Yeshiva.
To develop our plans for the fall, we have convened a Scenario Planning Task Force made up of representatives across the major areas of our campus. Their planning has been guided by the latest medical information, government directives, direct input from our rabbis, faculty and students, and best practices from industry and university leaders across the country. I am deeply thankful to our task force members and all who supported them for their tireless work in addressing the myriad details involved in bringing students back to campus and restarting our educational enterprise.
In concert with the recommendations from our task force, I am announcing today that our fall semester will reflect a hybrid model. It will allow many students to return in a careful way by incorporating online and virtual learning with on-campus classroom instruction. It also enables students who prefer to not be on campus to have a rich student experience by continuing their studies online and benefitting from a full range of online student services and extracurricular programs.
In bringing our students back to campus, safety is our first priority. Many aspects of campus life will change for this coming semester. Gatherings will be limited, larger courses will move completely online. Throughout campus everyone will need to adhere to our medical guidelines, including social distancing, wearing facemasks, and our testing and contact tracing policies. Due to our focus on minimizing risk, our undergraduate students will begin the first few weeks of the fall semester online and move onto the campus after the Jewish holidays. This schedule will limit the amount of back and forth travel for our students by concentrating the on-campus component of the fall semester to one consecutive segment.
Throughout our planning, we have used the analogy of a dimmer switch. Reopening our campuses will not be a simple binary, like an on/off light switch, but more like a dimmer in which we have the flexibility to scale backwards and forwards to properly respond as the health situation evolves. It is very possible that some plans could change, depending upon the progression of the virus and/or applicable state and local government guidance.
Before our semester begins, we will provide more updates reflecting our most current guidance. Please check our website, yu.edu/fall2020 for regular updates. We understand that even after reading through this guide, you might have many additional questions, so we will be posting an extensive FAQ section online as well. Additionally, we will also be holding community calls for faculty, students, staff and parents over the next couple of months.
Planning for the future during this moment has certainly been humbling. This Coronavirus has reminded us time and time again of the lessons from our Jewish tradition that we are not in full control of our circumstances. But our tradition also teaches us that we are in control of our response to our circumstances. Next semester will present significant challenges and changes. There will be some compromises and minor inconveniences--not every issue has a perfect solution. But faith and fortitude, mutual cooperation and resilience are essential life lessons that are accentuated during this period. And if we all commit to respond with graciousness, kindness, and love, we can transform new campus realities into profound life lessons for our future.
Deeply rooted in our Jewish values and forward focused in preparing for the careers and competencies of the future, we journey together with you, our Yeshiva University community, through these uncharted waters. Next year will be a formative year in the lives of our students, and together we will rise to the moment so that our students will emerge stronger and better prepared to be leaders of the world of tomorrow.
Best Wishes,
Ari Berman
“This clinic will be invaluable to Bronxites and to all New Yorkers who will be traveling to our borough for the quality, low-cost mental health services that it will offer. I was honored to support this project with $513,000 from my capital budget, and I thank Yeshiva University for providing such an important resource to our community,” stated Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. at the official opening.
“The Parnes Clinic serves a vital role in our community,” said Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez. “Mental illness has run rampant in our neighborhoods, and it’s difficult for those who can’t afford traditional help. The clinic provides a wonderful, low-cost opportunity to receive assistance and make strides towards bettering oneself. I recognized the good that it has done and will continue to do, and as such I am proud to have provided funding to support the construction of their new and improved clinic. I look forward to the expansion and positive impact that it will bring.”
Assemblymember Daniel Rosenthal noted that "the Parnes Clinic of Yeshiva University has provided our underserved populations with the care they have needed for decades. The expansion of this clinic is a vital step towards training a generation of practitioners to respond to the growing need for affordable mental health services in New York City. I am proud to join my colleagues in securing funding that will increase access for the thousands of New Yorkers that rely on these services."
“I am thrilled to celebrate the inauguration of the new Max and Celia Parnes Family Psychological and Psychoeducational Services Clinic,” remarked New York City Council Member Andrew Cohen. “As always, I am grateful to Yeshiva University for bringing this much needed facility and its services to the Bronx. Thank you to former Council Member Jimmy Vacca for leading the charge and to all my other colleagues in government who helped make this day possible.”
There is a tremendous need for additional trained mental health professionals. Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S.— 43.8 million, or 18.5 percent — experience mental illness in a given year. In addition, approximately 548,000 adults (9 percent) in New York City experienced depression in 2016. Living with an individual who has a mental illness impacts family, friends, coworkers and communities. For years, the Parnes Clinic has ensured that the local community has had access to affordable mental health resources. The clinic provides many services to the community, including cognitive behavioral therapy; psychodynamic therapy; psychological assessments; child, family and couples counseling; and more.
“The clinic was created to provide a safe space for the underserved patients of the Bronx to receive affordable mental health care, which includes the top-of-the-line services they deserve,” said Dr. William Salton, clinical professor of psychology and the director of the clinic. “Parnes houses the fourth largest training clinic in the country, serving over 600 patients and booking between 700 and 900 appointments per month. We are deeply indebted to our elected officials who not only advocate for destigmatizing mental health but who are also helping us to expand our mission by giving us the opportunity to assist many individuals and families in need.”
As a training institution, the Parnes Clinic provides Ferkauf students with an unparalleled opportunity not only to provide services to the community but also to learn how the social context of their patients influences the effectiveness of their interventions.
“By using our talents and resources in the service of others, we honor the principles upon which Yeshiva University was founded,” noted Dr. Selma Botman, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Yeshiva University. “Parnes’ new state-of-the-art facilities will help our Ferkauf students continue to fulfill that mission. We greatly appreciate the confidence and partnership our elected officials have provided in helping us secure funding so that Bronx residents can continue to receive affordable mental health services of the highest quality.”
