Faculty Council

The Yeshiva University Faculty Council serves as a forum that enables faculty from across the institution to consider and resolve critical governance and educational issues. The council is the organization through which the various faculty bodies participate in the formulation of University-wide academic policies.

The faculty of the undergraduate and graduate schools of Yeshiva University, with the exception of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, are represented in the Faculty Council. Participating are the faculty bodies of:

• Yeshiva College
• Stern College for Women
• Sy Syms School of Business
• Undergraduate Torah Studies
• Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration
• Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
• Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies
• Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology
• Wurzweiler School of Social Work
• Katz School of Science and Health

Additionally, the provost and one representative from the Deans' Council are regular participants in all general session meetings of the Faculty Council. See the list of representatives.

Current officers of the council are Gabriel Cwilich (YC) Co-Chair, Abraham Ravid (Syms) Co-Chair, and Vladimir Kovtun (Syms) Secretary. One representative from each school also sits on the Executive Committee of the Faculty Council. See a report released by the Executive Committee in spring 2015. By-laws govern the functions of the council and its committees.

Council's Activities:

Surveys run by the Council:

1) 2018 Survey of "Faculty current state"

2) 2019 Survey of "Faculty current state"

3) 2020 Survey of "Faculty compensation"

4) 2023 survey of Faculty currnet state plus faculty compensation.pdf

Letters sent to administration by the Council:

1) Letter to President Berman regarding faculty's compensation and benefits November 2021

2) Letter to Administration in preparation to Middle State review December 2021

3) Letter to President Berman, Provost Botman, and CFO Schreiber May 2022

4) Letter to President Berman and Provost Botman, Febrary 2024

5) Letter to President Berman and Provost Botman, June 2024, re suspending the council

Resolutions:

Resolution 1    

The faculty council resolves that Deans and faculty members should be able to negotiate adjunct pay as well as chair pay and that the compensation in both cases be guided by comparable salaries in peer institutions.  

Resolution 2   

The faculty council requests the formation of a joint committee of faculty and administration which will address issues of recruiting and retention of faculty members and develop an implementation plan  

Resolution 3  

In view of the significant decline in the real faculty pay over the past decade, the council calls on the administration to provide a onetime market adjustment for faculty who have been loyal to the university for a long time and whose inflation adjusted pay has significantly decreased. 

Resolution 4  

The YU annual budget should take into consideration and include a permanent item for faculty's annual raises.   

Resolution 5  

While recognizing the legitimate concerns of the University regarding its right of self-governance, the Faculty Council is concerned about the impact of the controversy over the current legal case with the YU Pride Alliance on the University’s reputation and on the faculty’s standing in the broader academic community. We ask all parties to be mindful of the collateral damage and call on both sides of the litigation to pursue a mutually acceptable negotiated solution.  

The Council supports a safe and welcoming environment for all YU students and employees including the LGBTQ+ community, and encourages an open and respectful dialogue between all sides of this disagreement.