2008 Woodie Awards
In Bid to Bolster Advising and Counseling Services, Yeshiva Unveils New Offices
Sruli Ginsburg
Issue date: 8/31/05 Section: Features
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At the beginning of the fall semester, Yeshiva's Wilf Campus will unveil a new office on 116 Laurel Hill Terrace. Having taken over five connecting apartments and the hallway that adjoins them, Yeshiva has turned the bottom floor of an apartment building into a central location for student services. As home to Academic Advisement, the Counseling Center, and the doctor's office, the new location will serve as a one-stop site for academic, psychological and physical care.
The move, which streamlines students' quest for help and information, is part of a two-year old effort to improve student life. This effort was highlighted last year by the hiring of Dr. Thea Volpe, Director of Undergraduate Academic Advising on the Wilf Campus, and Dr. Victor Schwartz, Director of the Counseling Center on both undergraduate campuses.
After Yeshiva performed a self-study on its Academic Advising department a few years ago, the administration determined that many changes needed to be made. To implement this transformation, Yeshiva hired Dr. Volpe, an experienced academic advisor who had worked in a similar capacity at both NYU and Columbia University.
According to Dr. Volpe, "[The self -study] found that the Yeshiva's students were under-served in terms of the number of people here to help them ... my impression was that the students were very stressed. I think this was partly because students were not given [enough] information." Therefore, Dr. Volpe has taken steps to make information and guidance more easily accessible. As part of this process, at the beginning of the semester each student and faculty member will receive a detailed rulebook.
"We want to develop a culture where the students trust the advisors, and that the advisors feel like they have all the information they need," said Volpe. " [To help create a greater trust] we provide service that is transparent. We want the rules to be the same for everyone. It's very maddening when student A can do things one way and student B must do it a different way." Volpe added there are obviously circumstances when things work differently for different students, such as how certain courses impact students of varying majors, but that those differences are based on unique academic decisions and not loopholes found in general school policy.
The move, which streamlines students' quest for help and information, is part of a two-year old effort to improve student life. This effort was highlighted last year by the hiring of Dr. Thea Volpe, Director of Undergraduate Academic Advising on the Wilf Campus, and Dr. Victor Schwartz, Director of the Counseling Center on both undergraduate campuses.
After Yeshiva performed a self-study on its Academic Advising department a few years ago, the administration determined that many changes needed to be made. To implement this transformation, Yeshiva hired Dr. Volpe, an experienced academic advisor who had worked in a similar capacity at both NYU and Columbia University.
According to Dr. Volpe, "[The self -study] found that the Yeshiva's students were under-served in terms of the number of people here to help them ... my impression was that the students were very stressed. I think this was partly because students were not given [enough] information." Therefore, Dr. Volpe has taken steps to make information and guidance more easily accessible. As part of this process, at the beginning of the semester each student and faculty member will receive a detailed rulebook.
"We want to develop a culture where the students trust the advisors, and that the advisors feel like they have all the information they need," said Volpe. " [To help create a greater trust] we provide service that is transparent. We want the rules to be the same for everyone. It's very maddening when student A can do things one way and student B must do it a different way." Volpe added there are obviously circumstances when things work differently for different students, such as how certain courses impact students of varying majors, but that those differences are based on unique academic decisions and not loopholes found in general school policy.