2008 Woodie Awards
Admin. Dispels Syms Rumors, Pledges Honors Program and Accreditation
Eitan Kastner
Issue date: 8/31/05 Section: News
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As Dr. Charles Snow completes his last month as dean of the Sy Syms School of Business, his successor has not yet been named nor has a search even begun. In a sign that a search could begin soon, a search committee was recently formed. Assistant Dean Ira L. Jaskoll has been appointed interim dean in the wake of Snow's resignation at the end of the last academic year. While the current vacancy at the top of the SSSB administration had raised unsubstantiated rumors regarding Syms'future, President Richard M. Joel expressed an unreserved vote of confidence in the school in a late-August interview with The Commentator.
At the end of the spring semester, rumors, including those forwarded by Syms faculty members, circulated that Snow's resignation signalled the downfall of SSSB. Jaskoll, clearly responding to such rumors, sent an e-mail on August 24 to all YU undergraduates bluntly stating, "The school is not closing," and that President Richard M. Joel had pledged to allot more funding for SSSB "to allow the school to excel and become one of the top undergraduate business schools in the region and the country."
In the interview, President Joel referred to an "ambitious agenda" in the works for Syms, and repeatedly denied that the school faced closure at any point. However, he stressed that Syms' vision needed refinement. "To me, the issue isn't whether Syms is going to be, it's what Syms is going to be."
In nearly identical tones as the President, Dean Jaskoll discussed the Syms rumors. "There has been a lot of speculation about closing the school," said Jaskoll. "I have spoken to President Joel and (Vice President for Academic Affairs) Dr. Lowengrub and they said these rumors are ridiculous. There is a lot of excitement here to move things forward to the next phase of Sy Syms."
Dr. Lowengrub elaborated on what the administration expects from the new Syms leadership. The increased funds that Dean Jaskoll mentioned are going to assist the development of a SSSB honors program, similar to the honors programs in Stern College for Women and Yeshiva College, and to allow the school to achieve AACSB, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, accreditation.
At the end of the spring semester, rumors, including those forwarded by Syms faculty members, circulated that Snow's resignation signalled the downfall of SSSB. Jaskoll, clearly responding to such rumors, sent an e-mail on August 24 to all YU undergraduates bluntly stating, "The school is not closing," and that President Richard M. Joel had pledged to allot more funding for SSSB "to allow the school to excel and become one of the top undergraduate business schools in the region and the country."
In the interview, President Joel referred to an "ambitious agenda" in the works for Syms, and repeatedly denied that the school faced closure at any point. However, he stressed that Syms' vision needed refinement. "To me, the issue isn't whether Syms is going to be, it's what Syms is going to be."
In nearly identical tones as the President, Dean Jaskoll discussed the Syms rumors. "There has been a lot of speculation about closing the school," said Jaskoll. "I have spoken to President Joel and (Vice President for Academic Affairs) Dr. Lowengrub and they said these rumors are ridiculous. There is a lot of excitement here to move things forward to the next phase of Sy Syms."
Dr. Lowengrub elaborated on what the administration expects from the new Syms leadership. The increased funds that Dean Jaskoll mentioned are going to assist the development of a SSSB honors program, similar to the honors programs in Stern College for Women and Yeshiva College, and to allow the school to achieve AACSB, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, accreditation.