Dear All: 

Writing with sad but not unexpected news. I met the other day with [two administrators in the College of Arts and Sciences –henceforth “The College”] who informed me that the SU is eliminating the major in  Modern Jewish Studies. 

I understand their impossible position the College is in in, justifying to the provost a major that has no majors in it. Our total tally of majors over 10 years was some 3 students. Not great, to say the least, but Jewish Studies has always been a niche academic field. I argued vigorously that the very existence of the major on its own creates value, namely a visibility for the JSP and SU among students, faculty colleagues, family, the larger Jewish community and general public, and donors. And also, that the major costs the SU nothing. 

I explained that the mere existence of the BA attracted the attention of donors. I am thinking of the Backer Chair in particular. We were able to pitch the JSP and SU to the Backer foundation by pointing to the major. The College asked if people in the larger community (e.g. donors) ever asked how many majors we actually had, and I said never. I explained the value of a major, pointing to my own experience at UMass in the 1980s where I was one of two majors in Judaic Studies and Near Eastern Studies. The College listened patiently and politely. There is nothing they could do.  

I am certainly not optimistic about Jewish Studies (or the Humanities). But I explained in no uncertain terms that by cutting the major, that SU was cutting off potential growth. To that point, I also said that I can no longer say to students, colleagues, and members of the Jewish community that “SU supports Jewish Studies.” The College tried to assure me how much they and SU values Jewish Studies. I was having none of it and put the onus on SU for its failure to support not just Jewish Studies but the Arts and Sciences most broadly. 

The College is sympathetic. There’s no money and the College is bearing up under enormous fiscal strain. Our conversation was strained, but we have good working relations. I, good faith, think the College wants to help the JSP to the degree they can. As part of the portfolio review, I expressed interest in securing the possibility for another PTI to help expand course offerings. The College may also pay for a work study undergraduate to help with media and extra-curricular social programming so as to build community among students interested in Jewish Studies. 

 A final word of thanks to Harvey. It was his idea to create a major in Jewish Studies and we figured out how to build a major in MODERN Jewish Studies with next to nothing. I still think the focus on Modern Jewish Studies was a thing of brilliance for a program in Jewish Studies with very few faculty resources. We made something out of very little. It is with that spirit that I want to keep the JSP moving forward into such an uncertain and precarious moment.

All best,

Zak