Department of Jewish Studies Established at City College of New York

An independent Department of Jewish Studies has been established at The City College of New York. The Faculty Council which voted for this also voted in favor of establishing Departments of Afro-American, Puerto Rican and Asian-American Studies. The Jewish Studies Department will be an integral part of the College of Liberal Arts and Science and will be placed in the Humanities or Social Science Division. The other three ethnic departments will form a division of their own, officials said. This separation indicates recognition for the view that Jewish studies should not be classified as ethnic and that it implies recognition of the intrinsic academic validity of Jewish studies as well as for their social and humanistic values. On the approval by the Board of Higher Education, the departments will begin to function this fall for a three year trial period to be followed by an evaluation. According to college officials, student-faculty committees will soon be appointed to plan curriculums and nominate chairmen of the departments. Dr. Robert E. Marshak, college president, suggested that majors in the new departments be required to take a “trans-cultural survey course,” so that students “will become aware of their common humanity.” The Faculty Council accepted this suggestion for close cooperation between the departments. The Advisory Committee on Jewish Studies was headed by Professor Salo W. Baron of Columbia University and included Rabbi Emanuel Rackman, provost at Yeshiva University, Professor Judah Goldin of Yale, Professor Harry Orlinsky of Hebrew Union College and Rabbi Arthur J. Zuckerman, director of B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation at The City College.