Your article surprisingly downplayed the scope of problems reported at YU (“YU No-Confidence Vote Spurs Internal Battle,” March 20). You merely noted President Joel’s “lucrative” contract without mentioning that he is among the highest paid university presidents in the United States, although heading a financially distressed institution that is firing faculty and terminating programs.
You accepted whole-cloth the notion that YU’s financial problems stem from its Madoff losses, ignoring journalist Stephen Weiss’ reporting that YU’s losses stemmed overwhelmingly from risky investments made with YU endowment money, overseen by board members whose firms profited from these investments. You did not mention President Joel’s attempts to blame anybody and everybody but himself for YU’s problems, including the breakdown in financial reporting and oversight that occurred under his watch. President Joel is indeed a visionary, always looking forward — because a backward look shows a long trail of mismanagement.
