Staff Editorial: FCJL reorganization right move

The the Freeman Center for Jewish Life took a positive step toward improving its financial stability last week by agreeing to make major changes in its infrastructure. When students return to Duke in the fall, they will benefit from the Freeman Center's dramatically increased financial stability, and greater ability to focus on day-to-day student oriented and programming activities.

The centerpiece of the Freeman Center's reorganization will be the dissolution of its governing board, which was responsible for raising the initial funds for the summer, and since charged with oversee operations and fundraising. While dissolution is clearly the right move, such action is long overdue, as an external review of the center conducted a year and a half ago concluded that the board was negligent in assisting fundraising efforts. In fact, the FCJL was kept afloat in the past few years only by reserve funds left over from the center's construction, and anticipated running into serious financial trouble as soon as this coming year.

The University will assume control of the Freeman Center building and will manage the services that the FCJL has traditionally provided to students. Several members of the old board will be retained in an advisory capacity, to help to smooth the transition period. By agreeing to allow the University to aid in its administration, the Freeman Center will now be included in the formal University budget, which should solve many of the center's financial problems.

When the University takes over management of the FCJL, the center's current director, Jonathan Gerstl, will take on a new role as Duke's executive director for jewish life. This change will allow Gerstl to focus more intensely on fundraising and strengthening the support base for the center among Duke's alumni and major contributors, something he could not do as effectively while having to worry about the center's day-to-day operations. The FCJL's previous board was plagued by a poor fundraising history, a malady that Gerstl's new placement should go far towards remedying.

Students will also reap direct benefits from the FCJL's overhaul. By the time Gerstl has moved into his new position next year, he will have appointed a new FCJL director, whose responsibilities will focus mainly on student-oriented programming activities. This will likely translate into better special events, speakers and social opportunities for those involved in Jewish life on campus. These events will draw attention to the center and improve its image for both students and alumni. By dividing up responsibilities among several competent leaders, the FCJL's performance will improve in both the financial and programming areas.

While the new hierarchy of management at the FCJL is poised to solve the the center's previous financial woes, the new leadership must work diligently to convince alumni and investors that the center is a permanent, well-managed and integral part of life at the University. The FCJL's efforts at reorganization are commendable, but it should have reacted to its external review results sooner, rather than waiting until it was facing financial crisis before taking these necessary actions.