Madoff, Merkin, More

I'm not a YU man, so I hope this won't come across as gloating, but wow is YU better at some things. Compare, for instance, how YU has handled the Madoff and Merkin mess, with how any other Jewish institute of higher learning has dealt with their own scandals.

To date, YU has: sent out an explanatory letter, over the president's signature; allowed some of their officers to be interviewed by secular and Jewish papers; and contributed to the student newspaper's tell-all story: YU Endowment Shaken By Madoff Storm, Losing $110 Million (please don't snicker at the mixed metaphor). There has been no hint of obfuscation; they are being transparently transparent.

Can you imagine a yeshiva managing a crises with this level of expertise? (Can you imagine a yeshiva having a student newspaper, for that matter?) Is this a difference of culture or priorities?