Ono Academic College Dean: “No soldier will be left behind”

Tova Hartman, Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at Ono Academic College, said at the Jerusalem Post Miami Summit last week that her commitment as dean is that no soldier will be left behind and that the school is making every effort to ensure that students who have been serving in the IDF can complete their degrees.

“In a talk to our teachers, I shared that our generation’s ‘reserve duty’ is to put in the extra hours to make sure that they know that when they graduate, they will have acquired all the skills and knowledge needed in their field of study.

“Whether through small group classes, private tutoring, or back with the larger cohort, their learning will not be compromised,” she said. Hartman added that the stress of a country at war has also affected faculty members.

“We have to make sure that every teacher knows that if that one morning they can’t get out of bed, somebody’s there for them; a colleague can take over,” she said. “And if a student doesn’t show up for two consecutive weeks, someone will call them and, if needed, come to their house to find out how we can bring them back.”

Ono Academic College has established a trauma clinic to provide psychological help and other student assistance, added Hartman. “We had to try to think what students need. It’s not only pure psychological help, but part of the trauma is getting back to many aspects of their lives; they need help with loans they took from the banks,” she shared.

“They need help in integrating back into the workforce. The trauma clinic is really one of its kind in the sense that our clinics have multiple avenues to help: psychology, business, and legal clinics are integrating together to create an effective therapeutic intervention.”

Hartman shared that Ono Academic College will soon be opening an overseas program in response to the challenges Jewish students face worldwide. The program will be a rigorous academic one, and “part of their week will be spent in internships in the various business, high tech, health, and social sectors in Israel according to their interests and skills,” she said.

Hartman said that Ono Academic College is unique in its commitment to helping students integrate into the workforce. The school has a large number of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) and Arab students attending its various campuses.

“In a deep way as well, this is our answer to BDS,” she explained. “BDS wants to say, ‘There’s no democracy in Israel.’ There is no moral core in Israel.’ We’re telling people and students —  come and see what Israel really is.”