At a town hall meeting held at 8:30 a.m. in Battell Chapel, University President Richard Levin discussed current issues facing the University and addressed concerns of the faculty present. Topics dealt with at the meeting, the first of four planned for the academic year, ranged from the dilapidated state of science buildings on campus to the Title IX complaint that’s put Yale in national headlines. Here are some of Levin’s thoughts.

On Yale’s current financial state:

“The good news is we’ve stabilized. The scary prospect is that the financial markets still look unstable and we could get another negative shot.”

On the administration’s response to issues surrounding Title IX:

“This has been a good and important exercise for us as we’ve had an opportunity to really reflect on how we can improve our processes.”

On the opening of Yale-NUS:

“This will be an effort to educate citizens for global citizenship — a real effort at creating an education that is not bound to one nation, to one ethnicity.”

On the effect financial cuts have had on departments:

“The idea is not to strip departments of all their humanity and all their concern and compassion for students, and we will make every effort not to let that happen.”

On the policy he would push if in Washington:

“The only thing that works in this kind of situation is massive fiscal stimulus — actually creating jobs.”

GAVAN GIDEON