Political Science Department Hires New Professor Zilber to Fill Void Left by Zucker

The Yeshiva College administration has ended its search for a new political science professor with the hiring of Dr. Jeremy Zilber. The search process commenced last summer, almost immediately after the denial of tenure to popular instructor Dr. Ross Zucker led him to announce his departure at the end of the 1999-2000 academic year. Zucker, who now teaches at the Lander College for Men, was the only full-time professor in Yeshiva's department of political science aside from department chair Dr. Ruth Bevan. After proceeding for the year without a replacement, YC will institute Zilber as a full-time professor at the start of the upcoming Fall 2001 semester.

Zilber specializes in the relationship between media and politics, as well as the broader field of American Politics. Both areas figure to play prominent roles in his Yeshiva curriculum, particularly in light of Yeshiva's stated goal of establishing a communications major in which he might play a crucial role. Zilber brings with him significant teaching experience, having held posts at both College of William and Mary (Va.) and Dartmouth College.

Because Yeshiva commenced the search so early, they "had their pick from many candidates," according to Bevan. As many as fifty applicants responded to advertisements placed in professional journals and The New York Times. A faculty committee of five professors, led by Bevan, reviewed each candidate's curriculum vitae and proceeded to construct a top tier of applicants. From that point, the committee further narrowed its options to the four best applicants, effectively ending one of the final stages of the hiring process. Yeshiva College political science majors were then invited to join administrators and select faculty members in screening a mock lecture delivered by each candidate, pursuant to the committee's desire to factor student opinion into the selection proceedings.

The overwhelming preference of both professors and students was Zilber. In defining their preference, a number of students highlighted the originality of his presentation, which was based on his Racialized Coverage of Congress: The News in Black & White, a book he had authored that had aroused faculty interest in the first place. Some faculty members noted that his fluency in the workings of the media added to his allure, in accordance with the forthcoming establishment of a communications department at Yeshiva.

Other students present at the mock lesson focused on his method of presentation in describing his to have been the most coherent lecture of the applicants. Hagit Sedaghatpour, president of the J.P. Dunner Political Science Society at Stern College, felt that Zilber's presentation was simply "[the] easiest to follow." But Zilber impressed the majority of his audience most with his personable style. Saul Epstein, a YC junior, commented on what he felt to be the professor's openness and honesty in answering questions. In fact, Epstein explained that the topic of Zilber's presentation had not evoked his personal interest at first, but the professor nonetheless managed to intrigue him and the majority of the audience with an amiable approach toward teaching. Another political science major thought that Zilber gave good, concise answers and enjoyed his sense of humor. Zilber's remarks to The Commentator seemed to confirm student sentiment, as he himself noted that he is "sure [that his]…emphasis on active student participation and discussion will work well at YU."

Another aspect of Zilber's educational abilities that gave him the advantage over the other candidates was his knowledge of quantitative methodology, a lab-oriented field that blends mathematics and politics, teaching the students how to manipulate computer data for political purposes, such as polling. He taught Survey Methodology courses in his two previous teaching posts, but is not scheduled to teach the course next semester at YU. Bevan explained that that she wants him to become acclimated to Yeshiva, and she wants the students to feel comfortable with his teaching style before he embarks upon teaching a course never before offered at the University. Instead, Zilber is slated to teach Intro to American Politics, Political Behavior, and Media and Politics in the upcoming Fall 2001 semester. Bevan nevertheless believes that when he does begin to teach methodology courses, they will surely become student favorites.

Zilber acquired his methodology skills and general political knowledge from Ohio State University, where he received his M.A. and then Ph.D. in 1996. Ohio State has a good quantitative methodology department, but is more famous for its graduate-level department of American politics, in which Zilber majored. Prior to studying at Ohio State, Zilber attended nearby Oberlin College. From 1996 through 2000, he taught at William and Mary, and then headed to Dartmouth last year. "I'm very excited about coming to YU," he remarked. "I've heard nothing but positive things about the student body." He added that both the students and faculty impressed him immensely during his interview.

Bevan seems to share Zilber's excitement. "He brings with him experience and breadth of knowledge," she noted. She added that his specialties in areas that are new to Yeshiva will offer a different perspective to interested Yeshiva political science students. Moreover, he fills a void left by the administration for the entire '00-'01 scholastic year - a second full-time professorship in its political science department. Each year the number of political science majors steadily increases. Nevertheless, consistently a large majority of the professors have been awarded either visiting or part-time posts. Bevan hopes that the persistent efforts in hiring Dr. Zilber are an indication that Yeshiva is making strides to reverse this trend.

In spite of Zilber's tenure track appointment, he will be teaching no courses at Stern College next semester and only one in Spring 2002. Moreover, Bevan also plans to teach exclusively at YC next semester to properly help Zilber along in his initial year at Yeshiva. This disparity appears to some political science students as a sign that while Yeshiva has made efforts to improve the political science department at YC, its Stern counterpart remains stagnant. Next year, SCW will sport no full-time political science professors, a matter that greatly distresses a number of students including Sedaghatpour. "The biology and pre-med majors are growing and accordingly the administration is adding new professors on a consistent basis," she observed. "But the political science department gains more and more students each year, yet receives no new professors."