Admissions Office Scrambles to Fill Hyman Void

By Ariel Brandwein

Following the Yeshiva University National Model United Nations convention a few weeks ago, Ryan Hyman left his position as Associate Director of Admissions to begin a career with a commercial mortgage brokerage in Midtown.  In his absence, other members of the Admissions Office have been forced to assume some of Hyman’s responsibilities, in an effort to preserve office productivity.

Among Hyman’s many duties were organizing recruitment events, such as the Red Sarachek High School Basketball Tournament, and conducting interviews for prospective students.  “Staff members have had to put in weekends and early mornings,” related Director of Admissions Michael Kranzler to the void created by Hyman’s egress.  Echoing Kranzler’s sentiment, John Fisher, Director of Enrollment Management, remarked, “We are just barely surviving in the wake of Ryan’s departure.”

Although February and March are generally considered slow months for the Admissions Office, responsibility reallocation now is paramount for the more hectic periods, which follow Passover.  Post-Passover Admissions representatives are sent to Yeshivas in Israel, preparing incoming students for the fall semester.  Furthermore, a number of college-fairs take place during May, targeted at high school juniors.

 Prior to his departure, Hyman shared the task of interviewing prospective students with Kranzler.  Presently, Kranzler has been forced to assume the burden alone.  However, Fischer did note, “I am readily available for interviewing when needed.”  Additionally, Hyman’s Red Sarachek responsibilities have know been shouldered by Associate Director of Admissions Helen Moskowitz and Admissions secretary Ryan Loughlin.  But, Hyman has agreed to attend the tournament shabbaton. 

Following Passover, representatives from the Office will fly to Israel to visit prospective students from the different Yeshivas.  Originally, both Kranzler and Fisher were going to go, but, due to Hyman’s absence, Fischer will be the lone member of Admissions overseas, while Kranzler will remain on-campus to conduct recruitment events such as visiting high schools.  

Historically, the position of Associate Director has been a difficult one to fill.  Prior to Hyman’s arrival, the position was vacant for over two years.  “It has been difficult to hire because we are selective in what we look for in candidates,” explained Kranzler.  On that note, Fisher added that competition also factors into the matter.  “We’ve had a number of positions that stay vacant and it could be due to the fact that the economy has been good in the past so YU competes with other industries for top candidates.”  Elaborating, Fisher also pointed to the fact that the position requires extensive traveling, a factor that deters many qualified candidates.

Moreover, Kranzler also mentioned that the current hiring freeze would only further delay the process of procuring a replacement for Hyman.  Ultimately though, the members of the Admissions Office hope to find a suitable candidate as quickly as possible.

In general, the position tends to be filled by an individual with superior communication and organizational skills.  Candidates who are graduates of Yeshiva have the added benefit of being more acquainted with the activities and intricacies of the university.  Such was the case with Hyman who fit the bill for this position perfectly, as many of his ex-colleagues noted.  “Unfortunately, graduates of YU tend to seek higher paying jobs or a continuation of their studies in graduate schools,” relayed Fischer.  “But despite these factors, we are going to do everything we can to fill the position best.”

Despite wanting to fill the position quickly, choosing the proper candidate remains atop the criteria list.  “We are looking for someone who can relate to and understand the students; someone who can fit in under any circumstances,” commented Amy Sullivan, Associate Director of Enrollment Management.  “We’re not going to settle until we find the perfect candidate.”

Fisher explained that filling the position by fall is crucial, due to the array of recruitment events during that period.  If a replacement were found by mid-summer, there would be sufficient time for training and conditioning the substitution for the hectic recruitment months ahead.  If, however, the position were to remain vacant, extreme measures would come into play.  “In the situation that we do not find the proper candidate, we would certainly have to rethink many of our recruitment activities that we find to be highly effective,” opined Kranzler.  Fisher echoed these comments adding, “We are hoping for the best and planning for the worst.  In the latter situation, we will find a way to survive, but it will certainly be much more difficult.”