Volume 67, Issue 7

Yeshiva Scrambles to Find Replacement as Belmont’s Retirement Looms
by Alexander Chester

Several weeks ago, Director of the Office of Student Finance Jean Belmont notified superiors that after seven years at Yeshiva and two years in her current post that she would be retiring at the end of the 2002 calendar year. Yet a week past her self-imposed retirement date, Belmont is still situated in her Furst Hall office, and she could be for months to come as the school scrambles to find a replacement.

Belmont originally notified Yeshiva that she would be retiring on December 20, because she wanted to spend more time with her husband. “I love it here,” said Belmont.  “But my husband is older than I am, and we would like to do some traveling.”

However, when Yeshiva failed to procure a replacement, the enrollment office asked her if she would be willing to stay on until one could be found. Belmont agreed, assuming that would be replaced by February at the latest.

But, according to Director of Enrollment Management John Fisher, February might be wishful thinking. Advertisements were put in the New York Times, Jewish magazines, and the Internet several weeks ago, and according to Fisher, the candidates who responded are very suitable. “The search is going very well, we have excellent candidates,” he says, remarking that the opening has sparked interest both from university insiders and outside applicants.

However, he said that it would still be a few weeks before a replacement is officially hired, and, once a job offer is accepted, it could take a few more weeks for the incoming staff member to complete their previous job’s responsibilities. “I am not happy with the timing,” remarked Fisher, “but fortunately Jean has agreed to stay on, and we will identify her successor fairly soon.” But when asked for a timetable, Fisher admitted that February is overly optimistic, and an applicant will not begin working in Yeshiva until April or May.

Finding a suitable replacement for Mrs. Belmont is especially important because of her job subsumes wide-ranging responsibilities. When Belmont first came to Yeshiva from Pace University in 1995 (she had also worked at St. John’s and Hofstra during the preceding twenty years), she worked as a bursar, in charge of student accounts.  Back then, Neil Harris headed-up financial aid office for students.

But two years ago the offices were combined, making Belmont director of all student financial services and, subsequently, much more important to the university. “Mrs. Belmont has been a rock of consistency in the student finance office throughout my time at YU,” said Sy Syms sophomore Jonathan Richton.

Some students, though, were less cordial when describing Belmont. “It’s nothing against her personally,” stated one Yeshiva College senior, “but she is just an example of the rest of the financial office. And that office as a whole does nothing to help students.”

Other students pointed out that Yeshiva’s scholarship opportunities lag behind other schools, forcing some Orthodox students to settle for attending lesser-grade institutions, because they cannot afford Yeshiva’s price tag. “My dad has always remarked to me that whenever he contacts the office of student finance, Belmont is always impossible to reach,” said one Sy Syms junior. “She is totally overworked, and I hope that YU finds two replacements, and that whoever they are, they are going to be geared towards the students.”

But one tenured professor who has been around Yeshiva for several years warned that blaming Belmont is premature. “The office she works in has the same problems squeezing money out of the school’s coffers as anyone else does, and so if guys at YU can’t get scholarships, it’s not because of her.”

As Yeshiva interviews potential employees, the school hopes to find someone who can take over for Belmont, covering all aspects of her job. Belmont just hopes that they secure someone swiftly, so that she can commence upon her retirement as planned.¨

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