Rick Montañez
Assistant Editor

Recognizing the need to bring all types of admission responsibilites under one person, the University of La Verne recently held open forum discussions to aid in the search for the newly designed position, the dean of admissions.

“We have always had a dean of undergraduate admissions,” Vice President of Enrollment Management Homa Shabahang said. “This [new] position will bring it into one office.”

The dean of admissions will help centralize undergraduate, graduate, transfer and the Campus Accelerated Program for Adults admissions officials as well as work with other offices that directly relate to requirement and enrollment.

“We want to bring this person on as soon as possible,” said Elaine Turner, president of the Turner Group. “We want a centralized admissions office.”

The Turner Group is a retained executive search firm. ULV sought the help of the firm to find someone worthy of filling the dean of admissions position.

There was a pool of about 30 eligible candidates, which were nominated through reliable sources.

After several screenings through the University, the search is now narrowed down to two candidates.

 The open forum was for faculty to have a group interview with the candidates, ask questions and get a feel for what the candidates were all about.

Attendees, about 25 at each event, were given an evaluation to turn in to Shabahang.

Martin Yousef and Chris Krzak are the two candidates for the position.

On Oct. 30, Yousef had his chance to prove why he would be the best person for the job.

Last Monday was Krzak’s chance to claim his spot.

Yousef, a self-proclaimed “numbers man,” used percentages to show how he would improve diversity at ULV as potential dean of admissions.

“I am analytical, based on facts,” Yousef said.

He claims he would bring in more minorities.

Yousef has 13 years of experience with nontraditional colleges.

His résumé includes the Brooks Institute of Photography, Newbridge College, Corinthian College and others.

“It’s in the itsy-bitsy opportunity,” Yousef said. “I don’t want to take a slash and burn approach.”

Krzak’s experience includes six years at California State University, Maritime Academy and 14 years at the University of San Francisco.

Krzak said he would work to make ULV become a “first choice” school.

He wants ULV to be the first thought for people, traditional and nontraditional, who want to attend college.

Both candidates agreed on the need for improvements in the ease of applying, the University Web site and other areas of recruitment information. Yousef said there is a difference in traditional and nontraditional students.

“They are two different worlds,” Yousef said.

Substantial differences is how Krzak described the issue. Both candidates agree that marketing for both groups need to be different.

Krzak said he has used radio spots and newspaper advertisements to capture the eye of the working adult student.

Yousef said he would gear his marketing toward people he knows can afford coming to the University.

He also said he would use Internet advertising and market toward people with money.

Krzak said he wants to work with Financial Aid to work on new brochures to improve student’s understanding on how they can get assistance to pay for school.

Both candidates have ideas to improve the University admissions for both traditional and nontraditional students. Yousef and Krzak are under consideration for now by the University.

ULV hopes to have the new dean of admissions by the beginning of 2007.

Rick Montañez can be reached at rick.montanez@hotmail.com.