Dean Fama at the Cardozo Law Firm Partner's Breakfast

As of today, who will occupy the second most important position in Cardozo’s administration come September is unknown.

This afternoon Dean of Career Services Arthur Fama announced that he is retiring in August after seven years running Cardozo’s Office of Career Services (OCS). In an open letter to the student body sent through e-mail, Fama explained that he is “ready to explore new independent projects that merge my yoga and career counseling experience.” (Fama’s message was perhaps more surprising to outsiders, see Above The Law’s post on Fama, then Cardozo students, who are accustomed to receiving e-mails about Fama’s weekly yoga sessions). Dean Mathew Diller, in a posting on Cardozo’s website, similarly explained that Fama was leaving “to pursue a new phase in his life.”

Undoubtedly, Cardozo will be losing a unique personality in Fama.

Quickly becoming apparent is the serious work that will need to be devoted to the selection of a new Dean of Career Services. Student leaders have stressed the importance of student input in this decision. Hayley Dryer, incoming SBA President and rising 3L, wrote in a statement, “Given how important this vacant position is in terms of aiding students’ futures, the SBA would like to work with the administration in selecting a new Dean of Career Services to assure the most qualified candidate is sought to replace Dean Fama.” Harry Kastenbaum, an SBA Senator and also a rising 3L, added, “I think it is important for the administration to include student leaders in the vetting and selection process.”

Already, administration has signaled that it will seek student input. In an e-mail to the Jurist, John DeNatale, Director of Communications at Cardozo, wrote: “Vice Dean [Edward] Stein is heading up a national search for a new Associate Dean to head up the Office of Career Services. We expect that person to be onboard this fall. The search process will involve student and alumni input.” Diller also wrote to students on his posting on Cardozo’s website that, “I will be in touch later in the summer to update you on the progress of our search” to replace Fama.

It was just two years ago that student involvement in the selection of a replacement for Dean David Rudenstine became a point of controversy. See Dean Search Yields Many Questions, Few Answers, by Joshua Moskovitz and Glen Parker, Volume II, Issue 4 of the Jurist. In 2009, one student, a 3L named Jonathan Rohr, was appointed to the dean selection committee (the basis for Rohr’s selection to the committee remains unclear). Rohr in turn picked several students who faculty would also consult for input. In light of this precedent, students are left to wonder how their input will be sought and whether the process will be more equitable then it perhaps was for Diller’s selection.