Every year, an elite group of graduating students applies to spend their first year post-college working for various YU offices around Yeshiva University. A highly coveted position, the Yeshiva University Presidential Fellowship Program has many applicants, all fighting for (varying year-to-year) about 15-20 spots.
The Yeshiva University Presidential Fellowship, run by the Office of the President, was initiated by President Richard Joel in 2004 and is run by Vice President Rabbi Josh Joseph with the assistance of Allison Rubin. The program is both enriching and beneficial. With thrice yearly retreats, a generous paycheck, and weekly seminars on leadership, all participants are sure to glean a great deal of skills and experience.
This year, when an undisclosed amount of students applied for the Fellowship, it was many of their top choices for their gap year. Applications were submitted. First round interviews were had in a room of five interviewers per one interviewee. And then there was nothing to do but wait.
I was one of these applicants to the Presidential Fellowship program this year. One day, about two weeks after my interview, I received the email titled “Presidential Fellowship Update”. I held my breath as I clicked it open, and still as I read the first line.
“Dear Tikki (Kate),
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected from an incredible number of extremely high quality applicants as a finalist for the 2013-14 Presidential Fellowship…”
I was ecstatic. My husband was next to me, and I screamed the news to him. We jumped around and hugged, and celebrated my coming one step closer to receiving the job I so badly wanted. I called my parents who were equally as happy. A few minutes later though, I received another email:
“Dear Tikki,
We regrettably are unable to offer you a position in the 2013-14 Presidential Fellowship at this time…. On behalf of Yeshiva University, we would like to thank you for your interest, and wish you all the best in your future endeavors…”
I was confused. My husband and I stared blankly at the screen, unsure of how to react. To add even more confusion yet, a few minutes later, I received another email recalling the previous email. But which previous email? I emailed the sender, Ms. Rubin, asking her to clarify the situation. I was told that the second email (the rejection) was the correct one.
Her response simply read: “I am sorry- the latter email is the correct one. We have an issue with the email system. Wishing you the best…”
Understandably, I was taken aback. When contacting my friends who, too, applied for the Fellowship, I found that the same thing happened to them. However, the difference between our situations was twofold: for those of whom were accepted to “round two,” they simply received an acceptance email, a retraction, and another acceptance email. They were confused, but didn’t think twice. The others who, too, received rejection emails, however, had an even worse experience themselves. Many did not email Ms. Rubin requesting a clarification—they simply assumed the rejection (which was sent later) was the correct email. These applicants did not even have the comfort of receiving the offhand apology that I did. Nothing was done to rectify the unprofessional—not to mention upsetting—situation that those who received an acceptance and then retraction letter had to endure. There was no formal apology.
Situations like this have happened before; it’s not unheard of. A well-known incident at UC San Diego occurred, in which rejected students were mistakenly sent acceptances. A sincere apology was issued. At Minnesota State University Moorhead this happened too; applicants who received an incorrect acceptance were actually given a second chance for their troubles, and the university offered to admit them if they participated in an academic success program. Vassar College sent a formal apology, and called the other schools the students had applied to and explained the situation to help get them in there. It, too, has occurred in NYU, Columbia, and many other places. People have been fired over these colossal and heartbreaking mistakes. (That is not to say I agree with the termination of those who are at fault; human error does happen.) This is unfortunately common, but even in schools where the bare minimum was done, those schools recognized the fault as their own and sent out humbled apologies.
It’s not the fact that this happened that displays a lack of professionalism, these situations are fairly common as displayed above; however, what’s more disheartening was YU’s way of handling it. There was an utter lack of consideration on behalf of the students who were rejected. The fact that this happened and that there was no sincere apology just adds insult to injury,
This situation and YU’s lack of response only reminds me of why I wanted to be in the fellowship to begin with: to make Yeshiva University a better place. To make it a place where students are treated respectfully, like they are important to the school. To treat the students with dignity and to make them feel comfortable in their environment. I wanted to make Yeshiva University a place where things like this don’t happen, and if they do, they are responded to appropriately. In no other college would this response- or lack thereof- have been deemed acceptable. YU needs to own their mistake, and send out an apology. It’s the only right thing to do. And, since I will not be fulfilling my wish of making the school more put together and respectful of students, I leave my hopes in the hands of the capable Fellows of 2013-2014.
For more information on this faux pas in other schools please visit: http://www.valleynewslive.com/story/21526080/230-students-get-acceptance-letters
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/nyregion/after-mistake-a-mea-culpa-from-vassar.html