This issue of Cardozo Life opens the window yet again on Cardozo’s dynamic intellectual life. It focuses on Cardozo alumni in the international arena and our spectacular conference on the legacy of the Nuremberg Trials. In addition, Prof. Peter Goodrich offers a retrospective look at the late Jacques Derrida, our frequent visitor and guest who over the course of two decades engaged our students and faculty in important dialogue. Goodrich points out that “Derrida’s American legal experience was Cardozo.”

As the inside pages also report, Cardozo’s faculty have published five books this year, organized and participated in many noteworthy conferences and panel discussions, and been actively involved in our nation’s public life. It is also my extreme pleasure to announce that Richard Bierschbach, Eric Pan, and Julie Chi-Hye Suk, each of whom is exceptionally talented and highly accomplished, are joining the full-time faculty this summer. We welcome them.

I wish to state a few words about Rob Schwartz, our indefatigable and highly distinguished associate dean for admissions, who is featured in an interview. Rob is marking his 10th year at Cardozo, and during his tenure has totally revamped the admissions process and dramatically rewritten conventional wisdom regarding “realistic” admissions goals.

In an almost incomprehensibly short time, he has helped Cardozo develop into a nationally prominent law school that will welcome an incoming class in August from across the nation—60% from states other than New York. This remarkable statistic is compounded by the fact that we have doubled our applicant pool to more than 5000, improved the median LSAT score of the incoming class to 164—the 91st percentile, while the top quarter of the class has a median LSAT score of 166 putting them into the top 5% of all test takers.

Rob has overseen these outstanding statistical developments while emphasizing the individual in the application process, successfully identifying those who show promise to make significant contributions to American life. The remarkable fact is that year after year, I am told by applicants that Rob and the entire Admissions Office staff provide an admission process that is the most personable, dignified, and impressive of any with which they have contact.

I applaud all the individuals highlighted in this issue. It is our good fortune that they are part of our community.

David Rudenstine