Fordham @ Work : Gene Fein

What he does:
“Anything that has to do with student records—like registration, getting grades, NCAA compliance, or immunization compliance—falls in my area. It’s a really big umbrella. We also work closely with the provost’s and dean’s offices, making sure that academic policies that are established by the various schools are translated and implemented correctly.”

How he got his start:
“I’ve been on this campus nearly every day of my life since I graduated high school. I started as a student worker in the athletics department the summer after I graduated, worked there for a year, and the following year, started as a student worker in the registrar’s office. I’ve held almost every level job within the academic records/registrar area over the last 25 years.”

What he enjoys about working in the registrar’s office:
“I like helping implement new things that help the faculty, so they can concentrate on the academic side of things. I want to make it as easy as possible to get those grades in, or assist when a department chair needs to get courses into the system. That shouldn’t be burdensome, it should be efficient and easy.”

What he does to unwind:
Since 1995, Fein has taught one class a semester in American history for the College of Professional and Continuing Studies. This summer, he taught “U.S. Constitutional Moments” at the Westchester campus. This past spring, his Civil War class visited the Antietam National Battlefield; next year they will visit Gettysburg. He has also been a freshman adviser for the last 14 years.

“Teaching keeps me sane. Things can get stressful, especially at certain times of the year, and always knowing that I can look forward to the teaching helps level things out. It’s really nice that I’m afforded the opportunity to do that here. You talk about the ‘whole person, cura personalis,’ I feel very much ingrained in that. I’m not just sitting behind my desk answering e-mails.

“One of my favorite things is the ability to work with students in different capacities, whether it’s meeting them as a freshman adviser, teaching or even in my capacity here, in my ‘day job.’”

His background:
He was born in Philadelphia, but moved to the Bronx when he was seven. He’s married with a son, Zavier, stepdaughter, Alexia, and a Boston Terrier named Roxxy. His office is adorned with pictures of them, along with paraphernalia from the Yankees, the Jets, and a portrait of Winston Churchill, one of the historical figures he admires most for his leadership.