State of the University Fall 2014 Stuart Rabinowitz, President
State of the University
October 2014
I am pleased to summarize the major accomplishments of the 2013-14 academic year. This past year, while still challenging, was an excellent year in terms of undergraduate enrollment. Despite the declining number of high school graduates, intense competition from other universities, and escalating discount rates, we exceeded our overall undergraduate enrollment goals. We continued to invest in the sciences and engineering and showed significant and continuing gains in these areas. Our Middle States Periodic Review Report received excellent reviews and leaves us well-positioned for the decennial reaccreditation visit in 2019. Set forth below is a brief summary of the past year.
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2013-14 Enrollment While Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s continue to have a negative outlook for the entire U.S. higher education sector, Hofstra has had an exceptional year in undergraduate enrollment. We enrolled 1,714 freshmen (up almost 100 students over last year’s class of 1,616) — our largest freshman class since 2007. Continuing undergraduate students also enrolled ahead of budget. The retention rate for the freshman class that entered last year is currently at 80 percent, tied for the highest in our history (in 2007 and 2010) and 2 points higher than last year. The new entering freshmen have excellent academic credentials. In the entering class are 268 honors students, compared to 244 last year. Average SAT scores are up slightly (with an average highest converted ACT/SAT of 1161 for this year’s class compared to 1155 for last year), and the average GPA of the class increased from 3.51 to 3.55 for this year. In addition, the percentage of students in the top 10 percent of their high school classes increased from 24 percent to 28 percent. This year’s class is also very diverse, with almost 44 percent students of color in this year’s entering class, the highest in our history, compared to 40 percent last year. Recruiting in this year’s freshman class required the efforts of our entire community, and the vice presidents, their staffs, and the faculty worked together to enhance our recruitment and enrollment initiatives. The University continuously modeled and reexamined the discount rate and doublechecked its leveraging model with the assistance of outside consultants. The University refined its value messaging, making the case for the value of a Hofstra education by demonstrating positive outcomes at the school and, where feasible, at the department level. Despite intense local competition, we also had a positive year in our local market, including Nassau and Suffolk counties reflecting an increase of 55 enrolled students over last year. The majority of this year’s class (52.5 percent) is from New York state (slightly below last year’s 52.8 percent). The Office of Enrollment Management continued to enhance its recruitment efforts in territories outside of the Northeast, as well as internationally, in order to provide new sources of students to compensate for the declining number of high school graduates in the Northeast. We continue to see progress regarding our international recruitment efforts. We have 101 enrolled international students
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in the freshman class, an increase of 39 students over last year (63 percent increase). According to the most recent Open Doors report, the top countries of origin of international undergraduate students are China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, India, Canada, Vietnam, Japan and Mexico, with the U.K., Brazil and Turkey not far behind. The Enrollment Management team has been closely monitoring international student patterns and, as a result, has increased travel to include many of these areas. Between the 2012-13 and 2013-14 recruitment cycle, our international recruiters visited each of these areas, many for the first time. We continue to build our presence in Asia and Latin America, working to establish alumni networks and building relationships with EducationUSA offices in the regions. This year we hosted our first Admitted Student reception abroad in China, and we hope to continue this effort and expand to new regions. We also had 27 English Language Program students from China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela enroll this summer, 13 who transitioned into the freshman class this fall. We expect the remaining students to transition as new freshmen this spring. Our strategy in the United States this year was to continue to increase our brand and recruitment efforts in areas projected to see growth in high school graduates over the next several years. These more distant markets once again showed progress, particularly in Colorado, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia and Illinois. We expect that these new markets will continue to grow as we increase our presence over the next few years. The importance of outcomes and a clear career path for prospective students is illustrated by the choice of majors of enrolled students: the largest increase was seen in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, with 185 students enrolled this year as compared to 141 last year, an increase of 44 students and 31 percent. The School of Health Sciences and Human Services also experienced an increase in enrolled freshmen this year, up 39 students to 123 (46 percent increase). In Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, biology majors increased by 85 students, from 139 to 224, a 61 percent increase. Other majors with increases include pre-physician assistant studies, music and journalism. And enrollment continues to be strong in areas such as business and communication, which are also critical to the long-term success of our University. Outcomes will continue to be a theme in the recruitment process in the cycles to come, with the conversation evolving beyond job placement rates to include a conversation about the services provided to undergraduates to assist with networking, mentoring, and resume building. Our focus this year was to communicate our outcome message in marketing materials by sharing stories of young alumni. Moving forward, the University plans to invest in existing and new growth areas that are likely to attract new students and that have the promise of employment after graduation. We continue to enhance the facilities for the School of Engineering and Applied Science, with additional new labs and classrooms, and to renovate classrooms and labs for the departments of Chemistry and Biology. We also continue to create new dual degree programs, which lessen the time it would take to earn a BA/BS and master’s degree separately, thus reducing the overall cost as well. For the class entering in fall 2015, we have implemented a test-optional policy, which allows undergraduate applicants to decide whether to submit SAT/ACT scores or to apply for admission without submitting scores from such standardized tests. National data as well as Hofstra’s own data indicate that high school grades and strength of curriculum are the best predictors of college success, far outpacing the predictive power of standardized tests. The Admission Committee reviews applicants holistically, focusing most closely on an applicant’s high school or prior school 2
performance, strength of curriculum, and achievements in the classroom and community rather than standardized test scores. Allowing students the option to submit standardized test scores as part of the application process gives students the autonomy to decide what information they believe best represents their qualifications for admission. We are again remodeling aid for the next incoming class to approximate a discount rate that brings in the desired class, at the maximum achievable net tuition revenue. We are keenly aware of the need to provide scholarships and financial aid in a manner that makes us competitive with other institutions, but is within the limits of our fiscal constraints. In this regard, fundraising to increase the endowment for scholarships is of particular importance, as is the continued effort to reduce expenses where feasible throughout the University. While graduate enrollment was down this year, we have instituted a number of measures that we believe will enhance graduate enrollment for the next year, including improvements in back office operations, new marketing and communications strategies, and new recruitment events, including additional international recruitment. This fall the Office of Graduate Admission participated in two international fair programs bringing recruiters to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil, as well as to Istanbul. In addition, Provost Herman Berliner, Zarb School Dean Patrick Socci, Professor of Sociology Margaret Abraham and Trustee Tejinder Bindra visited India to explore opportunities for collaboration and student recruitment on both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Zarb School recruiters will also be attending 14 college fairs in various locations in Asia, including Seoul, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad.
Retention The retention of this past year’s freshman class to sophomore year is 80 percent, two points higher than last year’s retention rate. This retention rate is up significantly from the retention rate of 74 percent in 2001. Over the past several years, graduation rates have climbed to 50 percent in four years and 62 percent in six years, compared to national averages of 39 percent and 59 percent. This year again 50 percent of the cohort that started in fall 2008 graduated in four years and 60 percent graduated in six. We anticipate that over time graduation rates will reach and surpass the 65 percent target of the Five-Year Plan. Student satisfaction continues to be higher than our benchmark year (spring 2004), with all satisfaction items rated higher. Similarly, 9 of 13 items related to student academic and social engagement showed improvement from the benchmark or prior year. Analysis shows that academic quality and faculty items, staff interactions and social engagement are the most highly rated for undergraduates, and are the best predictors of overall satisfaction at Hofstra. Further, freshmen today rate all satisfaction measures more highly than they did in our benchmark year. Both academically and socially, Hofstra students continue to be highly engaged, which is predictive of higher retention and graduation rates.
Increasing Recognition The University received accolades on several fronts this year: Hofstra is in the top 9 percent of colleges and universities nationwide for return on investment, based on starting and mid-career salaries for graduates with a bachelor’s degree, according to the Payscale.com 2014-15 College 3
Education ROI Rankings (Payscale collects its own data from alumni in compiling its rankings). In addition, based on mid-career salary ($116,500), we were ranked 10th out of 499 schools (“top 10”) in best salary for undergraduate business majors, outpacing schools that include Cornell, GW, NYU, Boston College, Syracuse and Rutgers. Hofstra was also ranked the second best school in the nation for media professionals, according to a new ranking system launched by LinkedIn that measures alumni career outcomes. Among “Great Colleges to Work For” (The Chronicle of Higher Education) from 2009 to 2014, Hofstra was named to the Honor Roll for this list. Hofstra was recognized for its environmental stewardship and sustainability studies program by The Princeton Review’s 2014 Guide to 332 Green Colleges. Hofstra University was also named to the 2015 Military Friendly School list by Victory Media, a data-driven survey that recognizes the top 20 percent of colleges and universities that provide support and services to veterans, active military and their families. The University also was recognized as 36th on the 2015 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges for Veterans rankings. The Frank G. Zarb School of Business was again recognized as one of the best schools for business majors (Payscale.com 2013-14 College Salary Report) and one of the Best 296 Business Schools (The Princeton Review, 2015). The online MBA program also was ranked 62 among online graduate business programs, according to the 2014 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs. The full-time MBA program has been ranked among the best in the nation by Bloomberg Businessweek — one of only three business schools in the New York City metropolitan area to make the list this year. This is the first time Hofstra has been included in the 2014 Bloomberg Businessweek rankings. The other New York City metro business schools that were ranked are Columbia Business School and New York University’s Stern School of Business. Hofstra University is one of the top 50 (No. 34) most entrepreneurial universities in the nation, according to Forbes magazine’s 2014 Startup Schools rankings. The School of Engineering and Applied Science was ranked 47th in the nation among schools that do not offer a doctoral degree in engineering, according to U.S. News & World Report’s list of the 2015 Best Colleges. Hofstra’s graduate education programs were ranked 98th in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. The Maurice A. Deane School of Law was ranked in the top 10 nationwide by the American Bar Association for teaching technology in practice. WRHU-88.7 FM, flagship station of the NHL’s New York Islanders, is the only college radio station in the nation with exclusive broadcast rights for a professional sports franchise, and was ranked as the No. 1 college radio station in the nation (The Princeton Review, 2015). WRHU also received the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Marconi Radio Award as the top non-commercial radio station in the country, the first college radio station ever to win this award. Some of our big news stories of the year were about the soccer conference and Pelé’s visit before the World Cup, the launch of the MBA in Manhattan, the retirement of Bill Edwards and his legacy of great success in softball, a $10 million gift by the Louis Feil Charitable Lead Annuity Trust to fund Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine scholarships, the opening of a new basketball practice facility, the awarding of the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize, the growth in the new School of Engineering and Applied Science, regular and repeated coverage of Hofstra University Museum exhibitions in The New York Times, and the Hofstra Cheer team performing at the Super Bowl. 4
Academic Initiatives This was an important year for the academic area. For the first time since the recession of 2008, we did substantial hiring, filling 29 full-time positions. The hiring was both in areas of enrollment increases as well as in areas that had significant curricular gaps as a result of retirements and turnover. We have continued our focus on having effective communications at every level. I continue to meet with the speaker of the faculty, the chair of the Senate Executive Committee and the chair of the Chairs’ Caucus. We have also, for the first time, invited a faculty member to make a presentation at a Board of Trustees meeting, and we will continue to schedule these presentations. And in addition to Provost Berliner’s ongoing and significant involvement with University governance, Vice Presidents Hennessy and Eads are now meeting on a regular basis with Senate committees. At my request, Senior Vice President and Provost Berliner and Senior Vice President Adamski continued their visits to departments and, by the end of last year, had visited every academic department. These visits, which also included the appropriate dean and Senior Vice Provost Liora P. Schmelkin, were enormously helpful in providing feedback and insights that complement the information provided by the deans and provost. The facilities in the academic area continue to be upgraded. A major $6 million capital improvement project was just completed at Adams Hall. With the newly renovated Adams Hall, together with Weed Hall, and its state-of-the-art bioengineering lab, we now have a fully up-to-date home for our School of Engineering and Applied Science. The 45,000 square feet dedicated to this school provide an impressive foundation for the engineering and computer science education we provide. The Adams Hall renovations include new space on the east side for a civil engineering laboratory, installation of a new building service elevator, all new windows, new roof, new flooring, fully upgraded classroom technology, renovated restrooms, and new office/classroom furniture. In addition, new labs (including robotics/mechatronics and big data) were created to meet the growing needs of our engineering and computer science students. Thanks to the generosity of Hofstra alumnus and former trustee Dr. Lawrence Herbert ’51, The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication made significant upgrades to its facilities. The Herbert School recently opened a new film/TV editing lab with 16 Mac workstations running the latest versions of Avid Media Composer. In addition to the large lab, there are five self-contained editing suites where students can work individually or collaboratively with faculty. A new audio production, sound mixing and color correction production suite for the film and TV programs was unveiled this year. The suite utilizes the latest software and provides students with a place to complete high-end finishing work. It is also equipped as a screening room for students to watch dailies and screen films. In preparation for the school’s upgrade to a high-definition video infrastructure, Video Control Room A was renovated and upgraded over the summer. Field production equipment for TV, film, and journalism was also updated. We are launching new programs in the School of Health Sciences and Human Services, including course work in nutrition, and are bringing new faculty on board to create a graduate program in occupational therapy. Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has several new programs launching this year, including a major and minor in Japanese and Japanese studies, a minor in presidential studies (a unique addition to our political science offerings), a BS in Mathematical Finance, and an MA 5
in Sustainability. Two new study abroad programs are planned for next year in Costa Rica and Cuba. We have also completely renovated Barnard Hall, which houses our Political Science Department and Economics Department. Modernizing offices and classrooms is an important ingredient in supporting our faculty and enhancing the educational experience for our students, and we will continue to make such improvements. Our science programs were enriched by the creation of a summer research fellowship for chemistry, biochemistry or forensic science, funded with a gift from longtime Hofstra supporters Dr. Bruce and Doris Lister. The first recipients of the Lister fellowship began conducting their research this past summer. In the Frank G. Zarb School of Business, a new undergraduate course, Business and Society: Foundations for Professional Development, will be offered during the 2014-2015 academic year. This course will provide new BBA majors with an integrated introduction to the business disciplines and will include a career exploration and preparation component. In fall 2014 we begin several new initiatives in the MBA program: the Manhattan MBA, an accelerated 28-month program based in New York City; business analytics as a new MBA concentration; and, in the online MBA program, a new concentration in strategic health care management. I am pleased to note that our School of Education has completed its reorganization and is now well positioned to take advantage of growth opportunities. The new online master’s degree in special education, which has international potential, is one of the important initiatives of the school as it moves forward. The School of Education also has several other new programs, including an Advanced Certificate in Pedagogy for Health Professionals, which will be offered in hybrid format. After a comprehensive review, the school is eliminating a number of low enrollment graduate programs in order to concentrate on those programs that have the greatest potential. We have also made great progress in developing a nurse practitioner graduate program, which will be another Hofstra University/North Shore-LIJ collaboration. Working in partnership with the health system allows for an enriched teaching experience as well as seamless clinical rotation opportunities for our students. We have increased our Manhattan presence and are poised for an even more substantial increase. For the last few years, we have had successful NYC offerings as part of our January Session. This fall, for the first time, we have a first-year cluster in the city, as well as the Manhattan-based MBA noted earlier. Across the University we have continued to add new programs. This year, our new programs include: BA/MSEd in Psychology/Counseling JD/MPH (dual degree program, JD and Master of Public Health) MSEd in Foreign Language (Arabic) MSEd in Foreign Language (Mandarin) MSEd in Foreign Language (Italian) Advanced Certificate in Pedagogy for Health Professionals MSEd in Special Education Early Childhood Intervention MSEd in Special Education International Perspectives Advanced Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis 6
Our major new grant recipients for 2013-2014 include: Dr. M. David Burghardt from the Center for STEM Research and Dr. Xiang Fu from the Department of Computer Science received a five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for $2,546,596 for the project “WISE Guys and Gals – Boys & Girls as WISEngineering STEM Learners.” Dr. Jamie Mitus from the Department of Counseling and Mental Health Professions received two grants from the U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration totaling $1,750,000 to be awarded over a five-year period to assist graduate students in the Rehabilitation Counseling program with tuition and fees. Mr. Michael Hacker from the Center for STEM Research received a three-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for $1,499,616 for the project “Engineering for All (EfA).” Dr. Roberto Joseph from the Department of Teacher Education and Dr. Xiang Fu from the Department of Computer Science received a three-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for $1,199,737 for the project “iDesign: Developing Technological Fluency Through Culturally-Relevant Game Design.” Mr. Michael Haber from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law received a three-year NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation grant for $1,000,000 for the project “Hofstra Law Disaster Relief Recovery Clinic.” Dr. Robert Silverman from the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine received a threeyear Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant for $863,439 for the project “Emergency Medical Services for Children: Targeted Issues Demonstration Project.” Dr. E. Christa Farmer from the Department of Geology, Environment, and Sustainability, Dr. Mary Anne Trasciatti from the Department of Rhetoric, and Dr. Elisabeth Ploran from the Department of Psychology, collaborating with colleagues at the University of Connecticut on a project titled “Evaluating Evacuation Decision-Making Processes Among Residents of Long Beach, NY before Superstorm Sandy: Lessons for the Role of Authority and Language in Storm Warnings,” received $121,286 from the Connecticut Sea Grant (CTSG) project, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Assistant Professor Carina Loscalzo and Shannan Ricoy from the Physician Assistant Studies program were awarded a $50,250 grant from the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council to support an innovative curriculum that will incorporate caring for persons with developmental disabilities within the students’ clerkship experience. Dr. Emily Mundorff from the Department of Chemistry received a Research Corporation for Science Advancement Single Investigator Cottrell College Science Award for $35,000 to support the two-year project “Identification and Characterization of Putative Haloalkane Dehalogenase Enzymes.” Associate Professor Aashish Kumar from the Department of Radio, Television, Film received a $25,000 grant from the Long Island Community Foundation in support of a media project that will help community-based organizations with their communication needs.
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In addition to these faculty grants, Judith Tyne from the Scott Skodnek Business Development Center received a grant from Empire State Development Corporation for the Entrepreneurial Assistance Program for $88,000 to support minority group members, women, disabled clients and veterans interested in starting or expanding businesses. Our faculty also attained new heights. Professor of Sociology Margaret Abraham was elected president of the International Sociological Association (ISA) for the 2014-2018 term. Professor of Global Studies and Geography Grant Saff was elected treasurer of the Association of American Geographers. Professor of Biology Christopher Sanford was named an NSF program officer for 20142105. Professor of Geology, Environment & Sustainability Robert Brinkmann was named president of the board of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute. Professor of History Susan Yohn was elected president of The Berkshire Conference of Women Historians. Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship Matthew Sonfield was re-elected dean of the Small Business Institute Fellows, a position he has held since 2006. Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship Debra Comer is co-editor of a special issue of the Journal of Business Ethics on “Positive Organizational Ethics” (Volume 119, Issue 4, February 2014) and associate editor for the Journal of Management Education since 2014. Professor of Finance Ahmet Karagozoglu was invited to deliver a keynote speech at the 11th Shanghai Derivatives Market Forum organized by the Chinese Financial Futures Exchange (CFFEX) and the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE). Assistant Professor of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations Mario Gonzalez won a New York Emmy Award for his work as an editor on a Newsday.com story about a new type of farmer on Long Island’s East End. Assistant Professor of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations Jingsi Wu co-authored a new federally funded study with researchers at Concordia University, Colorado State University, Syracuse University, and the University of Toronto that examines the strategic use of gender in video gaming. Associate Professor of Teacher Education Programs Linda Davey initiated and continues to direct Hofstra University’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program, which partners with the local Farmingdale School District and manages its Universal Pre-K (UPK) program. Professor of Law Katrina Fischer Kuh was selected as the 2013-2014 Stegner Center Distinguished Young Scholar. The Young Scholars Program is designed to recognize promising scholars early in their academic careers. Professor of Law J. Herbie DiFonzo published his new book, Intimate Associations, which focuses on the intersection between legal scholarship and current cultural issues. As examples of student and alumni success, Delta Pi, a student organization of the Department of Accounting, Taxation and Legal Studies in Business in the Frank G. Zarb School of Business, won top honors for scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field, while the Hofstra University chapter of the American Marketing Association (HAMA) took home six top awards at the 2014 AMA national collegiate conference in New Orleans, including being named one of the top 25 best-performing chapters in North America. Communications students and alumni continue to shine. An acclaimed film by graduate documentary student Indrani Kopal ’15 won “best short documentary” at the 9th annual Harlem International Film Festival, and will be screened at an Academy Award-qualifying festival. Luz Peña, a 2012 graduate of the journalism program in The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, has been named to Huffington Post’s list of 40 top Latinos in American media. John Santucci ’11 won a Daytime Emmy Award for his work as a segment producer on ABC’s Good Morning America, which was named Outstanding Morning Program by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Hofstra student journalists and media outlets took home more than 10 awards at this year’s Press Club of 8
Long Island awards ceremony. Claudia Balthazar, a May 2014 graduate of the journalism program in The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, has been named a Student Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Our CPXi Entrepreneurial Competition continues to be very successful and was made possible by the generosity of Hofstra Trustee and CPXi CEO Mike Seiman. The second CPXi VentureTech competition drew students from all disciplines to compete for one of the top prizes in the country in venture technology. We had 10 teams of our students compete for a $50,000 first prize. All the entries were very impressive. One top prize winner was developing an advanced social media management platform, and another was improving a surgical procedure known as ventriculoperitoneal shunting. I am enormously proud of the cutting-edge work done by our students.
Diversity Our emphasis on diversity continues. This year, with the support of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, we were once again able to award multiple diversity research grants as well as an LGBT research grant. The award recipients for this year are: Faculty Diversity Research and Curriculum Development Grants Catherine DiMartino School of Education The Quest for More Equitable Schooling: Choice, Charters and Suburban Districts Genevieve Weber and Graduate Student Lindsay Jacobson School of Health Sciences and Human Services The Influence of Family Acceptance on LGBT College Students’ Well-Being LGBT Research Initiative Award Lauris Wren and Serge Martinez Maurice A. Deane School of Law Increasing Access to Legal Services for LGBT Immigrants on Long Island We have also once again participated in the Zawadi Africa Program and have two women from Kenya in the fall 2014 entering class. Hofstra provides the scholarship support for these students. In response to a recommendation from the department chairs that the faculty hiring process start earlier so that there is additional time to help ensure a more diverse pool of candidates for available faculty positions, we have given the go ahead for the majority of new faculty searches as of the end of October 2014, significantly earlier than prior year searches.
Middle States Periodic Review Report The Middle States Commission on Higher Education reviews schools every 10 years for reaccreditation, with an interim written Periodic Review every five years. A team of administrators and faculty prepared our periodic review report, which was submitted in the spring and reviewed by a Middle States team of reviewers. The Middle States reviewers’ report analyzing Hofstra’s Periodic Review Report was exceptionally positive, with no requirements or recommendations, and stated:
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“The reviewers note that the decennial team identified no requirements and no recommendations from the ten-year Self Study; thus, the University had no specific outstanding issues to address in its Periodic Review. This Periodic Review is exceptional, but even more importantly, presents a university that is exemplary in its compliance with the Standards of Excellence. In particular, the reviewers commend Hofstra’s accomplishments in assessment; given that assessment is the most common source of recommendations and follow-up obligations for universities under review, we suggest that Middle States officially recognize Hofstra’s assessment program as exemplary for the benefit of other institutions seeking to calibrate their assessment activity.” We also continue to do well with every specific accreditation review in every area. This past year we had reviews in the following areas: Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations; Accounting; Business; Educational Leadership; and Teacher Education. All of our reviews have been positive.
School of Medicine The Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, which was granted Provisional Accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in 2013, is anticipating that it will receive Full Accreditation in 2015, following the LCME team site visit this fall. The School of Medicine recruited its fourth class with 99 students who began their studies in July 2014. Fifty-five men and 44 women comprise the Class of 2018. These students were painstakingly selected from a pool of over 6,000 applicants. The class has an average MCAT of 34 and average GPA of 3.62. Eighteen percent of students in the class are from underrepresented minorities. Construction of an additional 63,000-square-foot Medical School building is underway immediately adjacent to the current Medical School facility. The new building will more than double the current academic space available to the Medical School, and will provide adequate space for the planned growth of the school. Construction of the new building in expected to be completed by the end of 2014.
Fundraising The University had a successful fundraising year, securing more than $16 million in new cash gifts and payments on pledges. In addition, more than $8 million was secured in new recorded pledges and commitments. The Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine received its largest commitment to date of $10 million from the Louis Feil Charitable Trust. The University-wide capital campaign continues to progress with a series of ongoing conversations with donors regarding leadership commitments to the University. We are in the final stages of the Trustee Phase of the campaign and will continue to work on Major Gift prospects over the next 18 months. To date, more than $81 million has been secured in cash, pledges and commitments. In addition, the Office for Alumni Affairs saw an increase in overall alumni participation to 11.5 percent, an increase of 5 percent over the past 10 years, which is an indication of the good will and increased involvement of our alumni. As we continue in the early stages of a capital campaign, this growing donor base bodes well for this effort and for the future. 10
Enhanced Campus Facilities The University has started work on a five-year, $25 million major capital improvement project to fully renovate and enhance the interior spaces of our Netherlands and Colonial Square Residential Townhouses. Planned townhouse improvements include fully renovated common lounges and kitchens, fully renovated suite bathrooms, new suite room HVAC units, new suite/lounge furniture, and the addition of improved and more energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the building. This past summer, four townhouses in Colonial Square were fully renovated, and work will continue over the next four summers to fully complete the Netherlands and Colonial Square renovations. This past summer the University also made interior and exterior renovations to Nassau and Suffolk Halls, and completed the elevator modernization project in Bill of Rights Hall. In the coming months, we are also planning the demolition of Liberty and Republic Halls, and the subsequent relocation of the Health and Wellness Center to enhanced space in University College Hall. In the 2013-2014 academic year, in addition to the previously discussed improvements in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and The Herbert School of Communication, we completed two major academic building upgrades: Davison Hall, home to the Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Sociology and Anthropology departments, and Barnard Hall, one of first academic buildings on the Hofstra campus and home to the Political Science and Economics departments. The renovations to Davison and Barnard included exterior work such as new windows and roof replacements, and interior renovations such as building-wide technology enhancements and renovations to teaching classrooms, faculty offices, and restrooms. We are also planning classroom renovations for Berliner Hall and C.V. Starr Hall, and updating the Interfaith Center. In addition, the University renovated the popular Hammer Computer Lab in the Axinn Library. The lab renovations included updating existing computers, installing new printers, purchasing new furniture, and fully modernizing the lounge area. In May, the University completed the creation of a new student study area on the lower level of Axinn Library. This enlarged open floor area serves as a student study lounge, incorporating various furniture configurations for independent and group study. The Mack Student Center Multipurpose Room was fully renovated with a new lighting system, a new partition wall system, new flooring, upgraded AV/information technology, and a full refresh to all room finishes. This space is frequently used for various student-related functions and open house meetings, and hosts many University-sponsored events. Finally, exterior upgrades to our historical Hofstra Hall – constructed in 1903 as the Hofstra family residence – were completed. The University replaced the building’s roof, windows and siding. All renovations were designed to utilize modern, energy-efficient materials while maintaining the traditional look of the original Hofstra house. Progress is being made on gaining ownership of the former Army base on Oak Street, which will add 4 acres to our campus. Both Nassau County and the United States Department of Education have recommended that the property be transferred to Hofstra, and it is anticipated that the transfer will occur in 2015. In addition, the University is purchasing a house adjacent to our parking lots on South Campus, which will be razed following purchase, thereby extending the existing parking lots. 11
Student Services A new Vice President for Student Affairs, W. Houston Dougharty, joined the University in 2014. Mr. Dougharty had been the vice president of student affairs at Grinnell College since 2008, where he supervised, among other areas, Academic Advisement, Disability Resources, Campus Safety & Security, Residence Life, International Student Affairs, Student Health and Counseling Services, Student Activities and Campus Centers. During his time at Grinnell, he received the Outstanding Senior Student Affairs Officer Award from NASPA Region 4/East in 2013, and the Distinguished Service to the Profession Award from the Iowa Student Personnel Association in 2011. His unique breadth of knowledge and experience will enhance our already excellent Division of Student Affairs. Already in the works are plans that are geared toward improving both the student experience and retention. These include a reorganization of our residential programs and staff, as well as a significantly enhanced collaboration among the programs that provide academic advisement, disability services, tutoring and academic success skill-building, and career planning. All of these efforts are focused on building positive and lasting relationships between Hofstra students and the staff and faculty who are here to educate and mentor them. The Career Center, under new leadership, has been making changes to ensure that it responds to the needs of today’s students and a more demanding job market. The Career Center has begun expanding our employer relations network, increasing job and internship postings and opportunities to connect with organizations, as well as developing job shadowing and mentoring programs. In addition, The Career Center is developing a suite of campus services to create dialogue about careers throughout campus. The Career Center has also added a new member to the counseling team and will be increasing its focus on one-on-one, personalized service to assist students in career decision-making and readiness and career connections. On September 20, our students, parents and families, and alumni came together for Fall Festival, which included the popular Taste of Hofstra, a Sunday BBQ and 5K run, the Float Parade, and many other activities. The highlights of the weekend were the Vibe Live Concert and Carnival, which included performances by Janelle Monae, Matt & Kim, TLC and ’80s cover band Rubix Kube; closing fireworks; games and carnival rides; and the Saturday evening comedy act with Kathy Griffin.
Athletics In February nearly 275 student-athletes were honored as Hofstra Scholar-Athletes during an academic recognition ceremony, and 18 of those student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average. In addition, 32 student-athletes received academic recognition from their sport’s respective coaches association. Team-wise, the softball team was the recipient of a public recognition award from the NCAA based on its most recent multiyear academic progress rate (APR), which signifies teams being in top 10 percent in the nation in their respective sport. The field hockey, women’s lacrosse, and men and women’s tennis teams earned academic recognition from their respective coaches associations. Hofstra Athletics’ commitment to community service was evident during the academic year, as student-athletes and coaches from all 17 teams took part in more than 40 community service projects and totaled nearly 3,000 hours of service. Their volunteer efforts were recognized by the Office of 12 Student Leadership and Activities (OSLA), which presented Hofstra student-athletes with two awards
at its annual end-of-the-year banquet. Our student-athletes received the Good Neighbor Award for their work during this year’s Shake-A-Rake initiative, as well as the award for Community Service Event of the Year for their annual Reading With Pride project. On the fields of play, the Pride softball team won 34 games and earned an NCAA Tournament at-large bid – the 15th NCAA Tournament selection in program history. The wrestling program participated in a new conference this year, the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), and sent four wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, while the men’s lacrosse team won the Colonial Athletic Association regular season championship. Many Hofstra student-athletes excelled in their respective competitive arenas this past year, with one member of the men’s lacrosse team earning All-America accolades. Thirteen student-athletes earned all-region or all-district accolades in their sports, while 48 were named to All-CAA teams. In coaching news, National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame Coach Bill Edwards retired after 25 years and 928 victories. Men’s Lacrosse Coach Seth Tierney earned CAA Coach of the Year accolades after leading the Pride to the regular season championship. Dennis Papadatos ’00, ’02, a two-time NCAA Division I National Championship qualifier for the Pride, returned to his alma mater as the new head wrestling coach. In addition, Emily Mansur was promoted to head volleyball coach, Larissa Anderson was elevated to head softball coach, and Vince Giambanco was named the Pride’s head cross country coach. The 2013-14 year also saw the opening of the Hofstra Basketball Practice Facility, a year-round, dedicated practice venue located in the David S. Mack Physical Education Center. The facility will be a valuable training and recruiting tool for the Pride basketball programs.
Master Plan Over the past six months, we have been working with a consultant to assess the economic feasibility of attracting a developer to build a mixed-use “college town” on our campus. Our goal has been to create a partnership with a developer in which we would provide the land and the developer would invest in building an infrastructure and assume the financing, the risks and any potential profit. While a final report is not yet available, our consultant is not optimistic that our campus population, which declines significantly during the summer and January, would be able to support such retail development. However, we continue to explore all other alternatives to provide our campus community with interesting and safe entertainment and retail options within walking distance, as well as to monitor the planned development at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which is adjacent to our campus. An announcement on this development is expected this academic year. We have engaged a consultant to work with the University to develop a comprehensive master plan that will project and help to plan our space usage over the next 10-15 years. It is anticipated that this will be a 12-month project that would begin later this year, with input from all constituencies, to create an action plan for the future development of the campus. The plan will link the University’s mission and strategic agenda with the physical development of the campus, establishing criteria for campus improvements and facilities development in support of the strategic plan, and prioritizing immediate and long-term projects for implementation. 13
Information Technology The third year of the classroom renewal plan was completed with upgrades to computers in 56 existing technology classrooms and the addition of 20 new technology classrooms. In addition, an Active Learning Classroom was installed in C.V. Starr Hall for interactive use of technology and group learning. Enhancing cybersecurity has taken center stage in our efforts to provide a secure environment. In this past year we implemented additional desktop software to prevent unauthorized software from being installed; we installed the latest SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) appliance; we purchased a product to search for sensitive information stored on file servers; we installed two-factor authentication on Active Directory and Hofcard; and we implemented a Network Access Control on the Wi-Fi network. We also started a program to keep the community aware of security threats by sending out notices and newsletters. This program will be increased in the near future with more commercially available training programs that will be tailored to our University. For public safety, we put the fire alarms for every building onto the data network for redundancy. This environment now provides flexibility to move the central fire station to another location if the Public Safety Office becomes unavailable. In addition, we deployed new voice technology capabilities within Public Safety.
Enhanced Financial Condition For the 11th year in a row, the University has finished the year with positive budget results, providing funding for essential capital improvements and future operations. As of August 31, 2014, long-term investments, which include the endowment and other investments made in connection with postretirement benefits, were valued at approximately $459 million, an increase of approximately $55 million, or 13.7 percent, for the fiscal year and a $358.2 million increase, or 356.3 percent since 2002. Our total financial resources of $493.4 million significantly exceed our debt obligations of $187.9 million. Moreover, the debt structure is conservative with all fixed rate debt with no required credit enhancement. Reflecting the continued improvements in financial condition, the University’s debt rating remains at the A level by both Standard & Poor’s (A) and Moody’s (A3), despite the agencies’ continued concerns about the larger industry of higher education.
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Conclusion As you know, this remains a challenging time for private institutions of higher education as the effects of the economic recession continue to linger and families remain price-sensitive and debt-averse, and more willing to consider public university options. Affordability continues to be a significant concern for prospective students. Addressing this concern will require increased fundraising for scholarships and continued efficient management to reduce expenses where feasible. We are prepared to address these difficult challenges. We were able this year to meet the budget for undergraduate enrollment despite intense competition and declining high school graduates in our primary territory. With the foresight of the Board of Trustees, we continue to invest in the sciences, technology, and health care, which are growth areas that provide expanding career opportunities, and these investments have begun to pay off in enrollment growth. We offer diverse programs in our schools of engineering, business, law and medicine (and are only one of three schools in the metropolitan area to do so), plus so much more. We have a beautiful campus and an enviable location close to New York City. We also have a national and international student body with almost half of the freshman class from outside of New York. This geographic diversity differentiates us from many of our local competitors and will help us as the number of high school graduates in New York and the Northeast continues to decline over this decade. While not minimizing the challenges posed by the economic climate, we are confident that we will be able to move forward successfully as we increase fundraising, build enrollment and enhance retention.
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Nondiscrimination Policy Hofstra University is committed to extending equal opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, marital or veteran status in employment and in the conduct and operation of Hofstra University’s educational programs and activities, including admissions, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. This statement of nondiscrimination is in compliance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, the Age Discrimination Act and other applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to nondiscrimination (“Equal Opportunity Laws”). The Equal Rights and Opportunity Officer is the University’s official responsible for coordinating its overall adherence to Equal Opportunity Laws. Questions or concerns regarding any of these laws or other aspects of Hofstra’s Equal Opportunity Statement should be directed to the Equal Rights and Opportunity Officer at EROO@hofstra.edu, 516-463-7310, C/O Office of Legal Affairs and General Counsel, 101 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549. For additional contacts and related resources, see hofstra.edu/EOE.
Campus Crime Reporting and Fire Safety Statistics In compliance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and other federal law, an annual campus safety report which contains detailed information on campus security and fire safety, including statistics, is available by accessing the Hofstra website at hofstra.edu/campussafetyreport or by contacting the Advisory Committee on Campus Safety. Crime statistics are also available at the U.S. Department of Education website at ope.ed.gov/security. The Advisory Committee on Campus Safety will provide upon request all campus crime and fire safety statistics as reported to the United States Department of Education. For additional information or a paper copy of the report, please call the Department of Public Safety at 516-463-6606.
Hofstra University Harassment Policy Hofstra’s prohibition against discrimination is also addressed in Hofstra’s Harassment Policy. The Harassment Policy prohibits harassment--including sexual harassment and sexual violence--based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, marital or veteran status. Hofstra University is committed to professional and interpersonal respect ensuring that no individuals are subjected to harassment or discriminated against in any way on the basis of any of these protected characteristics. Harassment based on any of these protected characteristics is a form of discrimination prohibited by law and by Hofstra University’s Harassment Policy. The Harassment Policy, which is available online at the link referenced below, contains complaint procedures for resolving complaints of harassment in violation of Hofstra’s Harassment Policy. Harassment policy link: hofstra.edu/harassment
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