Hofstra Pulse Fall 2009

ISSUE 16: FALL 2009

Preparing for Hofstra’s 75th Anniversary

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Throwing graduation caps in the air has not changed. The pic-tures in the yearbook have not changed. Certain buildings on the campus have not changed. Yet after three-quarters of a century, Hof-stra University has gone through a myriad of change.

Change has been an unavoidable process in the growth of the University. I know that as a student, my mark is made in some way, shape, or form which changes this campus. Whether you have a by-line in a campus publication or the power to make infl uential deci-sions in student government, you are changing the University for the countless generations of students to come.

From technological strides to the growth of the media on cam-pus and to the ever-changing face of the student body, the University has come far from a commuter college of local residents in an ob-scure place called Long Island.

The University has gained national recognition from hosting the presidential debate last year and is continuing to expand by bringing on a new addition to the campus: a medical school.

This staff has done lengths to present the past. You see it in the black-and-white photos of out-dated outfi ts and hair-dos. They have gone through great lengths to compile all of this information for you to prep you for the big surprises coming your way when the Univer-sity celebrates its 75th Anniversary next year.

However, the staff has done more. They have also gone through great lengths to shape the present. They are a part of the new genera-tion that uses high-tech cameras, cutting-edge software and the same old-fashioned ingenuity that is integral to journalism regardless of the generation. They have helped bring all the old tricks, and many of the new together into this issue of Pulse magazine.

I believe that the change that one will see at the University is not only an imperative facet of life on our campus, but it helps us, as students, to grow and leave our mark inside and outside of the University’s gates.

So I leave you with this: You cannot change the past. You can-not change memories. The only thing you can do is to remember.

LETTER FROMTHE EDITOR

PULSE { Fall 2009 } 3

Photo Credit Natalie Placek

Memories are all that the 75 years worth of students have and we are a part of that memory and a part of the memory of future generations when our footsteps will only be an echo in these halls.

With All My Best,


Greeks Revealed pg. 6

Monumental Proportionspg. 7

Hofstra Gigs and Dive Bars pg. 8

Icon: Lou Bergerpg. 10

Dramatic Beginningspg. 11

The Making of a Legacypg. 12

Changing Face of the Changing Times

pg. 14

Icon: Nelson DeMillepg. 15

An In-Depth Look at the University’s “Roots”

pg. 16

Club Confi dentialpg 18

Homecoming Historypg. 20

The Best Campus Security Blanketpg. 22

Gifts From Familiar Facespg 23

75th Anniversarypg. 24

Towers of ChangePg. 26

Editor In ChiefKimberly Chin

Managing EditorJamie Atkinson

Co-Copy ChiefAmanda Tracy

Theo Rabinowitz

Art DirectorMichael Pehel

Photo EditorChantal Heslop

Business ManagerVania Andre

Advertising ManagerPatricia Lam

Ad Sales ManagerKristin Martellucci

Copy Editor, DesignerDara Adeeyo

STAFF


Photo Courtesy Archives Deparartment

Up, Up, And Abroadpg. 28

Icon: Stephent Dunnpg. 30

Hofstra Catspg. 31

A Dose of New Medicinepg. 32

Fashion Impulsepg. 33

Walk of a Lifetimepg. 37

The Consistent Changepg. 38

Icon: James Quinnpg. 40

DesignerMatt Scotto

Web MasterNicole Gallant

Reporter, PhotographerNatalie Placek

Reporter, PhotographerDavid Salazar

ReporterLindsay Christ

Chelsea FurlongAlicia Stein

ContributorDavid Gordon

Faculty Advisor Daniel Van Benthuysen

s

STAFF


GR KSBy Patricia Lamrevealed

In 1936, a system was created to uphold the traditions of fellowship and promote institutional growth. Today, you may know them as the Hofstra Greek community. The Greek community has served as an outlet for attaining unforgettable memories for a countless amount of students. They secure a permanent place in people’s memories for nearly as long as the University has been established. Every part of our history has a different Greek story behind it.

The Greeks are freezing...(No, not the ‘Brrr’ kind of freezing!) The

Greek system is currently being put on a ‘freeze.’ The fun times are over. While there used to be upwards of about 100 people per organization from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the quota is now 50 and under. Aside from numbers being sliced in half, prospective organizations and mergers are currently on hold from entering the com-munity. Hazing complaints from parents and bad publicity in the past few years have caused the administration to take action. Perhaps a more politically correct word would be “moratorium,” as Peter Libman, Dean of Students, puts it. As the University prepares for the 75th anniversary celebra-tions, Student Activities is preparing for a new and improved Greek image.

Shuart v. Stuart:A small difference in name, but a big change in reign. The Greeks loved Presi-

dent James M. Shuart! A graduate of the 1953 class himself and a member of the debunked Crown and Lance Fraternity, he held the position of the University presi-dent from 1976 to 2001, during which the community had a sense of protection in knowing they were safe from trouble and in good hands. It’s not that President Stuart Rabinowitz dislikes the Greeks, he just doesn’t favor them over any other organizations. This is a different generation of students and their parents, as well as a different leadership, and Greeks new and old agree that it truly is a new era of Greek life at Hofstra.

The Art of PledgingThe stoic bronze man that resides on the grass of

the Calkins quad might have seen a lot of things, but hazing was not one of them! The quad was the center for infamous pledging events, in which new members were humiliated in public. In the 1950s and 1960s, pledging was publically dis-played and out in the open. The Wreath and Foil Sorority (now named Phi Sigma Sigma) pledges held bricks over their head with their left hand and a wooden paddle with their right. Another Greek peculiarity was “Flounder Day” in which the entire quad was measured in fi sh lengths (lit-erally with a fi sh!) as a pledging activity by the now debunked Sigma Alpha Lambda Fraternity.

facts of greek life

◘In 1938, dues were $0.50 per month◘Population: approximately 530 undergrads◘Active organizations: 23 - ALFSA (7); Panhellenic (9); Inter-Fraternity (7)◘$37,000 raised for philanthropies in the 2007-2008 academic year◘600 hours of community service

The Land before Dizzy’sOff-campus bars we love today were incompa-

rable to the Rathskeller and Hofstra USA in their prime.Some may know it as the lower level of the Stu-

dent Center, but Greeks knew it as the ‘Ratt,’ an intense cigarette smoke-fi lled social hangout that served as a sanctuary for the Greek community. The watering hole of the community, it was the most likely spot to fi nd a Greek when they weren’t in class.Up until the late 1990s, not only was Hofstra USA

the center for Greek fundraisers and philanthropic events, it was also the most popular nightspot with a 2,500 person capacity, fully stacked bars, an out-door patio, and great times. Zeta Beta Tau’s annual ‘Contraception Party’ was the fi nal party before public safety decided to crack down on underage drinking and capacity regulations in 1999. The Greek events involving drinking moved off cam-pus and migrated to the bars on our favorite strip, Hempstead Turnpike.

…And melting away!Perhaps the Greeks will un-freeze when they start to

melt away with the heat built up from tensions arising from the Student Leadership and Activities’ new restric-tions and rules and strict policy enforcement. Some new rules restrict many organizations from preserving their tradition, for instance, the new member cycle now may be only four weeks long for sororities and six weeks for fraternities. Before this, organizations were allowed freedom to continue their own style and tradition of re-cruiting and initiation. Greeks feel upset and threatened as they are weighed in on their every move. However, they disagree across the board on whether the rules force them to improve themselves or are simply an example of the injustice against them.


By Nicole Gallant

Hiding below the bushes, a tiny couple smiles mysteriously. A pair of ancient philosophers has a dialogue while balancing the world. Towering nude Greeks try to intimidate those who dare enter their

stadium. A revolutionary leader stares out into the darkness, his document illuminated in gold light. This is not a fantasy land or a movie. It is Long Island’s largest collection of statues, right here on Hofstra University’s campus.

The University has over 75 statues and sculptures scattered around the campus. A sculpture garden accents the nationally-registered arboretum. The art and statues have been donated and commissioned by renowned names, but many who are University alumni.

The International Directory of Sculpture Parks and Gardens called the University’s sculpture garden “well-curated and well-maintained,” in major part due to Fred Soviero, the Director of Grounds. Soviero and the plant department work in cooperation with artists to enhance the University landscaping with such accents as plants and benches.

Of course, Soviero and his team also work on the placement and preservation of the University’s unique statues.

A bronze sculpture depicting the Greek deity Atlanta greets anyone entering James M. Shuart Stadium. The sculptor, Paul Manship, has several sculpture pieces including the “Victory Eagle,” which is featured in the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. In addition, Manship is known for hisPrometheus Fountain which is located in Rockefeller Center in New York City.

Costantino Nivola’s “A Sympathetic Gesture” is a 200-pound concrete cast in honor of A. Holly Patterson, who was the founder and Nassau Community College and an active local politician. The statue sits to the west of the Emily and Jeremy Spiegel Theater. Soviero said that it was the “most unique” of the sculptures because of its stonemason infl uence from the artist which adopted the technique called sand-casting.

A hitchhiker stands next to his suitcase and beckons to drivers at the main gate of the University. His destination: Boston. Another stone man stands by his suitcase thumbing for yet another ride to Boston. This statue is adjacent to the Public Safety booth at the main gates of the University. In addition, a man in a business suit gets some shade under a tree in Calkins Quad. Though it may seem that the campus police have been slacking, this man will never leave. They are statues created by John Seward Johnson II, heir to the Johnson & Johnson dynasty. Some of the most beloved statues are done by Johnson, who is now 78-years-old.

But among the sculptures nests a full-scale replica labyrinth of the one known in Chartres Cathedral in France. Meant to symbolize the journey that one undertakes in life and for a place to fi nd spiritual and intellectual enlightenment, the University Labyrinth is a place where students can go to take a break from the stresses of college life. When you reach the center, the peaceful experience is amplifi ed by an echo that can be heard most clearly by the speaker at the center.

Monumental Proportions: The Sory Behind the Satues

A Sculpor Speaks...

Vinnie Bagwell believes that important messages should be accessible through public art.

“As time goes on, history gets pushed back fur-ther and further,” she said, as dusk fell on her life-size bronze statue of Frederick Douglass. Bronze, her “elite medal of choice,” captures every nuance and oxidizes the color over time, she said. The three-dimensional likeness is not her fi rst, and will not be her last. Where matter of fact is neglected, Bagwell evokes a sense of purpose with her art.

“Life-size statues make you feel a person’s spirit,” she said. “Creating with your hands is intimate so you get a sense of the person, you’re with them.”

Since her studio is her home, Douglass was not just a sculpture, but a houseguest. Douglass was re-ferred to as “Fred,” which she had called him every time he was mentioned.

She said that his purpose is to make a person stop and refl ect on what it means to enslave another per-son, how judging people based on color is not a thing of God. A previous, yet smaller edition was sculpted and funded by the BET channel for Douglass’ home in Maryland. A larger model was entered for the Univer-sity’s contest, but something was off. The larger one was too mellow, Bagwell said.

In the pictures, Douglass was serious and some-what scowling. “He needed intensity,” she said. After refl ection, it came to her to age him. Though based on younger pictures, the statue captures Douglass at the height of his power and beauty.

“My gift is fl uid. It fl ows from me,” Bagwell said, referring about her “artists’ way.” Douglass is centrally located, given his own room and enormity of space.

A student approached Bagwell and spoke to her about “Fred up on the yard.” She said that she found that very “cool,” as she gazed at “Fred” as the Sunset touched the Earth.

Photo Courtesy Natalie Placek


Photo Courtesy Natalie Placek 7


The incessant speed generated high energy and heat, a stark contrast to the frigid November air outside. An awkward moment occurred with appearance of pseudo-Nazis, who were heckled by the band until they left. The “ugly” episode was soon forgotten once the action started up again, led in by Dee Dee with a 1-2-3-4. “They poured out one tune after the other”, said Patricia H., and “never slowed down once!” Typical attire

consisted of lots of black with plaid accents, spiked collars and leather jackets, Mohawks and weird hair-dos. Doc Martens or high top Converse sneakers provided foot protection against all the stage diving, dancing, moshing, and pogoing that could “get your feet squashed”.

by

Nicole Gallant

Hofstra Gigs, WORD & Dive Bars

It’s a Saturday night, alright…but what to do? The city, boasted as a mere “25 miles east” of Hofstra, always has infi nite possibilities.

Over the years Hofstra has developed a thriving local nightlife, providing experiences and opportunities unlike any other university. Whether the scene consisted of alcoholic revelry or sober celebrating, Hofstra has a rich history competing with the bright lights of nearby NYC.

The Clash debuted their new lineup at the Hofstra Gym on April 8, 1984. Guitarists Vince White and Nick Sheppard replaced Nick Jones, after leaving the band due to brewing creative differences over the funk infl uence in their new material. The sold-out show was “fantastic”, according to Ed Fingerling who stopped at nothing to attend. A high school senior committed to Hofstra for football, Fingerling cut school and had his girlfriend forge a doctor’s note in order to buy tickets. On the way there, he totaled his father’s car on the Meadowbrook, “and STILL saw the show”.

L i v e S h o w

Legendary performances have graced this turf since the beginning of the University. Hofstra Concerts has provided the student body with astounding and diverse musical guests, such as Herbie Hancock, Zappa with Stephen Stills, Busta Rhymes, Reel Big Fish, Goo Goo Dolls, The Roots, Indigo Girls, the Counting Crows, and Fuel, just to name a few.

Two nights of a mystery concert were planned in utter secrecy as tickets were handed out, often ignored or scored from scalpers for six dollars. Hofstra’s best kept secret in-volved gang fi ghts, a live boa constrictor, a hanging, and prompted bomb threats in Cincinnati- and that was only one act. ABC and Hofstra Concerts hosted a surprise show fea-turing Alice Copper, the Allman brothers, Poco, Seals and Croft, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Curtis Mayfi eld, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry at the Playhouse in 1972. ABC hosted its pilot episodes of its live “In Concert” series, in association with Hofstra Concerts, over two nights. Free tickets were handed out only days before, as fl iers pleading for atten-tion “FREE SHOW” and “PLEASE READ” were often ignored. The nationally televised event was unadvertised, even though rumors of Cooper, the Allman Broth- ers, and even the Grateful Dead fl oated around campus. The Dead b a c k e d out due to union confl icts, but

the Jerry Garcia Band did play Hofstra in on Nov. 21, 1977. The fi rst

act, the Allman Brothers, was slated to begin at noon. Things were

running nearly three hours behind, pushing the fi nal act, Poco, until the early morn-ing hours. The myriad styles

of music featured and shock value of the surprise set surely gave lucky attendees the show of a lifetime. The live telecast was broadcasted in November and

December of 1972.

Photo Courtesy Archives Department


Di v e Ba r s

9

On Campus Entertainment

Now limits one drink per Hofstra ID for those over 21, and the events are less fre-quent. So much for the “speakeasy’ syn-drome that Newsday once ascribed to Hof USA. The names and “closed” signs may change, but one fact remains true: no Hofstra expe-rience is complete with at least o n e

a p p e a r -ance at one out of fi ve bars within

walking distance, located along Hemp-stead Turnpike. Other (classier) establish-ments, such as Tin Alley Grill, Dempsey’s, Miller’s Ale House, and Croxley’s may be frequent hangouts for Hofstra students, but none are as undoubtedly intertwined with the University.

A prime spot the turnpike secluded from the Hofstra strip of dive bars, Bar Social strives to become more like Applebee’s rather than an average college bar. Origi-nally Pennelton’s in the eighties, it is best known and beloved as Bogart’s for over ten years until it closed in 2006. Formerly owned by the New York Jets wide-receiv-er, Wayne Chrebet, for a little over a year, Bar Social has replaced Chrebet’s after police interference disputes and compli-cations with the business manager. A pri-vate lounge downstairs host parties and caters events, complete with VIP rooms and swanky décor. Bar Social breaks away from the dive bar stigma by offering daily specials and a celebrity executive chef. Top Chef contender Danny Gagnon pro-vides high-brow options for the restaurant,

one of only two places in New York to have the contestants of the show as chef. A far cry from the “beer-blasting” Hofs-tra haunts, according to a 1991 Newsday NightBeat article, Butler’s Quarters of-fered blues and jazz seven days a week. It changed to Dublin University in 1996, but still remained off the Hofstra map, followed by “The Library” in 2000. “The Dizzy Lizard Saloon” was bought and named in 2004 by Rob Verderosa, ‘99. Nacho Mama’s has become known as a center for bar nights for a variety of on-campus organizations as well as its live performance stage. Formerly Me & Mc-Gee’s in the nineties, the name has been changed fi ve times until settling on its current title. The interior is a mixture of eighties hair metal and Dia de los Muer-tos designed by local Darren Barkell.Legendary to upperclassmen and the site of many fuzzy nights for countless alum, the bar originally was two stores. It began its history as a bar named “Gaslight” in 1958. In 1961, it was bought and renamed “Zolie’s”, which is when the wall was knocked down

and the entire lot was turned into one establishment. The pub was christened “McHebe’s” in 1978 by four men, half Irish and half Jewish. Upon transfer-ring ownership, the name was a spur of the moment decision combining all of their heritages. Seeking other ventures, McHebe’s was sold into the hands of those who aimed to please the campus Greek life. Though popular, it was ob-vious that the bar needed serious work done, going without restrooms until 1994. Ownership continued to change hands throughout the 1990s. The last happy hour was held Dec. 15, 1999 and McHebes closed temporarily for reno-vations. It made its new debut on April 25, 2000 at 8 p.m. It has recently been relicensed in April 2009, and is current-ly the main host of the popular “happy hour” with a strictly enforced age limit.The University boasts its proximity to the city that never sleeps, but as many students learn in their time at the Uni-versity, the least amount of sleep is found up and down the blocks of Hemp-stead Turnpike.



By Kimberly Chin

On that day, based on a person’s date of birth, students were drafted.

“What’s your number? What’s your number? What’s your number?” Lou Berger, ‘72, said, recalling a sense of relief after the calling ended.

An actor who was heading in the same direction as Berger ended up getting drafted. He was set to perform in a Moliére comedy that day. “I remember watching the actor who had been picked perform very brilliant comedy the same day,” he said. “Talk about a crazed moment,” he quipped, adding that this would sum up the college ex-perience in the late 1960s.

As a theater major, Berger said that he was no stranger to confl ict. He had studied it in his past four years at the University, along with drama, music and acting. He described the small theater department as a very nurturing environment that helped its students go through an energetic and tumultuous time.

He performed in plays such as Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” which, he said, drew parallels to the time period. The play followed a woman who was shunned by society and the atmosphere created by her presence and situation was similar to that of the Vietnam War

era in that the hysteria of society was called into question.

“If you wanted to do a particular play that might question the values of a country, or why we were at war, those plays were done,” Berger said.

His studies with confl ict in the theater and his experiences going through the fervor of the college experience during the Vietnam War would later translate into his life’s work through humor, music and a pinch of drama. What resulted was an Emmy-award winning writer who had touched the lives of children and

families around the world.Berger found a warm home in the studios of Sesame Street for

two decades, coming on board as the head writer for 11 years and a staff writer for eight. He wrote for such stars as Big Bird, Ernie and Oscar the Grouch. He won 10 Emmy awards for his writing, including the prime-time New Year’s special, “Sesame Street Stays Up Late,” and “Sesame Street Presents: The Street We Live On.” He also scored an Emmy for the song, “The Street I Live On.”

During his 20-year tenure at Sesame Street, he had also written several children’s books, novels, and plays. He wrote and starred in PBS’ “Show on the Road” and “Between the Lions,” as well as Nick-elodeon’s fi rst children’s show “Pinwheel.”

Berger said that he tries to remember to be silly, funny, imagina-tive and human. His most proud work on Sesame Street was giving the show a “human” quality, which meant that the show did not talk down to children, but rather showed them real life scenarios.

“You were allowed to show [children] confl ict and how to live with the confl ict,” Berger said. “It’s a show about an ideal community that does have confl icts.”

When Hurricane Katrina hit the United States in 2005, Berger helped write a Sesame Street special about it. Sesame Street devoted a week to the “hurricane” show. Big Bird’s nest was destroyed by a hurricane and it showed how the community can come together to help restore it.

In drama, one sees confl ict on stage and relates to it from experi-ences and living through it. It helps build communities. When Berger was going through classes at the University, he described it as a chal-lenging time because of the political events that affected everyone. His professors challenged him by forcing Berger and his peers to not just recreate famous plays, but contextualize the scripts to the world materializing around them.

“What’s interesting is that while I was there, I would have never imagined that certain professors that you have had or certain experi-ences that you had really do come back in a very stron way,” explained Berger. “I was lucky enough to have really infl uential great teachers when I was there.”

Lou BergerThe sound of numbers be ing ca l led

echoed on the un ispan . A speaker with

a megaphone shouted out b irthdays that

were drawn from a lottery as a young

theater major was on h is way to re-

hearsa l .

“ I was very lucky,” he sa id . He would not be one

of the students who were drafted to serve in the

war .


Photo Courtesy Hofstra University


Dramatic BeginningsBy David Gordon

Towering over the quads of the academic campus is one of the most noted buildings at Hofstra University: John Cran-ford Adams Playhouse. It is home to productions of the

Department of Drama and Dance, Hofstra Entertainment, Hofstra Concerts, as well as numerous speeches and seminars.

To understand the history of the Playhouse, one must fi rst explore the history of drama at the University. Prior to the con-struction of the Playhouse in 1958, the University’s plays were performed in the Calkins’ Hall Gymnasium, where the art studios and comparative literature departments are currently. No formal drama department was formed until 1950.

“I know somewhere as early as 1947, there were people who were graduated as ‘drama’ majors, with a degree that was con-centrated in drama, but I think they were still in the English de-partment,” said. James J. Kolb, Professor of Drama. “And then in 1950, it was a drama department that presented the Shakespeare festival,” he said, noting that this is one of the fi rst things that drama department did.”

The Playhouse was built in 1958, during John Cranford Ad-ams’ tenure as the University’s President from 1944 to 1964. A noted Shakespeare scholar, Adams was responsible for the cre-ation of the University’s annual Shakespeare festival. As part of the festival, a one-half inch to one-foot scale model of Shake-speare’s Globe Theatre was shown alongside a life-scale replica of the Globe, that was about fi ve-sixth the size of the original one. Certain Shakespeare Festival productions are performed on the replica.

According to Kolb, the Shakespeare Festival was created to honor Adams for his completion of the Globe model , which sits in the Playhouse basement. The Globe stage recreation was fi rst used in 1951.

“Proportionally, [the drafter] couldn’t do a full life-size [Globe] for where it was fi rst put up, which was the gymnasium ,” Kolb explained.

Aymar Embury designed the Playhouse’s structure, as well as alterations from 1961 to 1963. The building was dedicated to Adams in 1974. When it was time for the Playhouse to be built, the Globe stage had to be taken into consideration.

“They had to design the Playhouse in some ways to meet the needs of the Globe,” Kolb said. The fi rst production in the new

theater, in 1958, was the Shakespeare Festival’s presentation of “Hamlet.”

Students who have worked on the Playhouse stage note its his-tory and know that they are working on hallowed territory.

“It’s an interesting feeling to think that Madeline Khan could have stood in this spot,” said senior Alexandra Laks, who has per-formed in drama department productions of “The Tempest” and “On the Town.”

The late Khan is one of many distinguished alumni who have performed at the Playhouse. Some even return yearly.

“Everybody Loves Raymond” creator Phil Rosenthal and his wife Monica Horan, who plays Amy Barone on the show, are both alums and have a drama department scholarship. Over the past few years, they have also come back to lecture students.

Broadway veteran James Barbour performed a benefi t con-cert in the summer of 2009 in the Playhouse. Susan Sullivan, of “Falcon Crest” and “Dharma and Greg,” recently performed in a reading of the play “Agnes of God” alongside Talia Shire, sister of University alum Francis Ford Coppola and who helped construct the Playhouse, and student Missy Dowse.

At the time, Dowse was mulling over an offer to star as Louise/Gypsy in a national tour of the musical, “Gypsy.” It required her to take a year off from her studies. She credits Sullivan and Shire with helping her make the decision to travel.

“At fi rst, they told me to stay in school and then they were like… ’No. You should take the tour, but promise you will make an effort to learn new things while you’re gone’,” Dowse said. She returned to the University, only to leave again for a semester to earn her Actor’s Equity union card, starring in “Thoroughly Mod-ern Millie” in Florida. She is currently fi nishing up her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University.

Recent additions to the University’s performance spaces in-clude the John and Emily Spiegel Theatre and the new Black Box Theatre in the New Academic Building. The Black Box replaced the Calkins’ Hall West End Theatre, a temporary space, whichstill housed over 100 productions. However, these stages will have to wait patiently to carve out their place in the University’s theatrical history, a tradition that is rich with talent and success and whose heart and conception remains in the basement of the Playhouse with the Adam’s Globe theater.




As the University’s successes and pitfalls resonate nationwide in publications and in the minds

of students, the campus remains a place that envelopes all the feelings of youth and ex-citement. And with that, they are surrounded by a plethora of news outlets informing them of everything—the good and the bad—that is going on around the campus they call home.

From the day that the University opened its doors in 1935, our media has been very ac-tive on campus and has continually educated us on the current ground breaking news that happens all around us everyday. And the Uni-versity’s media outlets continue to change with the world, keeping students up-to-date in both technology and times.

The main focus of the campus media is not only to get the word out to the Uni-versity’s community on pertinent issues and gradually become a more multimedia form of communication, but also to make sure that it creates a positive image of the University and its students.

Students who attended the University since it’s beginnings could only turn to The Chronicle or WHVC, now called WRHU. However, we have grown into one of the nation’s most acknowledged college com-munications departments and have a handful of different media outlets that all play a very signifi cant role.

The oldest and most es-tablished media outlet on campus is the student news-paper, The Chronicle, which was founded with the school.Although it now has an online version, the newspaper has al-ways been in print. Over the years, technology has changed the way things are done in the newsroom. The Chronicle staff has gone from hand writ-ing articles to using typewrit-ers to today, using computers for almost everything. The Chronicle has also started out by once developing fi lm stored

in boxes to only having digital images stored in computers.

They are also beginning to build up their website. According to Editor-in-Chief Ste-phen Cooney, “We move with technology and are moving with the Internet to become more Internet-friendly.”

Cooney explained that The Chronicle is mainly focused on relaying the stories that happen around campus every day. However, Cooney and his staff are actively trying to get more students to view the online version of The Chronicle by incorporating everything from blogs to video, online articles and im-ages to the website. Cooney said that one of his main goals was to become a fully multi-media newsroom.

In addition, Cooney said that one of their biggest successes over the years is that they are functioning more like a business and less like a club. He said the University only provides little funding so the staff must raise money for new and better equipment them-selves. This commitment and ambition from The Chronicle staff has been the backbone of its success for 75 years. The Chronicle has set the stage for all of the new media orga-nizations on campus to emerge and gain mo-mentum.

An up-and-coming media outlet on cam-pus is Nassau News Live (NNL), which de-

buted in February 2009. Journalism Professor Maurice Krochmal founded NNL and created it in partnership with journalism graduate student, Tim Robertson. It is the sister site to Nassau News, a School of Communication news blog website. According to Krochmal, it has grown in two ways. He explained that in terms of a measurable audience, NNL sto-ries have reached thousands of people across the globe. On the University’s campus alone, the site has been used by at least 100 students a semester in the classroom or in the News Hub.

Krochmal said that NNL is a hyper local community journalism platform that is 100 percent student-run. It combines a hybrid of multimedia tools, innovative methods and real-time experience to create a training in-stitute for the next generation of journalists.

The News Hub is a curricular operation where students can participate in a real-time newsroom. If a student’s work meets the journalistic standards of the student editors at NNL, it can be published on the NNL site. Student work can be exposed to the millions of viewers on Google News, where the site has been registered as a local news website for Hempstead.

Another organization that has taken off in the past year is PRestige, which is the campus premier student-run public relations

agency that was offi cially created in 2008.

Last year, a group of eight students came up with the idea of starting the organization, howev-er, it was not until a few had graduated and four to fi ve students picked up the ball, that their vi-sion turned into a reality. Now PRestige has over 20 members and has gone from two staff members per client, to a full team of six people.

Their main goal is to continue getting the word

The Making of a Legacy: Un iver s i t y med ia i n r e t r o sp e c t

WRHU microphones heating up for the next broadcast.

By Alicia Stein



13

out to the students who may have an interest in public relations and want to get involved. Some of their past on-campus clients include Hofstra Music Fest, the Center of Civic En-gagement, Sigma’Capella and Hugs Across America. Their newest campaign for fall 2010 is Wiggio, an off-campus social net-working site that allows groups to coordinate projects in real-time.

Another campus media organization that has recently made its mark is the Radio and Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), which is a world organization that represents electronic journalists in all digital media and also represents educators and stu-dents of digital journalism. The University’s RTDNA chapter has its own newscast called “Pride Watch,” which airs on HTV, Hofstra’s television network, on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.

Alicia Alford, the president of RTDNA, explained that she has seen RTDNA change from not having a recognizable presence on campus to now having their own newscast which reaches all of the University’s stu-dents. It was started with Jaymes Langrehr, who is the Executive Producer, G. Stuart Smith, a Professor of Journalism, Media Studies and Public Relations and the Faculty Advisor of the organization, Bob Papper, the Journalism Department Chair and Professor and Robert Licata, an Assistant Professor of Journalism, Media Studies and Public Rela-

tions, who passed away earlier this year, but had a positive infl uence on the program.

RTDNA currently has over 200 student members. “Our biggest success is being on the air last semester,” said Alford. “Only 15 people produced, wrote and edited the piece so we were really proud.” At this point, they are trying to expand to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

All of these new media organizations on campus strive to become as well-established as WRHU, the University’s radio station. This semester, WRHU celebrated its 50th anniversary. According to Marc Weiner, a former member of WRHU and the President of the Alumni Association, when the station

fi rst began you had to have an AM radio and be in a campus building to get WRHU reception.

When the station started, it was called WVHC (Voice of Hofstra College). When Weiner joined WRHU in 1966, it was purely a club rather than a legitimate radio station like it is today. This was mainly because there was no communica-tions school until Herman Berliner, the University’s Provost, instituted the School of Communica-tions in 1970.

“This type of radio station will answer the questions of how to suc-ceed,” Weiner said. “The students run the station and if they can imagine it, they can do it.”

Bruce Avery, the sta-tion’s General Manager,

got involved with the station on January 4, 1994. He said that the growth of their tech-nology and staff from 16 members to 200 members in his 15-year span at the station, has had a huge impact on their success over the years. The main goal of the organiza-tion is to maintain their mission, Avery said, which is to give students the ability to polish their broadcasting skills and experience real-life broadcasting situations.

WRHU has won three national champi-onships for news coverage in radio and one of their students won the presidential schol-arship award for broadcast journalism two years ago. It was announced by the same competition that one of their students is go-ing to win it this year. Lauren Brookmeyer, who has been with the station since her fresh-man year in 2004, won best radio journalism student in 2008 and fi rst place for best col-lege news story in the Associated Press New York State Broadcasters Association.

Avery said, “Not only has the technol-ogy progressed over these last 50 years, but the spirit of WRHU has as well.”

Lastly, our very own PULSE magazine, which was once known as The Communica-tor, is another media organization on cam-pus. It has continued to be an award-winning student-run campus magazine. The core staff is derived from the School of Communica-tion’s Advanced Magazine Production class, although the magazine does accept students outside of the class. The class staff does all of the reporting, writing, editing, photography, design, web development and promotion for the magazine, making it a full magazine staff.

From daily campus gossip to up-to-the-minute election coverage, our media is al-ways there for you. The University’s media has progressed over the years and continues to be a beacon of communication excellence.

You need the news, and we deliver it.

A member of Pride Watch works on an assignment in the News Hub.

Michael Scotto works on a project for Pride Watch.Photo Courtesy Natalie Placek



By Vania AndreThrough the years, Hofstra has evolved from a small commut-

er college to a nationally recognized university. As the University changed physically in its make up with the addition of acres and several academic and residential buildings, so did the students who attended the University as well as their experiences.

The University has diversifi ed dramatically since its opening in 1935. Since that time, the University has made continuous efforts to accommodate and offer platforms for discussion to the international student population and students from various cultural backgrounds.

As the years progressed the “Hofstra student” evolved academi-cally and socially on campus. More emphasis was put on academ-ics in the application process, which in turn yielded students with higher high school GPAs and SAT scores from across the country and abroad.

Ellen Frisina, an Associate Professor in the School of Com-munications, attended the University from 1973 to 1977. She said that the quality of student has increased due in part to the growing prestige and reputation of the University. Adding that, “Everyone I knew was from Long Island. Now, Hofstra’s reputation is so great that it’s attracting brighter and more educated students who have a wider understanding of their choices.” Because of the University’s increased recognition, more high school students are making Hofstra their fi rst choice when looking at colleges, which in turn is adding to the diversifi cation of the University.

The University’s reputation has affected greatly how much the campus has changed. Initially the University was a commuter school with few out-of-state students. Because of this, the student popula-tion consisted mainly of Long Island residents and very few interna-tional students. “Hofstra didn’t have kids from New Jersey, let alone international students,” said Frisina.

Currently, 47 percent of the students are residents and the rest of the percentage are out-of-state or international students from coun-tries ranging from Australia to Zimbabwe. According to University Admissions, “We currently enroll international students from more than 65 different countries.”

The University’s commitment to a more diversifi ed campus is evident by the many cultural programs and lectures they offer during

the semester. For example, the Offi ce of Multicultural and Inter-national Programs (MISPO) have had many events during the De-fi ne’09 series such as, Civil Rights Day –partnered with the Center for Civic Engagement, the International Scene Lecture Series, and the Asian / Pacifi c Islander Heritage month opening reception. The University has made an increasing effort over the years to show com-mitment to all the students regardless of their cultural background. One thing, however, that the University pioneered early in its history that has not changed is the campus’ wide accessibility to students with disabilities.

The University’s campus is completely accessible by a wheel-chair. The University has made sure that students with disabilities have the same options and access as able-bodied students. During Frisina’s time as a student, she remembers that many students were coming back from the Vietnam War. “There was at least one handi-capped student in all my classes,” she said.

Danielle Berardi, Recruiting Coordinator at the Career Center and a 2001 graduate, also commented on the noticeable differences between her time as an undergraduate and the experiences the stu-dents have now. “The students are brighter than when I was here and much more involved on campus,” said Berardi. These “brighter” students are due to the wide range of applicants that the University is receiving nationally and globally.

The consistent type of change that the University has been dedi-cated to is their commitment to the students. As each year passes, the University takes steps to beautify the campus, increase scholarly standards and boost recognition so that your diploma will mean that much more and represent the unique experiences that each student had. Students are consistently reminded of the University’s aware-ness by events held on campus sponsored by both MISPO as well as student-organized clubs.

Because of the University’s recognition, people know about Hofstra University and its reputation. More students apply each year from all over the country and world for the chance to experience what the University has to offer.

“My degree is worth a hundred times more now than when I got it in 1977,” said Frisina. “Now when you say Hofstra, they all say ‘Ohhhh.’”

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FALL1949

FALL19 59

FALL1969

FALL19 79

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LAW SCHO OL

The University’s student body has changed dramatically over the years, shifting from only under-graduate students to now having a diverse campus that has grown to include both graduate and law

students.

The Student Body Shifts from 1930s-Present

Num

ber o

f Stu

dent

s

The Changing Face of the Changing Times



Nelson DeMilleCommuting from Elmont, NY, was a small

group of high school friends starting out

their college careers in September 1962. One

member of the group was best-selling au-

thor, Nelson DeMille, who described his car-

pool companions as a nice support group.

“The writing thing was always more of a

fantasy,” said DeMille, a political science major who never thought

he would actually be a writer and planned on getting a law

degree.

By Amanda Tracy

For three years, until January of 1966, he commuted to and from the then-small liberal arts college, Hofstra University.

DeMille, who received a full New York State Regents scholar-ship, was active in the Political Science Club and was engaged in his two passions of history and politics.

During his freshman year, he also played a half a season of football for the Flying Dutchmen. At that point, a C-average student, DeMille was not interested in applying himself.

By the time DeMille had about one year left of his undergraduate career at the University, he left. He said there was no particular reason for leaving, just that he wanted to work and make money.

About two months later, in March 1966, DeMille received a letter that told him that he had been drafted into the Army. After deciding to volunteer himself instead, he went on to Offi cer Candidate School, be-coming a First Lieutenant and an infantry platoon leader for the Vietnam War.

DeMille spent 12 months in Vietnam and fi nished up his days in the Army in South Carolina. He was discharged in April 1969. Look-ing back, he said the army was a good experience and was infl uential to some of his writing.

Having been “close enough to the goal line,” DeMille returned to the University to earn his degree. He described his return to the University as a little uncomfortable and hostile. With all of the anti-war action and being several years older than the average student, DeMille admitted it was a culture shock.

He also felt a slight disconnect from the University because he was no longer in the Political Science Club, but was there purely to earn his degree. A little more mature, he was able to make the Dean’s List.

“The army made me more grown up and more appreciative of the fact that you’re in college and not in a jungle,” he said.

He graduated from the University in May 1970.After working a few middle-management jobs, DeMille came to

the realization that he did not want the nine-to-fi ve lifestyle. The army showed him what responsibility was and he decided that he wanted to make his own life.

By 1973, he began writing paperback originals that were not making

him any money, but were helping change his life. “I really thought I was on the verge of a big breakthrough,” DeMille

said, thinking back on the time his fi rst major novel was about to be pub-lished. That breakthrough came in 1978 with his book, “By the Rivers of Babylon,” a story of two United Nations-bound Concorde jets forced to crash-land at an ancient desert site and must make a stand against an army of Palestinian militants, which became a New York Times best seller.

DeMille gives the University credit for his success over the years. He was able to take English courses that opened up a whole world of literature to him, and given him the confi dence to write a novel.

He said he did a lot of research for “By the Rivers of Babylon,” almost like he was researching a term paper for history. “I understood the process on how to research a paper, so I understood the process on how to research a novel. There’s not much difference really,” he said.

Looking back on the time he spent at the University, aside from academics, DeMille remembers springtime sitting on the quad under a tree with a guitar and some friends. To him, that was really what school was really all about.

Photo Courtesy


Every spring, students truly know the winter is fi nally gone when the grounds crew sweeps the

campus, sprucing up dark corners with patch-es of vibrant violets and trimming the trees that are ready to spring to life. And quickly, within the fi rst few days of this process, a wintery landscape transforms into what rivals a botanical garden. The University’s most unique boasting point is its own 240-acre campus, made up of thousands of trees, woody plants and fl owers meant to be an educational addition to part of student’s everyday life.

The University is a member of the American Public Gardens Association, making it one of 500 national arbore-tums in the United States. A result of president emeritus James M. Shuart’s vision, the University became a mem-ber in 1985 at the time of its 50th Anni-versary. “It’s sort of fi tting for the 75th,” said Fred So-viero, Direc-tor of Grounds at the Univer-sity who joined the initiative in 1987. However, the director of grounds who preceded him, Harry Meisen- holder, was the one who took on the role of becoming a recognized arboretum.

Meisenholder looked into arbo-retums and botanical gardens specifi -cally the New York and Brooklyn Bo-tanical Gardens. Known at the time as the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta, the APGA was and still is the most prominent organi-zation for gardens. Becoming a mem-ber did not mean becoming certifi ed, but rather a matter of belonging to the asso-ciation and being a member in good standing.

According to the APGA, members gen-erally maintain plant records, label their collections, function as an aesthetic or edu-cational display, are open to the public and have a professional staff. The University fi rst became an individual member, which is for

garden professionals, students and volunteers from a public garden. It has since gone on to become an institutional member as well, which strengthens the overall image of the organization.

Joining the APGA gave the University validity as an arboretum and was its initiation into learning more about how to better handle the grounds as a garden, rather than just a col-

lege campus. In Soviero’s opinion, the arbo-retum is meant to be aesthetically pleasing for students, faculty and staff.

When Soviero fi rst came to the Univer-sity, there were only a few dozen varieties of trees, including crab apples, pine oaks and hemlocks. There was also an abundance of pine trees that grew very fast and began dy-

ing even faster, as much as 40 trees a year. Having variety in your trees and plants, So-viero said, is crucial to the success of any ar-boretum or botanical garden, so not to create a monoculture of one type of tree or plant. As some begin to die out due to insect or disease, a major part of the collection is lost. There are now about 12,000 trees that make up the arboretum, but more importantly, there are a

total of 625 varieties of trees.

Take a sugar ma-ple tree, for example. These are the kind that people drive up through New England to see the leaves change in the fall. There are many differ-ent kinds of maples on campus, from Japanese to Norway, but there are about 14 different va-rieties of sugar maples. One of them is Green Mountain, near Nas-sau/Suffolk where there are six sugar maples on each side of the en-trance. These 12 trees are only one variety of sugar maple.

While Soviero says that it is nice to have a University with such diversity, “It would be a lot different than hav-ing students from 54 different countries and all walks of life,” he ex-plained. “That makes up a more interesting and diverse campus.”

One of the most unique trees on the cam-pus is a Jeffrey Pine, a conifer that can be found outside of Heger Hall in the pinetum, or a

collection of pine trees, which stretches the length of Mason and Gallon Wings. Jeffrey Pines cannot be bought or easily found and was planted by Meisenholder when the arbo-retum fi rst started growing.

One of the oldest trees, also found in the pinetum, is the Japanese Katsura, a rare species found in China and Japan. William

By Chelsea FurlongAn In-Depth Look at the University’s “Roos”



Hofstra fi rst planted the Katsura around the turn of the century, when he was building his summer home, now Hofstra Hall. Also So-viero’s favorite tree on campus, the Katsura is thought to be between 125 to 130 years old and is the third largest on Long Island.

The Chinese Quince tree, outside of Roosevelt Hall, was moved from Thomas-town, saving it from being cut down to build a driveway. With help from fundraising, which included selling Quince jam, the Uni-versity paid $16,000 to root, prune and move the tree on campus. This rare Chinese Quince is 60-years-old and one of only three in the Northeast.

Although an arboretum focuses primar-ily on trees and woody plants, no garden is complete without fl owers and other scen-ery. Soviero said that while the trees are the foundation of the campus, there is more to any garden than just woody plants. There are two major fl ower displays on campus, con-sisting of 85,000 tulips and 25,000 annuals each year, including marigolds and patience. Sometimes it is what students notice at their feet rather than towering above their heads that impresses them the most.

An even more unique and interesting as-pect of the campus is the bird sanctuary, situ-ated on two acres of land behind the David S. Mack University Club. First opened in 1992, the sanctuary was built to make use out of one of 2,400 sumps, or groundwater source wells, in Nassau County that slowly recycle rainwater back into the ground to be used as Long Island’s drinking water. Soviero and his retired co-chair decided it would be practical to turn the space into a sanctuary when they noticed how many birds were fl ocking to the area.

During the fi rst summer the sanctu-ary was open, 53 different species of birds were documented, including Blue Herring, Kingfi shers, Egrets and various ducks. Long Island is along the migratory path of most birds, bringing a lot of species to the sanctu-ary that are not native to the area. While it is intended to be wild and is not kept up like the rest of the campus, there is a waterfall, a gazebo and a boardwalk that are all fenced within the sanctuary. Recently, Soviero had

most of the overgrown plants taken out and re-placed with native grasses or shrubs.

For eight to 10 years, Soviero ran the entire cam-pus on his own, picking out the different plants, designing the landscape and managing the en-tire staff. However, 12 years ago he hired a landscape designer, Patrice Dimino, to assist him with the duties of maintaining the campus and bird sanctuary. Dimino designs everything from renovation work to new building construction, work-ing closely with an in-house architect on the planning.

“We look from a point of view of func-tionality,” explained Dimino. “There is a phrase that a lot of designers go by: form follows function.” When she approaches something, Dimino has to take into account the practicality of the campus: how students walk, how they interact, their need, their safe-ty and so forth.

When Soviero began working at the University, he started to make a map of every tree, shrub and woody plants. While he still keeps an inventory of every plant, Soviero no longer has an updated map as it became over-whelming to do. His fi rst job is making sure the campus looks good as a university, and then he focuses on the arboretum. Currently, around 50 percent of the campus is mapped.

For Dimino, that is her job, to make sure the students and faculty are happy and comfortable in their surroundings and their environment. “When I design something, I sit back and I watch the whole Hofstra com-munity walk through it,” said Dimino. “I just watch their emotional reactions to walking through the space.” She knows her job is

done when people are happy in their surroundings.

At the end of the day, the plant department and the school just want to make sure that all of the campus is part of the ar-boretum and is part of the students’ education. “It shouldn’t just start and end in-side the classroom with teachers and books,” said Soviero. “When you’re walking between your classroom and your dorm, or the cafete-ria and your gym class, you are in the arbore-tum and a part of that beauty.”

Most students never truly notice that beauty. Between classes most are found on their Blackberries, talking to friends or run-ning to Bits n’ Bytes for a salad, passing by the scenery that surrounds them. “I’ve been here for three years and even though I know we are an arboretum, I never stop to look at a tree or a plant,” said Emily Cohen, a junior at the University. Like Cohen, very few students know that when they walk out of Breslin Hall, the 30-foot, vase-shaped trees in the parking lot are Washington American Elms or that the large trees along Hempstead Turnpike are Red Oaks, native to Long Island.

17



In 1936, students who were interested in various forms of shooting, includ-

ing skeet and pistol shooting, organized the Rifl e Club, nicknamed the

“Nimrods.” They held elimination contests, tournaments where the winner

survives to play another round, to select a team. The members who scored the highest in these contests automatically held positions on

the rifl e team until their records were beat by other club members. In 1953, the University built its own rifl e range under what is today Roosevelt Hall, built in 1957. The Rifl e Club became an offi cial intercollegiate rifl e team in 1938, but the team was suspended during World War II. The team’s last season was completed in 1959. However, the club remained active until 1962.

InIn I 1936, studd

The Kate M

ason Assoc

iation was

found in

1939 and w

as named i

n

honor of K

ate Mason

Hofstra, w

ife of the

Universit

y’s founde

r.

The club a

utomatical

ly allowed

any femal

e student

to join

without re

servation

and gave t

hem the op

portunity

to enjoy

all of the

events th

at the clu

b offered.

The Socie

ty held a

series of

Friday aft

ernoon bri

dge games

and dances

in the

Little The

ater, now

the Monroe

Lecture C

enter Thea

ter,

and their

biggest so

cial event

was a fas

hion show

tea

party. The

Society h

ad an annu

al custom

of decorat

ing

the main f

loor of Ho

fstra Hall

during th

e Christma

s

seasons an

d fundrais

ed for the

American

Red Cross.

The Societ

y enjoyed

their fina

l year in

1966.

39 andand was was

namnam ded ied inn

under. r.

In 1950, many students at the University who had interest in reading and writ-ing wanted to turn to a place to come together for intellectual discussion. The founders wanted to create a very diverse and multicultural scholarly environment where students and faculty members broaden their minds. The club held weekly meetings on Fridays at 4 p.m. in the north lounge of Memorial Hall, and gathered together in a very informal manner to read and discuss different literary works. Faculty members and students invited guests such as Rilke, William D. Hull, Robinson Jeffers, Yeats and Kafka. It became Friday-at-Three in 1960 and then turned back into Friday-at-Four in 1967, where members enjoyed the club’s last year in existence

Many clubs have formed and dissolved over the last 75 years of campus

life. After skimming through yearbooks, we thought these

stood out from the pack.

Club Confi dential



The Geolog

y Club takes f

ield trips,

combining

both geolo

gy-based a

nd scientif

ic-based f

ields,

into their a

dventures,

such as th

eir recent

trip

to Connecticut

this past O

ctober. They c

ollected

and studied

different

rocks and

crystals. T

hey

camp at least

once each

semester where

they go

night explo

ring with bl

ack lights

to collect

fluo-

rescent mineral

. They also g

o to vario

us mineral

s

shows in t

he tri-stat

e area. The cl

ub was es

tab-

lished in 19

55 and con

tinues to r

emain a dyna

mic

club where

students c

an learn a

nd experien

ce the

geology fi

eld.

The Inter

Varsity C

hristian F

ellowship

is a Chris

-

tian grou

p on cam

pus that

is open t

o everyo

ne.

The fello

wship’s goa

l is to sh

are the

good new

s

of their

faith in o

rder to s

ee stude

nts transf

ormed,

the cam

pus rene

wed, and w

orld chan

gers dev

el-

oped. Th

ey meet

weekly on

Thursday

s at 7 p.m

.

in the G

reenhous

e and als

o meet

in smaller

groups

throughou

t the week

to pray

together

and study

the Bible

. One of th

eir event

s this fa

ll was a fre

e

spaghetti

dinner, w

hich they

held dur

ing welcom

e

week for

incoming f

reshmen.

Nonsense

Nonsense Humor is the University’s only intentional humor magazine. The magazine creates a high-gloss issue, usually three times a semester. They have remained a neces-sary staple in bringing laughter to the halls of the University. Because of their content, they are regularly in trouble with someone and have been suspended in the past. The magazine was established in 1983 and is one of the second longest running college humor magazine in the country, second to The Harvard Lampoon.

Geology Club

The University has

over 135 student clubs

currently on campus.

All of them do unique

and exciting things to

celebrate our campus

so here’s a look into

some of what students

do to get involved.




Floats adorned in paper mache, proud fraternity brothers and spirited sorority girls fi lled the University parking lot on Saturday, October 11 for this year’s homecoming fl oat competition. With them, the homecoming court and members of the faculty looked on as each team performed short skits and dance routines to win the judges’ favor.

This year’s theme was “Myths and Legends.” Students conveyed the theme in many surprising and unexpected ways. The Progressive Students Union’s fl oat jokingly declared Global Warming a “myth” while Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Delta Tau performed the legendary Michael Jackson’s entire career.

At half-time, the Alumni Association announced this year’s King and Queen, Ed-win Raagas ’10 and Emily Miethner ’10.

Before 1947, the parade and the Home-

coming Game were two separate events. Since the early 1940s, the association held Homecoming dances and socials while at Spring Day, much later in the year, the Uni-versity’s fraternities and sororities dressed up to compete in their own parade.

In 1953, the University crowned its fi rst Homecoming Queen, but it was not until 1976 that we selected our fi rst King. That year, Homecoming saw many changes as the criteria for King and Queen changed to refl ect the individual’s academic standing, service to the University community, and involvement in extracurricular activities.

This tradition of excellence continues today as the criteria for fl oats changed too. Concerned about the environmental impact of fl oat construction, the use of green and recycled materials became a factor in the choice for the winning fl oat.

Homecoming HistoryBy Michael Pehel

Photos Courtesy Archives Department



The BestBest Campus Security BlanketBy Lindsay Christ

The term “public safety” is

renowned for spurring emotions ranging from fear to comfort and relief, however it was not always the term applied to the campus’ higher branch of policy enforcement.

There was always some sort of security, but in recent years Public Safety has soared far from its humble beginnings. From 1984 to present, campus security has fl ourished to become one of the leading programs in the state . In fact, their training program is used by New York State as the basis for all its security guard programs.

The department headquarters used to be in Barton House which once stood across from the Hofstra Deli. The dispatcher’s offi ce was on the fi rst fl oor of Weller Hall. Offi cers originally had a blue uniform and a regular police hat, but later they then went to brown and later settled on the sheriff’s hat.

Edward Bracht, a retired police offi cer and the current Direc-tor of Public Safety, has been with the program since 1984. When he started, there were no booths at the residence halls . Over the next eight years, he helped oversee implementations of more se-cure turnstiles and swipe card access, which began in a select few residence halls before expanding campus-wide. The emergency lockdown system also utilizes this system.

Bracht also designed the training program that is used today. “The men and women in this department have much greater train-ing than when I fi rst got here,” said Bracht, who is a member of the New York State Governor’s Security Guard Advisory Council. When the council started reviewing the training needs that should be mandated for all private security guards in the state, Bracht showed them the program used here at the University. The program then became the pillar and model for New York State Security Guard mandated training.

Most of the offi cers have a college degree and there are around eight offi cers that were previously students at the Univer-sity .

“In 1984 I started hiring graduating seniors to become Public Safety Offi cers,” said Bracht. “This is a program where the persons I hire have been student leaders over their past four years at Hofstra and has a very good sense of who the students are and what their needs are. In response, the student body as a whole feels more connected to Public Safety.”

Today, the Department of Public Safety consists of 38 full-time and 18 part-time offi cers, Residential Security , who are stu-dents that monitor who enters the residence halls, museum aides, bus drivers and a tow truck. All of the offi cers have 90 hours of

fi rst responder training and Occupational Safety and Health Administration train-ing, which is the main federal agency charged with the enforcement of safety and health legislation. There is also a closed circuit television monitoring section. In the event of an emergency, Public Safety has a Campus Alert Notifi cation Net-work (CANN) system that sends out notifi cations to University members via text messages, phone calls, television and e-mail. There is also a siren and a PA system set up. They have had this system for a little over three years and are continually working to

perfect it. In 2004, Kroll Associates, a risk management company, came

in to do a review of the organization. According to the report, “The Hofstra Public Safety Security Program is exceptionally strong and thoroughly comprehensive. The program clearly dem-onstrates the capability and fl exibility to meet the signifi cant se-curity and safety needs at Hofstra University.” They also received recognition from the Secret Service and the Nassau County Police Department after the presidential debate in 2008.

The department’s day-to-day interactions are with the students. “The fun part of the job is being able to work with the students, being able to plan their events and make their events successful,” Bracht says. He remembers once walking in on an impromptu oatmeal wrestling contest, and having a student who was written up for running nude in the Netherlands come in to ask why he was not in that week’s edition of The Chronicle.

“During my time here, the department has really grown,” said Bracht. “Both of the presidents have given us the resources to grow and have been supportive of the department and it’s provid-ing safety to the students.”

“The student body as a whole feels more connected

to Public Safety.”



Gifts from familiar facesFrom bringing the presidential debate on campus to developing

new science programs and political studies, the alumni of Hofstra University have continued to make a substantial impact in the lives of University students even after leaving its grounds many years ago.

Alumnus John D. Miller, ‘79, for instance, graduated from the Frank G. Zarb School Business and contributed $6 million to the Hof-stra Honors College. Miller is also on the Board of Trustees. Accord-ing to Warren Frisina, Dean of the Hofstra Honors College, “A gift like that is transformative.”

Even though the contribution was made before he became the dean of the Honors College, Frisina states that the sum enabled the honors college program to extend scholarship offers to more prospec-tive students. He also said that the effects of such a donation are pro-found for the University. “When a person like John Miller makes such an extraordinary donation to the University, he is expressing confi -dence in the institution,” Frisina said. “This makes it easier for other people with greater resources to contribute as well.”

Peter S. Kalikow, ‘66, graduated in business administration and has also been active in the University’s development. In 2006, he donated $3.5 million to establish the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the American Presidency. According to the Uni-versity’s website, the Center aims to promote a program of continuing research on important issues related to the American presidency, to hold annual conferences and symposia that analyze critical issues that con-temporary and psat presidents have had to face, as well as bring the most distinguished scholars on the Ameri-can presidency to the University. Ka-likow’s funding also helped establish a Peter S. Kalikow Chair in Presiden-

tial Studies, which is currently held by Profesor of Political Science Meena Bose, Ph.D. According to Bose, Kalikow, who is also on the Hofstra Board of Trustees, “is very dedicated to the center and makes an effort to attend some of the events.”

David Sterling, ‘79, the Chief Executive Offi cer of insurance company Sterling & Sterling, contributed $50,000 toward the estab-lishment of a forensic science program at the University. Scott Kovar, Director of the Forensic Science program, said that to start a science program is an expensive endeavor because it requires purchasing in-strumentation and equipment if students are expected to learn. “Some of the instrumentation costs several thousand dollars,” Kovar said. For instance, Kovar explained that a GS Mass Spectrometer costs approxi-mately $50,000 plus maintenance fees which costs around $1,000 a year.

“Any donation given is invaluable,” Kovar said, noting that do-nations were particularly helpful in the science community.

By Dave Salazar



Would You Like To Know More?Find Us Online at www.MyPulseMag.com

Students walking over the unispan on their way to class next fall will experience a change from the typical blur of morn-ing traffi c on the turnpike and concrete, but instead a life-size

timeline of University’s rich history along with commemorative fl oor tiles donated by one of the 115,000 alums.

Beginning on September 23, 2010, the University will honor its 75th Anniversary during a yearlong celebration of its many accom-plishments, as well as its excellence in education for the past three quarters of a century. Planning for this milestone began in summer 2008, as faculty, administrators and students came together to start envisioning a fi tting commemoration of the University’s past, pres-ent and future.

The fi rst committee meeting for this school year took place in

October, where chairs and members of each committee gathered to discuss their specifi c plans for the celebration. Melissa Connolly, Vice President of University Relations and chair overseeing all of the committees, began by welcoming members and emphasizing what important themes fi t into the celebration.

As chairperson, Connelly works on the budget, plans major as-pects of the year, helps create programs within the theme and works with all the subcommittees. Connelly explains that the biggest cel-ebrations will be in the beginning and end of the academic year, with various academic conferences throughout and involving the Univer-sity community the entire time.

Here at the meeting, the committees came together to fi gure out how to “super-size” typical University events into 75th Anni-versary versions of themselves. The 12 subcommittees, as well as an honorary committee made up of University alums, trustees and faculty, are working together to create a celebration that will right-fully honor this milestone.

The fi rst to present was Beth Levinthal, Chair of the Arts Com-mittee, which is focusing on celebrating the artistic and cultural life on campus. Working with members of the music, drama, dance and fi ne arts departments, as well as the School of Education, the Cul-tural Center and Student Affairs, Levinthal is looking to represent achievements of University students past, present and what is in the future.

At the meeting, Levinthal presented an array of ideas on how to accomplish this goal. One way will be through a “75th Anniver-sary Mosaic,” where students from each class will come together to create a quilt highlighting class unity and fostering student par-ticipation. There will also be three different art exhibits on display throughout the course of the year; one in the Emily Lowe Gallery and two in the David Filderman Gallery. A more anticipated pro-posal, which is still in the early stages, is the creation of a piece of music by a renowned composer, part of which would possibly become the University’s new alma mater to be played at the Spring 2011 commencement.

By Chelsea Furlong



25

Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, Her-man Berliner, is the Chair of the Academics Committee, which will honor major accomplishments of the community and plan academic conferences at the University.

“We can’t just focus on one topic or area to show our strengths,” said Berliner. “We have to look through all academic offerings, a way of highlighting what we are as a University.”

At the meeting, Berliner discussed the fi rst major project that the committee is working on, an academic conference highlighting the year 1935, similar in size to the presidential ones. The Univer-sity was fi rst created during a time similar to the economic times we are in now, “which really was a tough time to start a university, because we were still in the Great Depression with a really weak economy,” said Berliner. The conference will highlight the entire year in terms of the music, arts, politics, economics, sociology and diversity.

Each month a different school will also be highlighted with its own academic sympo-sium. Berliner said each college would talk about where they are, where they are going and where the world is going. David Foulk, Dean of the School of Education, Health and Human Services, il-lustrated this at the meeting by describing two separate confer-ences for November: one on 75 years of transformations in schools and educational profes-sions and the other on public health challenges and achieve-ments from 1935 until today. The seminars will begin in September with the oldest school, the Uni-versity’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and will run until May with the newest, the Uni-versity’s anticipated School of Medicine.

Aside from highlighting educational successes of the University, the celebration will also emphasize athletic accom-plishments of the University. Assistant Director of Athletics, Rocky Silvestri, heads the ath-letics committee, underscoring the past triumphs and looking for-ward to the future of the Pride. This committee will celebrate all of the great teams, great coaches and great championships that were won through various tributes, such as a 75th Anniversary logo on all athletic fi elds and courts, commemorative uniforms and possible throwback uniforms for the football homecoming game. “We’re try-ing to get back as many members as we can from our living alumni that are around from over 75 years of athletics,” said Silvestri. This will include a Hall of Fame induction sometime during the basket-ball season. Students will be able to participate through an interac-tive website where they can vote for the top 25 greatest moments, coaches, players and teams.

Another subcommittee is the student committee, overseen by

Peter Libman, the Dean of Students. This group of faculty, staff and students focuses on how the students will be incorporated into the celebration and share in the importance of this landmark. Libman is responsible for planning events specifi c to students that will educate them on the history, celebrate the occasion and embrace the future of the University.

“Part of this celebration is really to involve the entire university community,” said Libman. “So many different people will be able to celebrate this historical milestone.”

At the meeting, Libman presented numerous ideas that would bring entertainment and fun into the celebrations. A 75th Anniver-sary concert, similar to the Jason Mraz concert for Debate ‘08, is one of the signature events in the making. Another proposal is to have a fashion show that exhibits style throughout the years, from the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s all the way up to today. A more tra-

ditional idea is to create a time capsule, fi nd some items that are signifi cant of today’s era, bury it, and open it up many years down the road.

All of these events, along with dozens of others in the mak-ing, will kickoff on September 23 of the next academic year. According to Connelly, there will most likely be a noteworthy speaker that day, as well as some form of academic convocation and a student party, which will include an enormous birthday cake. There will be a possible education symposium the next morning followed by the annual alumni reunion dinner that night. The weekend will culminate on Saturday, September 25 with the annual homecoming football game and subsequent celebra-tions.

In preparation for the year, Associate Director of Public Relations and head of the com-munications committee, Lindsey Calabrese, along with Connelly, is putting together an interactive website that will launch in Janu-ary. They will ask people to sub-

mit photos, memories and tell who they think the most signifi cant fi gures in the University’s history are.

Most of these plans are tentative and depend on approval of budget proposals as the committee was forced to consolidate due to the current fi scal year. Next spring, there will be more concrete, although still tentative, events that each committee will continue an-nounce.

“The 75th anniversary belongs to all of us,” said Berliner, who has spent the majority of his career with the school. “It’s the Hof-stra story, but it’s actually bigger than Hofstra because, in terms of what we deal with in the classroom and the issues we confront, it’s more than just the education we provide, it’s the impact we have on society.”



As the sun rose on September 23, 1935, houses in Hempstead shook while a B-17 Air Force plane landed upon the run-way on Northern Boulevard. If Northern Boulevard sounds

familiar to you, try reading the fi rst street sign as you enter the main gates of the north campus.

The south side of the University’s campus was once home to Mitchell Field, a United States Air Force Base. Originally, this space was not owned by the University and was located directly across from the original 15 acres that constituted the campus. Hofstra Hall, once home to William and Kate Hofstra, was the only standing build-ing on campus at the time and housed all classes, activities, and functions for the 780 commuter students in attendance during those fi rst few years.

Today, the Universi-ty has extended its pres-ence from one building to 114 buildings, which are encompassed within 250 acres of property. Over the past 75 years, the size of the campus and many of its func-tions have changed, allowing a better fi t for the students of today. However, while the campus has changed in innumerable ways and students today are only familiar with what currently exists, they have to wonder what stories these walls could tell.

In 1938, the walls of Calkins Hall would scream and cheer as yet another basketball swooshed through the hoop for a basket. If you have ever been inside a second fl oor offi ce in Calkins Hall, you may have found yourself wondering why the windows seem to stretch below the fl oor. It might be because the fl oors did not exist when the original building was constructed.

Calkins Hall was once a gymnasium which, until the Physical Fitness Center and Arena were built, was home to all physical educa-tion classes and sporting events. Today, students know Calkins Hall

for the departments of arts and languages as well as the home of one of the Univer-sity’s largest computer labs.

“Bang!” The walls of Roos-evelt Hall echo as yet another

gunshot rang in the surrounding. In 1957 when the building was erected, one of its features was a shooting and rifl e range in the base-ment, something that would not fi t too well with the needs of stu-dents today, but would have fi t the needs of the Rifl e Association, an on-campus club in the 1950s. However, its original use is not far from its current job as the home of Reserve Offi cer Training Corps (ROTC) as well as the University’s unique New College.

These are just two examples of the major changes the Uni-versity has undergone. Mason Hall was the original library before the Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library was built in 1967. Hagedorn

Hall, home to the School of Educa-tion, Health, and Human Services building as the stu-dents now know it, was once leased out as an Internal Revenue Service training facility as well as a United States Federal Courthouse.

Before being located in Republic Hall, the infi rmary was lo-cated inside the building that currently is known as human resources and payroll on the north side of campus. Weller Hall may now be part of Frank G. Zarb School of Business, however many years ago one could fi nd the president of the University residing in an offi ce in this building, next to Student accounts and Administration. Now, the president’s offi ce is in Axinn Library.

While there have been many changes, buildings such as Weed Hall and Adams Hall stayed exactly the same with its original state and function including housing the engineering and math depart-

By Kristin Martellucci

Towers of Change:The sory behind the buildings around us


ments, respectively. The residential aspect of the University began development al-

most three decades after the University opened. When Mitchell Field was abandoned in the early 1960s, it became a dumping ground for garbage, debris, and old cars. It was an eye sore to not only the Uni-versity, but the community as a whole. The University acquired the airspace, cleaned it up, and began to build the residential side of campus, north of Hempstead Turnpike.

Old runways were turned into roads that led to and from the fi rst residence halls, Alliance and Bill of Rights, which were constructed in the mid 1960s, along with the original unispan in the Student Cen-ter. As time went on and enrollment enlarged, more residence halls were built, each to fi t the needs of the newest students: the concrete towers of the 1960s and the brick and ivy townhouses of the 1970s, including Colonial Square and the Netherlands.

The latest addition to the academic campus has been the New Academic Building. Erected only three years ago, this building is unlike any other on campus. Its sleek and modern look makes it a landmark for the University. New Academic Building, affectionately named “Nab” by students, is home to music and art students, the main inspiration for its contemporary design. The building, mostly made of glass, was designed to provide more light and natural energy and permits for an acoustically perfect environment.

With the new construction, many were concerned that the Uni-versity is moving away from its traditional brick and ivy look into a world of glass, metal and sheetrock. The Uni-versity’s Vice President for Facilities and Op-erations, Joseph Barkwill, calmed these fears for many students, alumni, and community members.

He said that while it is hard now to

match the “Hofstra Brick” look, the University will try to maintain its current appearance. The New Academic Building was built for its function, he added.

Today there are many new building codes and requirements such as light, energy, disability-accessible, and restrooms that must be included in newer designs.

“We try to incorporate materials that weren’t available when the school was fi rst built to make it more effi cient and include more amenities; however, we will still try to incorporate aspects already in existence to keep the look on the south side of campus uniform.”

On the other hand, this may be different for construction of the new medical school. The northeast corner of campus is made up of 11 and a half untouched acres, perfect space for the construction of a building for classrooms, dorms to hold new students, and parking. These buildings will be somewhat secluded from the rest of campus and will hold the majority of the classrooms on the north side of the Turnpike.

“It will be easier to design these buildings because they have no surroundings to match,” Barkwill said. “They are also adjacent to the coliseum and road, so they must be aesthetically pleasing from both the front and back.”

Architects are working hard to design a building that will not only accommodate the use of medical equipment and classrooms, but also to fi t the University’s current design while appealing to changing technologies and the modern era.

Photos Courtesy Archives Department

27OO-PulseMagazine09.indd 19OO-PulseMagazine09.indd 19 11/25/09 2:09 PM11/25/09 2:09 PM

Up, Up, & Abroad!By Chantal Heslop

Venice 1993

China 2008

China 2008

Amsterdam 2008

Besides the typical experience that one gets from any classroom, the University offers a wide array of study abroad programs that gives students an op-portunity to experience and learn hands-on about the world abroad. Here’s a glimpse at some of the trips that have made lasting memories and unforgettable experiences.



Imagine camping underneath the stars of the Australian Outback as you listen to the tales of the native

Aborigines or sailing along the canals of Venice as the charming voice of a gondolier washes over you. And amidst the romance and glamour of globetrotting, you return home with three to six hours of college credit in your pocket.

Diversity and the accessibility to be immersed in different cultures prompt many students to participate in programs offered through the University’s study abroad program. For Christopher Kiernan, a senior fi lm studies and political science major, the University’s European Odyssey program granted these wishes.

“Traveling abroad makes you more knowledgeable about the world around you and the various cultures in it,” said Kiernan.

“But it also gives you a new perspective on your own culture and your own society.”

The European Odys-sey Program, led by Linda Longmire, Ph.D, Profes-sor of Global Studies and Geography and Timothy Smith, Ph.D, Professor Emeritus of Foundations, Leadership and Policy Studies, was a 10-week program that brings student to 14 different European countries. Kiernan was among 12 students who took the opportunity to explore the continent. Kiernan said that they were constantly on the move and “crossing international borders sometimes multiple times a day.”

From the Louvre and Arc de Triomphe in Paris to the Acropolis in Athens and the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Kiernan and his peers saw both ancient and modern civilization all while taking courses on pre-colonial and medieval life, the Eu-ropean Union (EU), eastern philosophy and human rights.

The University has offered opportuni-ties to gain credit abroad since the programs inception. In the January session, students can earn up to three credits and in the sum-mer sessions, up to six credits. Students can receive credits in both linguistic- and cultur-ally–based courses across different depart-ments simultaneously.

Over 20 years ago, the fi rst three study

abroad programs were created: the London program, a January session, followed by a Spain program and France program, both of which took place in the summer. Students originally went to Madrid on the Spain program, but today they go to Santiago de Compostela instead. Similarly, students in the French program previously went to Nice, but now spend their time in Paris. These earlier programs were followed by the Athens program, the Australia program, the Ireland program, the Mali program, the Peru program and Chile program, which were replaced by the Mexico program.

According to Maria Fixell, the newly appointed Assistant Dean for Study Abroad programs, the Venice program had 13 stu-dents on its 1993 trip and 61 students on its most recent 2009 trip.

Fixell admits that the overall program has faced challenges attracting University

students, especially in the summer time. The rising airfare and the lack of free time for students has caused many of the summer programs offered by the University, such as the Australia and Prague programs to be discontinued.

Carolyn Dudek, Ph.D, Associate Profes-sor of Political Science, led the Australia program in 2002 and 2004. The 4-week program consisted of one week of intensive class work on campus and the rest was spent moving around the country. Students spent three days camping and hiking in the Austra-lian Outback and also visited an Aborigine reserve as part of the political science course requirements of the course.

“The main reason why we won’t be able to have another Australia study abroad pro-gram is the expense. Flights are so expensive and it was a moving program,” said Dudek.

Despite the discontinuation of some of these programs, the University hopes that each of its programs provide awe-inspiring and life-changing experiences, both inside and outside the classroom. For Stephanie Fiorello, fi nding raw squid and chicken hearts on a menu was not the kind of experi-ence she was expecting on her study abroad trip to Japan. But that was exactly what the sophomore history and secondary education major found available at the local eateries in Tokyo.

In addition to this, the Japan group saw such sites as a Toyota factory, the Atomic Dome and Peace Memorial Museum at Hiro-shima and Japan’s famous “fl oating” shrine, Itukushima, with Takashi Kanatsu, Ph.D, an

Association Professor of Political Science.

Kanatsu arrived at the University in 2001 and at the time there was not a study abroad program to Japan. With the help of Patricia Welsh, the director of Asian Studies, the program was created that same year.

There was originally going to be a “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in Paris,” which is a program that would have taken place for the fi rst time in the January 2010 session.

However, the trip scheduled to be lead by David Powell, Ph.D, the Chair of Romance Languages, was cancelled in mid-November.

The program also had plans to include discussions of the French laws that affect the gay community as well as an incorporation of writings, fi lms and speeches by members of the French and American gay communi-ties.

The University’s dedication to opening international doors to students allows access to cultures that many of its students have only heard of. From Mexico to Japan and almost everywhere in between, the Univer-sity grants its students cultural experiences to last a lifetime.

Japan 2009


In a basketball game in 1959, the Flying

Dutchmen beat Manhattan College, with the

help of a player nicknamed “Radar,” who

scored many points that game.

Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Stephen Dunn

recalled this as one of his fondest memories

from his undergraduate days at Hofstra University.

Winning the award in 2001 for his collection of poetry, “Differ-

ent Hours,” has been his biggest accomplishment since graduating

from the University.

By Amanda Tracy

I have made a life as a poet and teacher and I never planned on doing that,” Dunn said. He is proud to be able to do his work and grow as a writer.

Dunn chose to go to the University for the sole reason of get-ting the chance to play basketball for collegiate and professional coach Willem “Butch” van Breda Kolff’s Flying Dutchmen. He mentioned that he was the fi rst person in his family to get the chance to go to college, which was only made possible by playing on the University’s basketball team.

It was on this team that Dunn got the nickname “Radar” from fellow teammate, point guard Steve Balber. Dunn said the moniker meant someone who could not miss a shot, even in the dark. He added that, “Balber had the gift of delightful exaggeration.”

The poet was also fortunate enough to be a part of the 1959 to 1960 winning season, which was 23-1. It remains the best single season winning percentage in the University’s history. Dunn and his teammates were honored for their accomplishment at the dedication of the Mack Sports Complex, which opened in 1999.

If not for basketball, such people as William D. Hull, poet and Professor of English and Gerrit P. Judd IV, author and Professor of History, would not have been able to inspire Dunn to be the talented poet he is today. Hull and Judd fully embodied their subjects, Dunn said. To listen to them was to realize, not only did they know their stuff, but that they were conferring its importance at the same time, he said of his favorite professors. However, he gives credit to Ed-ward Chafl ant as being the instructor who got him fi rst interested in literature. Dunn said that he was a silent student in the classroom, but these professors had an impact on his future.

Dunn said there is a transcendent connection between his love of basketball and his love of writing. “When things are going well – when as a shooter you are in a so-called ‘zone’ and seemingly can’t miss, or you fi nd yourself in a poem saying things you didn’t know you knew – there’s a chance that, for a short while, you might exceed yourself.”

Dunn feels as though attending the University helped him

achieve all that he has so far by giving him a good education and lasting friendships with the likes of New York Times sports writer, George Vecsey. He said it helped him by running into good people and keeping a sense of high-mindedness.

He graduated in January 1962 as a history major with an eng-lish minor. He taught at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey for over 30 years where he is a Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing, as well as a visiting professor to several universities includ-ing, Columbia University, the University of Michigan, the Univer-sity of Washington, New York University and Syracuse University. He has returned to this campus several times to read some of his poetry for students, he said. He remains close with the University’s Archives Department, which have copies of all of his work.

“Even though I was not a fi rst-rate student, I was prepared for the world. I had a repository of knowledge that I was able to build upon,” said Dunn of his college days. “A good liberal education pre-pares you for uncertainty and doubt through thoughtfulness.”

Sephen Dunn



Photo Courtesy Andrea Dunn


There are always certain things people expect to see on college campuses: students, professors, coffee shops and the like. However, most do not expect to see cats

roaming through campus. The arrival of cats on the University grounds dates back to

Kate Hofstra, the wife of William Hofstra, who was an avid ani-mal lover, President of the Atlantic Cat Club, and participant at Madison Square Garden cat shows. She even offered the Hofstra Challenge Cup, which was a silver trophy that was awarded to the best cat in show.

Along with owning many of the prize-winning cats, Mrs. Hofstra also picked up many alley cats and had a small steam-heated structure built for them to live in. After her death in 1933, she left enough money for her housekeeper to build her own house and receive a stipend to take care of her surviving pets. Although the University no longer provides for cats living on campus today, volunteers throughout the years have made sure that they are well taken care of.

By Lindsay Christ

31

University Continues o Host Cats on CampusHOFCATS:



On a wall on the right side of the room, there is a series of three pic-tures in a frame. The images depict

a suburban setting with a concrete sidewalk and what looks like a yard separated by a wooden fence. What is unusual about this picture is that a deer is shown in motion in different positions through the pictures, jumping over the fence into a yard.

“Building a medical school is like clearing a fence,” said Lawrence Smith, Dean of Hofs-tra University’s new medical school. This pic-ture sits in his temporary offi ce on the second fl oor of Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library and reminds him of the diffi cult task he is currently undertaking.

Smith is currently in charge of establishing the University’s medical school, the fi rst to be built in the United States in the last 30 years. He said that he hopes that the school will reinvent the way medicine is taught in the college set-ting.

Co-owned by the North Shore Long Is-land Jewish (North Shore LIJ) health system, the school plans to utilize training methods that emphasize teamwork and application. Students will work in teams on case studies from the be-ginning of their training.

The emphasis will be on the student to ac-tively pursue the knowledge, Smith explained. This approach departs from the traditional set-ting in which students must learn the theories in a classroom setting before applying them.

“Students with minimal background will be given cases way beyond what they know and will have to independently learn how to solve them,” said Smith. “Medicine is a fi eld of prac-tice, not of knowledge,” Smith said.

Smith, who is also Chief Education Offi cer at North Shore LIJ, said that the greatest hurdle encountered by most new medical schools is fi nding the support from health systems.

With North Shore LIJ as part of the school of medicine, students have the opportunity to work directly with professionals in the fi eld.

The equipment that students will be using for their case studies will be provided by the health system.

In addition to these resources, the students will have access to the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, North Shore LIJ’s research branch, as well as opportunities for residency programs and fellowships. According to the health systems’ website, the Feinstein Institute employs over 800 investigators and researchers and is one of the largest research institutes in the nation.

Smith, who also served as Dean at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, added that the creation of the new school at the University has been unique because “it has truly been a communal experience.”

The new school, which is also the fi rst al-lopathic, or M.D.-granting, school in Long Is-land, is currently undergoing the accreditation process with the Liaison Committee for Medi-cal Education (LCME), a nationally recognized accrediting authority for medical education pro-grams leading to the M.D. degree in U.S. and Canadian medical schools.

The LCME representatives will review the planning documents prepared by fi ve subcom-mittees under Smith’s supervision in December. The organization will then present the docu-ments at one of its three yearly meetings from February 1 through February 3, 2010.

If the presentation yields approval, the LCME will send representatives to visit with the executives of the medical school in March and present the results of that meeting on June 1, 2010 when Smith expects the school to be accredited.

Once accredited by LCME, the school must be approved by the New York State De-partment of Education. However, since the De-partment of Education co-accredits with LCME, gaining approval is not as lengthy of a process. When the school is approved by both institu-tions, the University’s School of Medicine can begin to advertise for the upcoming class.

Prior to the creation of the school, the University and North Shore LIJ had been affi liated through the North Shore University Hospital which offered students coursework opportunities as part of the University’s Physician As-sistant Studies program.

According to Michael Dowl-ing, President of North Shore LIJ, the expenses are being shared by the two organizations. “Combining both organizations’ assets in im-mediate development will lead to a robust and immediately well recog-

nized school,” he said. The school’s administra-tion is also divided between both University and North Shore LIJ employees.

The Medical School will utilize the former Jets facility on campus. According to Dowling, there are plans to create a new building in four to fi ve years. Smith explained that there are al-ready approximately eight to 10 curriculum de-sign committees.

There, the University expects to accept 40 students for the fi rst class, which will likely en-ter in Fall 2011. After that, the enrollment will increase by 20 students until the school reaches its proposed 100-student cap.

“With a cap, we can ensure that all students are treated as individuals,” said Patrick Gannon, the Chair of the Department of Science Educa-tion.

Smith said that if the school were to start with higher enrollment then the LCME would be less likely to accredit the school.

Even when the fi rst class enters, there will still be a great deal to prove. And another fence to clear.

A Dose of New MedicineBy David Salazar


Jackie Gentilesco, Sophomore

IMPULSE: WINTER09

Since 1935, Hosftra

students have been

putting their fashion

foot forward. Take

a peek at the looks

from the past and

check out how today’s

student body rock out

their winter classics

with a modern and

chic twist!

Editors: Dara Adeeyo & Matt Scotto

Clothes: Twinkle by Wenlan & ARE Easy

Makeup: Ashlee Glazer

Hair: Meghan Murray

On-set Assistant: Lisa DiCarlucci

Photos By: Natalie Placek


*Over-the-knee

boots take the

average boot to

another level!

Kara McNamara,

Freshman

Stepup

*Over-the

boots tak

average b

another

gg

Kate + Willie = FOREVER

GO

HOFSTRA!!



*Plop on a

chunky knit hat

to keep your

head warm &

chic.

*Ditch those jeans

and slip on a pair

of leggings. A

perfect alternative.

*Stay warm and

look casually cute

in a cardigan.

*Store your

sneakers and

put on for size

leather boots.

Chelsea Rae Simmons,

Junior

Sammy Lim Xin Hua,

SophomoreBecky Wool,

SophomoreSarah M. Perlman,

Freshman

MadHatter

LeggingLove Cozy

cardigankick

start

35OO-PulseMagazine09.indd 27OO-PulseMagazine09.indd 27 11/25/09 2:09 PM11/25/09 2:09 PM

Michelle Murray,

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Timothy MacKay,

Freshman

Carol Squires,

Junior

Chrystina Orlando,

Senior

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37

There is something so fi -nal about putting on that graduation cap. Like the

period that ends a sentence, it symbolically ends one chapter only to quickly start a new one that you hope to be prepared for.

In the past 75 years, over 100,000 people have put on this gradu-ation cap, marking the end to a chapter of life spent at Hofstra Uni-versity. Since its founding, the University has educated students and prepared them for the real world, the one that quickly approaches in only four short years.

The fi rst graduating class in 1939 had a small ceremony. Since then, the small ceremony of 83 graduates has grown to a ceremony nearly taking up a football stadium.

The emotions and feel-ings of uncertainty and ex-citement from soon-to-be graduates have remained a constant.

“I had a mix of almost every emotion: sad, scared, happy, excited. It’s a weird feeling,” Timothy McGroarty, ‘09, said.

Graduations are now held in James M. Shuart Stadium. But be-fore it moved to the stadium, the ceremony was held on the south campus in Calkins Quad. However, with each successive graduating

class there became too many gradu-ates to fi t along with the tents, par-ents, and speakers.

G r a d u a t i o n used to take place over a two-day pe-riod and included seven ceremonies. Each undergradu-ate school had its own individual graduation, and the graduate school and law school each had its own graduation. Today, there are four cer-emonies over the course of one day and undergraduates

graduate together. The commencement activities of the earlier years used to also

be much shorter until honorary degrees were given out as awards to individuals from inside and outside the University community note-worthy of the contributions they have made in their particular fi elds. The honorary degrees were not given out until 1948, when Rev. Rob-ert Gannon and Robert Moses were awarded them, said Hofstra Ar-chivist Geri Solomon.

Since then, the University has given honorary degrees to some of the most infl uential people. In June of 1950, President Dwight D.

Eisenhower received his degree. Martin Luther King, Jr. received his Doctor of Laws degree in June 1965. Journalist Barbara Walters re-ceived her degree in May 1986. Singer Billy Joel received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree in May 1997. “He wrote a quick couple of lines and sung it to the graduates,” said Michael Ogazon, Assistant Director of Business Services at the University.

David Nelson, a Drama major who was graduating that day in May 1997, remembers just wanting to be present and savor the mo-ment of the day and everything that was happening.

In May 2004, honorary degree recipient and keynote speaker, and acclaimed author, E.L. Doctorow was nearly booed off the stage when his speech to the graduates became a political rant against for-mer President George W. Bush. Ogazon said that the president of the University had to come onto the stage and tell everyone to calm down and let Doctorow fi nish his speech.

Past commencement ceremonies have brought on some laugh-ter, as well, including a few practical jokes played by students. A student once used a fake hand to shake former University president James M. Shuart’s hand. Shuart screamed when his hand was “pulled off,” said Ogazon. The crowd roared with laughter to the point where they drowned out the calls of the following student’s name. Nelson recalled his own summersault off the stage using the handrails as a vault and said his mom was proud.

“Graduation was one of those days that you have in your life, and I don’t think you have many where you’re fl oating above your-self and watching it all happen,” he said, adding, “No other day, up until that point, do you have a sense of your life changing so dramati-cally.”

Walk of a LifetimeBy Amanda Tracy

All Photos Courtesy Archives Department


In its 75 years, Hofstra University has experienced a surplus of change from different mascots to an expanding student demo-graphic, but in spite of the University’s whirlwind of campus

and student transformations, its values and traditions have remained the same.

From its conception, the University has always been a non-denominational, co-educational, liberal arts school that has been especially focused on business courses. Today, the Frank G. Zarb School of Business is ranked among Forbes top 75 Mas-ters of Business Administration pro-grams, and is also ranked in the top 15 percent nationwide by Business-Week.

The School of Education and Al-lied Human Services is also very pres-tigious and can attribute its success, as well as the success of the Zarb School of Business, to the University’s empha-sis on business and educa-tion at its founding. The School of Education

and Allied Human

Services boasts the valuable Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center, which offers students practical experience within their fi eld, such as working with a fully-licensed early childhood program. The University’s fi rst class of 1935 had 621 students, 548 o f which were studying education, and 73

commerce students. In addition to the University’s long-

standing commitment to the students, student activities and clubs have always been one of the University’s attributes. Rugby was adopted as the fi rst sport at the University in 1936 and was pre-ferred to football because more players can participate as well as the fact that it is played during the fall and spring. The Nassau-Hofstra College Rugby Team was ranked fi fth in the Eastern Amateur Rugby League and played teams from Long Island University, Harvard, Yale, and other colleges. The University continues to have a strong rugby program with both

By Natalie Placek

The Consisent Change




men and women’s teams who compete against other universities in the Metropolitan New York Rugby Football Union.

The Club Ice Hockey team is also an organi-zation that started at the University’s beginning and continues to thrive today. In their fi rst year, the Ice Hockey Club as it was called, won the fi rst Nassau League Championship at the Great Neck Indoor Rink. Today, the Club Ice Hockey Team is a member of the Metropolitan Colle-giate Hockey Conference and the American Col-legiate Hockey Association. Their home rink is the Long Beach Arena and they play between 25 to 30 games each season.

The University has also kept its traditions from its strong cultural ties with the Dutch. The University was built as a memorial to William Hofstra and his wife, Kate. They lived in Hof-stra Hall together for nearly 30 years. William Hofstra grew up in Michigan, but traced his an-cestry back to Friesland, the Netherlands. After he married Kate and moved to Long Island, he named his estate “The Netherlands.” Although the University renamed the couple’s mansion Hofstra Hall, the freshmen suite-dorms bare the same name in the estate’s honor.

In addition, the University coat of arms, which was designed in 1937, is based on the 1,000 year old coat of arms of the reigning House of Netherlands, the Orange and Nassau family. The Orange and Nassau family have been the ruling monarchy since 1515, and their royal coat of arms in synonymous with the Dutch.

The Dutch culture has been so signifi cant to the University that in 1939, the Dutch Ambassador to the United States trusted the University with the safe keeping of his country’s fl ag during World War II. Furthermore, on October 3, 1985, Cor-nelius Boertien, commissioner for the Queen of the Netherlands to the Province of Zeeland, formally designated and presented the University with the fi rst bulbs of a tulip hybrid named after the University. The Hofstra University tulip is honored every year in the annual Dutch Festival.

The tulips, which bloom in April, and the immaculate landscaping around the University are a consistent staple on the University’s campus, not just because of its Dutch ties, but also because William Hofstra was a wealthy lumberman. The Hofstra’s collected trees and foliage for their estate. This collection of trees became the beginning of the University’s arboretum. For 75 years, many of the original trees from the Hofstra’s landscaping remains intact.

Aside from the University’s on-campus his-tory, the community of Hempstead that surrounds the University has always been a commercial hub that has developed and grown with the student body. The University hosts existing businesses and organizations, using them in sociological and economical studies

and as business partners. For example, Professor Gregory Maney required his New College sociology students to do community ser-vice at organizations like The Workplace Project, a non-profi t or-ganization that fi ghts against the exploitation of Latino immigrant workers, both legal and illegal.

The signifi cance of the University’s relationship with Hemp-stead is being investigated by James Levy, a History Professor who teaches the neighborhood oral history course at the University. The c o u r s e prepares students to be oral historians, gathering in-

formation through personal interviews. The course focuses entirely on the Univer-

sity’s relationship with Hempstead and how it has evolved and remained the same since the Uni-versity’s creation. The students will explore the community of Hempstead through interviews that they will compile into various multimedia presentations.

At the end of the class, the students will have compiled at least 100 interviews from long-term Hempstead residents, as well as long-term professors, alumni, and even Public Safety offi cers. They will also be interviewing current students.

Levy’s students’ interviews and other data will show that the Uni-versity has experienced nothing but development since its inception,

and in the next 75 years, Geri Solomon, the University Archivist, predicts even more all-around

growth for the University. Solomon believes that the Univer-sity will continue to grow in its physical buildings and available re-sources, in the classes and concentrations offered and in its students and their impact on society.

While the University braces itself for even more change, stu-dents can always count on the University’s culture and values to remain the same for another 75 years to come.

Hofstra Women’s Rugby Team after winning their MetNY Division III title in Fall 2009.

Photo Courtesy Michael Rega


By Amanda Tracy

James Quinn, ‘74, has been President of Tiffany & Co. for six years now. But 35 years ago, Quinn was a student just like us, actively involved in all Hofstra University had to

offer.After receiving a full ride to play on the University’s football

team, Quinn said his decision to attend the University was pretty easy. In the fall of 1970, he started his undergraduate career as a physics major.

While he was a physics student, he wrote movie and drama reviews for The Chronicle and was in the fraternity Epsilon Sigma. A year and a half into his undergraduate career, Quinn dropped his physics major to join the newly developed Communications program, where he concentrated in journalism, partly due to the appeal of the freedom of a liberal arts major.

He said his most important experience was meeting his wife, Diane Wittke, ’73, a psychology major. Three months after Quinn graduated, he took her as his bride.

Before Quinn was bound to graduate, the economy was coming out of a severe recession from a stock market crash. He did not feel that a career in journalism would offer him a sustainable income. Despite the recession, many companies still came to the Univer-sity to look for future employees. Among them was Citibank. One day, the University was having on-campus interviews for soon-to-be graduates After going on one of these interviews, Quinn said he was offered a job almost immediately. Upon graduating, he entered an intense management trainee program at Citibank.

While working at the bank, Quinn obtained his Masters in Business Administration from Pace University. He continued working at the bank for 12 years until 1986, when he joined Tiffany & Co.

Quinn said he sees the past 25 years at Tiffany’s as an honor and privilege. He said, “It’s recognized as a global brand and my role has taken me many places around the world and continues to do that as we expand the Tiffany business from a small New York company to really a global enterprise.”

The communications program remains very important to Quinn. What he learned here has taken him far in the business world. “To

understand how to write, how to communicate and how to appreciate good writing and good communication is a very important part of management,” he said, adding that it was only a major when he was a student.

Quinn still has great feelings toward the University’s football program. Without it, he may not have been given the chance to come here. The University gave him and his wife the chance to excel by providing them with the means to go to college.

Now a trustee of the University, Quinn has given back to this community by starting a scholarship in his and his wife’s name.

“You know 35 years later to see the extraordinarily beautiful campus, the breadth of the academic offerings, the standard of academic excellence that are quite evident there,” said Quinn. ”It really makes you proud.”

James Quinn Picture the common image of a man down

on one knee with his hand holding out that legend-

ary “little blue box” with the precious stone that

every woman dreams about.

In the early 1970s, a Flying Dutchmen football

player was trying tofi f igure out whether he wanted

to be a physics major or a communications major,

nonetheless expecting to one day head the company responsible for

the emotions felt after opening one of these signature blue boxes.


Photo Courtesy Tiffany & Co.



ISSUE 16: FALL 2009

Preparing for Hofstra’s 75th Anniversary


Documents

Hofstra Pulse Fall 2009