October 15, 2008
A High Note for Hofstra
(Opinion crossposted from Brainstorm)
Tonight’s the big night at Hofstra University — the night we’re hosting the final debate of the 2008 presidential campaign.
For several weeks now, we’ve been approaching “lockdown” (as my students jokingly call it) with a mix of trepidation and excitement. The security issues turned out to be enormous. The area of our campus that holds our arena, where the debate will take place, was sealed off last week. Campus security emails over the past few days have been announcing that heavy detours for street traffic around Hofstra are now in effect. And last month, after consulting with Nassau County officials, the provost reluctantly decided to cancel all classes today. Yup, we’re in lockdown.
Michael Nelson concludes in an October 9th Brainstorm
post that hosting a presidential debate isn’t really worth it. He argues that when it comes to “the debate’s lasting value, ask yourself: Which schools hosted a debate in 2004?” He may be right that most people won’t remember that Hofstra hosted the final debate in the 2008 election, but that’s hardly the point.
Instead, consider what hosting the debate does to enhance the reputation of our university — in the long run. For all the money Hofstra is putting out for the debate (it’s well over $1-million) and the disruption to the university’s quotidian order, hosting the debate is an advertisement of the highest level for Hofstra. I would bet we’ll see admissions applications grow and that there will be an increase in alumni giving that will more than equal the cost.
Moreover, consider the mission of the university. In hosting the debate, we have heightened student involvement in the campaigns, and students, faculty and alumni are feeling appropriate pride in what we do at our university. It’s one thing to pump up college spirit by downing a few beers and screaming rah-rah-rah at a football game. It’s quite another to feel respect for your university for welcoming the presidential candidates to your campus for a debate. After all, universities are supposed to be places for the exchange of ideas and reasoned opinions — exactly what the presidential debates purport to be about.
When we first got the news that Hofstra would host the third presidential debate, I was really excited that I might have a shot at seeing the debate in person. (I saw myself boasting to my grandchildren — the ones that don’t yet exist — about how I’d been present at a presidential debate.)
But it turned out that Hofstra’s president, Stuart Rabinowitz, had another idea in mind. He decided that every last one of the 300 tickets allotted to the university by the debate commission (all the rest of the tickets go to the press and politicos) would go to students, who would be chosen by lottery. No administrators, no faculty — not even president Rabinowitz himself — would be in the live audience. Only students.
To my mind, this was a beautiful gesture. In one generous act, he made it clear that all of us at Hofstra have only one real mission — to pass knowledge from one generation to the next.
Laurie Fendrich | Posted on Wednesday October 15, 2008 | PermalinkComments
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I think that is a most appropriate decision on the part of President Hofstra to give the available tickets to students. That decision does not surprise me, since he is an outstanding leader who is very devoted to student interests.
— Harry S. Jonas, M.D. Oct 15, 04:17 PM #
Way to go, Stuart! Yes, I am that familiar with him. I took a class from him at Hofstra Law (J.D. 1981)and he was my Moot Court Judge. We have met at alumni events over the years.
Major kudos to Hofstra. And I was wondering why I didn’t get an op to buy a ticket to an event I would have flown to from Bakersfield, CA. Now I know what the protocol was.
President Rabinowitz also spearheaded the addition of a Medical School to the Hofstra family.
I anticipate Hofstra’s already positive profile in the academic universe is exponentially enhanced.
— Peggy DeStefano Oct 15, 10:13 PM #
high note? No, it sounds like Hofstra failed. hofstras fairest best design was to relegate ‘free speech zone’ far away fenced across the highway surrounded by police. Hofstra orchestrated a Police State where there was no Right to free Assemby near debate facility. Hofstra did not even provide audio/video to persons in Free Speech zone so as to view debate Shame on Hofstra for being so deficient
— Carla D'Esposito Oct 16, 11:11 PM #