By Danielle Ruiz, Staff Writer
Hofstra Chronicle: As president, is your job to shed the best light that you can on Hofstra?
President Rabinowitz: Yes, that's one of the jobs, but it's not just that. The president shouldn't just be sort of a spin master. That's not the only job of the president. Actually as I get older, I have discovered that you can't spin what's not there anyway, so the real job of the president is–and the more important job of the president is–to make The University better as an educational institution. So my goal is not so much just to shed good light on Hofstra, but to do what I can to build up the infrastructure and make it a better educational experience, and attract more creative people here, and connect more with the community and try to inspire our students to be good citizens and all that, and then to go out and let the world know that's what we are doing. That's the shedding good light. It is also part of my job to raise a lot of money. No university–no private university–can afford just to rely on tuition because the expenses are so enormous that you just can't charge enough tuition to cover everything you want to do. So you have to go out and raise significant amounts of funding that in turn will allow the school to grow, and to develop with resources you wouldn't otherwise have. So even the public schools now--it used to be that public schools, the presidents of public colleges they didn't think fundraising was a big deal because they got tax payer dollars. Well, now those tax payer dollars are shrinking. We just completed recently a hundred million dollar fundraising campaign and we exceeded it–we raised a hundred and ten million dollars–and those went for scholarship endowments and new programs like the Kalikow Presidential Center. They went to pay for the debate that we had. They paid for the physical fitness expansion and so on and so forth.
HC: Does fundraising take up a lot of your time?
PR: I would estimate that I spend about 40%-50% of my time on fundraising. Fundraising isn't just asking somebody–eventually you do that–but it's going out to the right groups and the right individuals who have resources and might have some reason to be connected to us. You have to be very patient in fundraising. It is very time consuming, but it is such a joy to see resources come in, because it's how you can fund your vision for what The University should be.
HC: Raising all of that money sounds like a big accomplishment. Would you say that's one of your proudest accomplishments, or is there something else that you have done as president that you are extremely proud of?
PR: If I'm proud of raising money it's because we put the money to [substantial] uses, and I didn't raise the money alone. We have trustees; they have been great--very generous contributors. There are a lot of things we have done that I am proud of because I think they added value to the educational experience. I'm really proud of the creation of the med school because that will transform the sciences at Hofstra in the years to come. I'm really proud of the Center of Civic Engagement, the Kalikow Center and presidency, and landing the debate at Hofstra because I think that inspires our students to be active citizens, which I think democracy requires if it's going to work well. I'm proud of the Honors College. I have to say, I'm proud of a lot of things we've accomplished.
HC: Is trying to keep the small-school feel while expanding one of the biggest challenges you face?
PR: I mean the school grew tremendously before I became president. So when I talk about expanding, I'm really not talking about expanding the student body; I'm talking about expanding the areas of expertise and schools. I'm talking about a school of medicine. I'm talking about a school of engineering down the road. I'm happy with the size of the student body; we need a certain size to support the infrastructure here, which was developed long ago.
HC: You mentioned an engineering school. Are there any changes you are trying to make?
PR: Well that's one of them. You know we have an engineering program, and we've had an engineering program for many, many years, and they're great. Faculty is great, students are great, it's accredited by ABET which is the engineering accreditation. I do not think it has lived up to its full potential and I also think that it is something that needs to be enhanced in light of where the economy is going especially in this region in the 21st century. It's going to continue to be very much innovation based and technology and science. I'm planning on going to the board very soon and recommend that it be a school. We also have to do something about their labs, which are really out of date.
HC: Are there any tricky situations or people you have to deal with?
PR: Every day. Just think, you're a donor who's been very supportive of The University and you want a favor that is inconsistent with our rules, so you can't have it. That's tricky. You're a student who has a really legitimate economic need. Good student comes in, father lost his job, mother lost her job, and to scrounge for the resources to help this person sometimes–not have the resources to help this person. I love the job and tricky situations come with it. Your philosophy has to be, I will do my best to do what is best for Hofstra University.
HC: On a lighter note, what are some of the perks of being president?
PR: Well, when you drive onto campus, there is somebody with a uniform saluting you. When you think about it, no one ever saluted me before--in my whole life--until I became president. There are a lot of perks; sometimes they start off as perks, but they wind up wearing on you. I don't want to exaggerate how well known I am, but in the beginning when you go into a restaurant, my wife and I always try to have–just the two of us–a Saturday night, always, or if there is an event later, a quiet dinner out between the two of us. So you walk into a restaurant and "Oh, Mr. president!" The owner comes rushing over, they give you the best table, they won't let you order your own wine. In the beginning I got a kick out of it, now we sort of run away. A more important perk is that people sort of seek your opinion to some degree or another on important matters, like the economic development issues on Long Island. You get great seats at athletic games and it's all the perks of being in charge.
President Rabinowitz hopes to open a school of engineering and improve engineering labs in the future. (Marc Butcavage/The Chronicle)