About the Center

Mission Statement

The Center for Teaching and Scholarly Excellence (CTSE) at Hofstra University was established in 1990 to support the work of the Hofstra faculty. The primary purpose of the CTSE is to promote and encourage excellence in teaching, learning, research, publication, and other scholarly pursuits through a variety of academic activities.

The CTSE is a resource for the Hofstra community. Some of the CTSE's initiatives and programs include: (a) review and recommendations for Special Teaching Leaves (sabbaticals); (b) new faculty mentoring program; (c) workshops, symposia, presentations, and informal discussion sessions; (d) individual and group consultation; (e) serving as a resource for materials and methodology related to teaching and research; (f) acquainting faculty and administration with innovations and research related to teaching, learning and research; (g) facilitating the introduction, implementation and evaluation of instructional innovations; (h) facilitating joint research activities of Hofstra faculty members from disparate disciplines; and (i) providing blind and confidential peer review of finished manuscripts and works-in-progress by faculty members outside the writer's own department.

Message from the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

All of us at Hofstra University have the strongest commitment to excellence in teaching and the belief that excellent teaching helps maximize the benefits of a student's education. We also have a very strong commitment to scholarship, and we recognize that teaching and scholarship are inextricably interwoven, with scholarship clearly enhancing classroom teaching. And, I say with pride, that our faculty are excellent teachers and scholars. The Center for Teaching and Scholarly Excellence plays a large and ever-increasing role in enhancing the faculty's effectiveness in the classroom as well as in their disciplines. It serves as a catalyst to ensure debate on all facets of pedagogy, and it serves as a vehicle to review, refine and share our philosophies of teaching and scholarship. With the ever-increasing use of technology in the classroom and with the continuing information explosion, the role of a faculty member is ever more challenging. I am pleased that the Center's activities enhance overall teaching and scholarly excellence, and I am pleased to welcome you to the Center's Web pages.

Herman A. Berliner, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Organizational Structure

The CTSE has a director, an associate director, a rotating group of faculty who serve as CTSE members, a faculty member who serves as a program evaluator, a faculty member who serves as a statistical consultant, a faculty member who serves as an English editing consultant, a faculty member who serves as a public speaking consultant, a faculty member who serves as an education research consultant, a senior assistant, and a graduate assistant. CTSE members plan and organize CTSE programs, activities, and new initiatives. They also contribute to the CTSE newsletter, review applications and make recommendations for new members and for recipients of Special Teaching Leaves.

Members

The members of the CTSE represent the different units of the University. Members may participate in CTSE activities involving both teaching and scholarly excellence, or they may prefer to concentrate their involvement on one of these two aspects of the CTSE mission. They serve three-year terms with several members rotating off the Center each year. After serving for a three-year term, a member must wait to reapply for membership so there is a two-year period between the end of one term of service and the beginning of the next. Applications for membership are solicited each spring, and a committee of current members reviews the applications and makes appointment recommendations to the Provost.

Membership Application Information

Providing Input and Feedback to the CTSE

Please provide input and/or feedback to the CTSE (e.g., about existing activities and resources, about the Web site, suggestions for future programs and additional resources) by e-mail or by completing the input/feedback form.