How long have you been at Hofstra?
This is my seventh year.

Academic specialty?
Legal studies in business

Major Publications, Accomplishments?
(See side bar)

Interesting hobbies?
I have very eclectic, varied tastes. As you can see from my publications, I love to write poetry and fiction in addition to scholarly articles in my field. I also like to listen to music, watch movies, blog about a range of subjects, work on electronics projects, photography, playing my guitar and synthesizer (poorly but with great gusto), singing (never in public), cooking and sharing good food with family and friends, and of course reading fiction and non-fiction.  

Why did you go into the field?
I got my first taste of teaching as an undergraduate student at Queens College where I had the opportunity to teach as part of an honors seminar in the English Honors Program. Working with a senior faculty member, I taught Composition for a semester and had the opportunity to develop my own lessons, assignments and exams. It was an absolutely thrilling and life altering experience for me. My girlfriend at the time (my wife now) would sit outside of the classroom when I taught, unbeknownst to me, and later tried to convince me that I should follow my heart and become an English Professor. In an alternate reality I’m sure I was wise enough to follow that advice and am teaching Chaucer, Shakespeare, the British Romantics and perhaps creative writing or poetry workshops to undergraduate and graduate students. However, I had made up my mind to go to law school and change the world and ignored my wise girlfriend’s advice. I went to law school, graduated, passed the bar and soon learned that the practice of law was not what I thought it would be. Not long thereafter, I was given the opportunity to take on an administrative position as a dean in a small school and once again had the chance to get back in the classroom. I then moved to a small private college for a short time as a professor and administrator responsible for the evening program, then on to a professorship at SUNY Delhi where I spend 12 happy and productive years and finally four years as the dean of the business division at Broome Community College before deciding after much soul searching to return to the classroom as I simply missed it too much despite teaching one business law I or II class every semester as an adjunct while I was a dean my second time around. Ultimately, I was very lucky to end up where I always belonged: in the classroom.

Favorite campus activity?
TEACHING! But I also enjoy and am grateful for the opportunity to be involved with campus governance and to serve my department and the Zarb School in a variety of committees. Most people don’t realize the amount of work we do behind the scenes, outside of the classroom that is vital to the health and integrity of the institution.

Why?
As much as I enjoy and am grateful for the opportunity to serve on committees and other campus official bodies, nothing can replace the pleasure of being in the classroom.   
 
Favorite class to teach?
I really don’t have a favorite. I suppose it’s like asking a parent “Who is your favorite child?” They are all special and bring their own joy in different ways. I mostly teach LEGL 20 – Introduction to Legal Systems, Environment and Contracts, LEGL 116 – Cyberlaw  - Law for the Internet and Technology, and LEGL 121 – Law for the Entrepreneur. LEGL 116 deals to a large extent with intellectual property law, which is one of my specific areas of interest. LEGL 121 is a course that I developed mostly because a lot of students repeatedly asked questions about the process and legal ramifications of starting or operating their own businesses. I was surprised to learn how many of our students maintain active businesses and this course was designed to help them obtain the proverbial ounce of prevention that may be far more useful than the pound of cure when issues that carry legal ramifications invariably arise.  LEGL 20 is one of the core requirements for all business students, and one reason I love teaching the class is that it affords me the opportunity to teach law to students who for the most part have not had a prior exposure to the subject and who arrive to the class from very different academic backgrounds. They also tend to be first-year students, and I enjoy the chance to help acclimate them to the university and to college-level work.

Why do you like to teach?
I’ve described teaching as the greatest secular job on earth. It is a calling for me. It is simply what I am supposed to be doing. I have been in the classroom in one way or another since 1987—but teaching had become an indelible part of me in that first seminar at Queens College. It is simply who I am. If you peel back my layers like an onion, at the core you will find a simple man who loves to teach and learn. The process is a two-way street. We impart knowledge and spend a lot of time in an attempt to assess both our effectiveness at doing so and our student’s ability to apply what we teach in a variety of ways. But we also learn from our students, sometimes as much if not more than they learn from us.

What have you found as your "Purpose"?
My purpose is to never lose sight of the fact that as a faculty member I am first and foremost in the business of changing lives for the better. 

Favorite thing about NYC/LI region:
What’s not to like? Each corner of the world provides us with an endless variety of cultural, philosophical, religious, artistic and aesthetic expressions. NYC is where the four corners of the world come together into one of the most vibrant cities on Earth, steeped in every cultural tradition and benefitting from a coming together of cultures unlike that of most any other place on the planet. Art, architecture, natural beauty, endless vistas that feed the eyes and recharge the soul are available everywhere. From the financial nerve center that is Wall Street to the theater districts and the boundless neighborhoods, each with its special flavor and allure, to an incredible range of beautiful beaches and the New England charm of its beautiful and varied hamlets, Long Island and New York City offer up a feast for every sense and every taste. And all of it is readily accessible by automobile, train or bus from our campus.

Favorite campus eatery:
I love to eat and have never been disappointed by eating anywhere on campus.  If I had to choose, the University Club and Au Bon Pain are two favorites. Tomorrow I might mention two different favorites, though.

Favorite campus spot:
The classroom. Any classroom. Any class.

What do you hope your students learn from you?
That I don’t have all the answers but, just like them, I can do a little research and find the right answer. I also want them to learn that their opinion, backed by facts, is every bit as important and sustainable as mine—or that of anyone else. I want them to learn that there is seldom a single answer to most any problem.  And I want them to know that the only truly catastrophic failure in life is the failure to try.

 What general advice about college would you give students?
I want students to know that these are probably the best years of their lives, a time when anything is possible for them and they have the greatest number of career options that they will ever have. I’d advise them to pay close attention to their classes, and to explore with an open mind the wisdom of their career choice. Use the first two years especially to learn whether your chosen career path is right for you. Be honest with yourself—what will make you happy, what will help you to earn a living, what do you want to do for the rest of your life? If you can find the answer to that question and make an informed decision as to what major you should pursue, it will be both the best money and time you will ever spend to help ensure a long life of meaningful, satisfying, productive work. Seek out professors, counselors, advisors for guidance. We are all here to help.

What general advice about life would you give your students?
Let integrity be your roadmap in life. You will never be lost, you will never find yourself in a place you don’t want to be, and you will never have cause for regret as you look back on your life. You can always surround yourself with intelligent, talented people. Talent, intelligence, and ability can all be purchased or rented by the hour in the form of employees and independent contractors. But integrity is not for sale. It is the single most important asset that you can possess and the one you should most carefully cultivate because it takes a lifetime to build but, like precious crystal, once shattered it can never be repaired.

Best Hofstra memory:
Commencement. Every one that I’ve attended. It is a time of joy where students, faculty, administrators, and all support staff get joyous, tangible validation for all their hard work. It is a time when we send our students out into the world and wait confident in the knowledge that they leave well prepared and that they will make us proud.

Favorite short Hofstra story:
Too many to list. Mostly they involve students shining brightly in class, like the shy honors student in my LEGL 20 class that delivered a paper presentation better than most I’ve seen at professional conferences, and the many emails and return visits from grads who have gone on to graduate school or started careers and share their successes with their old prof. That is always the best for me.

What do you take the most “Pride” in?
The unwavering commitment of my colleagues in my department, at the Zarb School and throughout every school of the university. And I am grateful for the opportunity to be among them, learning by their example and motivated to try to the best of my ability to emulate their successes. I am humbled by the scholarship, teaching, mentoring and service that take place here every day in every academic unit. I take pride in an administration that cares about me, values my contributions, shares my values and provides support and encouragement for my research and publication efforts. I am proud of the support staff and the tireless work they do on behalf of our students. I am proud to be a part of a university in which every person is committed to student success and the enhancement of the university’s reputation which is inextricably linked to the success of our students and alumni.

What have you found as your "Purpose"?
My purpose is to never lose sight of the fact that as a faculty member I am first and foremost in the business of changing lives for the better.