Date: Jul 11, 2007

DISTINGUISHED FACULTY MEMBER NAMED NEW DEAN OF HOFSTRA HONORS COLLEGE

Appointment of Dr. Warren Frisina Follows National Search Frisina Launched Hofstra's New and Renowned Department of Religion

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY:  Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz today announced the appointment of Dr. Warren Frisina as the new Dean of Honors College effective July 15th.  The appointment of Dr. Frisina follows a national search which attracted an outstanding pool of candidates and yielded three exceptional finalists.  

"Dr. Frisina's demonstrated dedication to Hofstra students, together with his major role in the establishment of our Honors College and the establishment our Religious Studies Department, make him the ideal person to lead Honors College at this time," said President Rabinowitz.     

"In the last several years Hofstra made tremendous strides in the pursuit of academic excellence.  Honors College is an important part of our success.  It draws to our campus students whose strengths enrich every aspect of campus life," said Dean Frisina.  "I am very excited to take up this leadership role and looking forward to working with Honors College students and their dedicated faculty."

Dr. Frisina brings a wealth of experience to the position of Dean of Honors College. He served as Acting Co-Dean of Hofstra University's Honors College during the critical inaugural years of 2001-2003.  Subsequently he served as chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies (2004-05) and as founding chair of the newly formed Department of Religion (2005- present), and was integral to building a new department that is already attracting national attention.

Dr. Frisina came to Hofstra in 1997 from a position as acting Executive Director of the American Academy of Religion, the world's largest learned society for scholars of religion.  He had previously earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1987) where he did work in theology, philosophy and Chinese intellectual history.  He has published widely in the areas of American pragmatism, Neo-Confucianism and the academic study of religion.  His book, The Unity of Knowledge and Action: Toward a Nonrepresentational Theory of Knowledge, was published in 2002 by SUNY Press.  He has also edited The Pragmatic Century: Conversations with Richard J. Bernstein (with Sheila Davaney), SUNY Press, 2007, and the forthcoming Teaching the Daodjing (with Gary DeAngelis), Oxford University Press.  Dr. Frisina also has prior teaching experience at Rice University, the University of Houston and Emory University.

As Dean of Honors College, Dr. Frisina will report to Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Herman Berliner.  

About Honors College
Hofstra University Honors College is a ground-breaking program designed for Hofstra's most academically accomplished students. HUHC offers approximately 600 students in every academic discipline a striking, focused, multidisciplinary first-year program taught by some of Hofstra's most distinguished faculty. After their first year, HUHC students are able to choose from a wide range of Honors-credit courses in all major programs and the option to write an Honors thesis as a senior. The flexibility of the HUHC program permits students to choose any of Hofstra's 140 undergraduate programs of study and to graduate in the normal time, with both a bachelor's degree and Honors College designation.

About Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students find their edge to succeed in more than 140 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.