Stuart Rabinowitz
President
Stuart Rabinowitz was chosen by the Hofstra University Board of Trustees to serve as the eighth president of the University on December 20, 2000 and assumed office in June 2001. Prior to his appointment, he served as dean of Hofstra University School of Law from September 1989 through June 2001. He joined the faculty of the Law School in 1972. President Rabinowitz currently holds the Andrew M. Boas and Mark L. Claster Distinguished Professor of Law.
Under his leadership, Hofstra has created several new schools, including the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, the Hofstra/Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs and the School of Health Professions and Human Services. He also founded the University’s National Center for Suburban Studies and the Center for Entrepreneurship. During President Rabinowitz’s tenure, Hofstra has conducted two successful capital campaigns, increased Hofstra’s endowment and long-term investments more than five-fold to more than $600 million, and achieved two rating upgrades from Moody’s to A2. The profile of the incoming class of undergraduate students has improved in all measures since 2003, and the University has opened graduate programs in occupational therapy, nurse practitioner, higher education, and communication. During this period, several schools have been named to recognize support and service to the University (Maurice A. Deane School of Law, Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, the Kalikow School, the Zucker School and the DeMatteis School). Buildings dedicated to the arts and humanities (Shapiro Family Hall), medicine, graduate student housing, business (new building for the Zarb School of Business) have been constructed during his presidency, and thousands of square feet in laboratories, studios, performance spaces, classrooms, student services and study areas have been renovated and made state of the art with technology enhancements throughout. Hofstra is the only university in the U.S. to host three consecutive presidential debates (2008, 2012, 2016).
President Rabinowitz has held positions with a number of important government and community organizations, including the Judicial Advisory Council of the State of New York Unified Court System, County of Nassau. He currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the Long Island Association, and as co-vice chair of the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, which under his leadership has brought, since 2011, $727 million for 885 projects on Long Island. He is also a member of the board of directors of Accelerate Long Island. He has also served as a trustee of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities and on the board of directors the Long Island Technology Network. President Rabinowitz is a former chair of the Nassau County Local Advisory Board. Additionally, President Rabinowitz served as a member of the Nassau County Commission on Government Revision, which was charged with drafting a new charter and a new form of government for the County.
Awards
The Martin Luther King Living the Dream Award, EOC
Distinguished Service in the Cause of Justice, Legal Aid Society
UJA Federation Leadership Award
Honored by Central American Refugee Center (CARECEN)
The Bar Association of Nassau County Proclamation for Outstanding Service to both the legal profession and the community
The Community Service Award from the Conference of Jewish Organizations of Nassau County
The Alumni Association of the City College of New York 2005 Townsend Harris Medal.
Long Island Software and Technology Network (LISTnet) LISA award
Networking magazine’s David Award
Long Island Press 50 Most Influential Long Islanders
Chief Executive Leadership Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), District II, 2009
Claflin University: Doctor of Laws, honoris causa in November 2009
Long Island Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Long Island Business News’ 25 Most Powerful People in Long Island Education, 2020 (1st)
City and State New York’s 2020 Higher Education Power 50 list (6th)
City and State New York’s 2020 Long Island Power 100 list (17th)
President Rabinowitz received a juris doctor, magna cum laude, from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a member of the board of editors of the Columbia Law Review and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He graduated from the City College of New York with honors, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.