Hofstra University President Susan Poser presented this year’s Presidential Symposium theme, “The Beauty Of …” along with several other new campus initiatives, faculty achievements and student achievements at the State of the University Address on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
Among the aforemented points were new highs and other changes in student statistics. In the Class of 2029 alone, 62% identify as people of color and 36% of first-year students are first generation. Hofstra also reached an all-time retention rate with 86% of all of Fall 2024’s first-year students returning for Fall 2025.
This year, the First-Year Experience (FYE) program was reworked. First-year students had the option to take a freshman-only class that counted towards a checklist for the FYE.
“I took the FYE class ‘Keeping a Journal,’” said Isabella Dempsey, a freshman accounting major. “As an accounting major, I [do] not have any classes that [are] non-business, and I thought this would be a great chance to learn more about the writing classes Hofstra offers. [It has been] a really helpful class to take as a freshman, not only because it connected me with students from other majors, but also because it has encouraged me to explore more of Hofstra and its beautiful campus.”
The Symposium panels involved discussions about certain academic topics. The discussions were designed to give students more knowledge and perspectives in fields of interest while checking off a requirement for first-year students.
“The [Presidential Symposium] allowed me to open my eyes to the world of trust revolving [artifical intelligence],” said Spencer Hamilton, a freshman forensic science major, who also attended the “The Beauty of Trust” panel on Tuesday, Sept. 16. “It was incredibly interesting to hear about how people involved in the field felt about the advantages and disadvantages of having to trust your system.”
While highlighting previous renovations like the Axinn Library’s ninth floor and the redesign of the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center, Poser announced new features coming as soon as Spring 2026. This includes a redone fourth floor in the library along with the relocation of the Center for University Advising (CUA).
“The Axinn Library is such a great location that marries the student center to our academic side of campus, and I think it’s going to be a great opportunity,” said Marc Oppenheim, dean of the CUA. “We have requested and anticipate there being more space for our peer advisors to engage students in the process that they’re trained for.”
The new location for the CUA will highlight an optimized space that connects student tutoring and advising.
“It’ll make it easier being so central rather than being in a different building on campus,” said Sage Feiger, a freshman forensic science major.
An opening date for the new floor has still not been set, but students can expect to see changes as early as the upcoming spring semester.
“I’m imagining that sometime between the fall and spring semesters, we will be invited to move from our current space in Memorial Hall,” Oppenheim said.
Poser also went over many new grants and scholarships offered to departments, students and faculty. One such addition was the installation of a high-quality telescope on Hofstra’s campus.
“The Department of Physics and Astronomy installed a 20-inch mount telescope on the rooftop of its observatory,” Poser said in the State of the University Address. “It’s now the largest and most precise such telescope on Long Island and one of the most powerful in the entire New York metro area.”
The telescope broadens experiences for students interested in science fields.
“Having a larger telescope allows for more interesting classes and clearer examples, where people can learn in a more hands-on way instead of through pictures and data from somewhere else,” said Michael Hilliker, a sophomore double major in physics and mathematics.
While discussing upcoming additions to Hofstra and its campus, Poser emphasized the University’s commitment to supporting students and all of the community in a way that values individuality.
“At Hofstra we continue to believe that diversity can flourish within the community with mutual trust and respect,” Poser said in her concluding statement. “A community that celebrates our differences as important and as a thing of beauty.”
