2:40-4:05 p.m.

HCLAS - Asian Studies, European Studies and Latin American and Caribbean Studies Programs present

Global Perspectives on the 2024 US Presidential Election

Many pundits have argued that the 2024 presidential election may be one of the most consequential for the United States. Not only will the election have implications for domestic policies in the US, but the results will have significant reverberations around the globe. This panel will address how the US election results may impact regional and global politics and policies in different parts of the world, including in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and how these regions view each of the candidates. This interdisciplinary panel will bring together Hofstra faculty members from across schools and departments, placing area studies programs at the center of the conversation on presidential elections. The panel is intended to provide a more global perspective on the presidential election, and the possible impact the outcome of the election will have across various world regions. Issues that will be raised include immigration from Latin America, the war in Ukraine, global trade, cybersecurity and the environment/climate change. Each panelist will provide an overview of the most pressing issues coming out of the specific region they will be covering, and each will assess how the presidential election outcome may impact those issues, regarding migratory policy, regional relations, bilateral agreements, war, and environmental protections. The moderator of the panel will pose questions to each participant to open the conversation of the 2024 US Presidential Election to the global scene.

Panelists:

• Carolyn M. Dudek, Professor of Political Science, Chair and Director of European Studies
• Conrad Herold, Associate Professor of Economics
• Takashi Kanatsu, Professor of Political Science
• Benita Sampedro Vizcaya, Professor of Spanish Colonial Studies and Co-Director, Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program

Moderator: Simon Doubleday, Professor of History

9:40-11:05 a.m.

HCLAS - Natural Sciences and Mathematics presents

The Answer Is Blowing in the Wind: The Role of Universities in the Environmental Policy Debate

This panel will examine environmental policy at the national and local levels, with a special focus on the up-front and behind-the-scenes forces that are shaping the climate solutions debate — and/or working to quash it. A particular focus will be paid to the university's role in our national and local conversations around mitigating and resolving the climate crisis. Specifically, we will approach the national climate conversation through the lens of the clean-energy debate that has played out around offshore wind for three decades on Long Island. No doubt, this is a critical conversation to be had for our region, which is among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including coastline loss owing to sea-level rise and ocean inundation, as well as property damage because of stronger hurricanes fueled by warmer ocean temperatures. Here, we will ask a critical question: What role have universities played in past debate around offshore wind at the national and local levels, and what role can they/should they take in shaping future conversations?

Panelists:

• Scott A. Brinton, Assistant Professor, Journalism, Media Studies & Public Relations
• Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment
• Emma C. Farmer, Professor of Geology, Environment, and Sustainability
• Richard Kessel, Former Chairman, Long Island Power Authority Chairman: Former  President and CEO, New York Power Authority
• George Povall, Executive Director, All Energy, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group

Moderator/Panelist:  E. Christa Farmer, Professor of Geology, Environment, and Sustainability

11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication presents

Communication Education in a New Electoral Landscape

The mass media ecosystem in the United States has evolved considerably over the past 20 years, completely transforming the way people engage with and exchange public information that impacts their lives. Nowhere is this reality more apparent than in our system of electoral politics, making the 2024 presidential election landscape drastically different from prior election cycles. While some would argue that so-called "legacy media" have lost their agenda-setting and gate-keeping powers - in a sense "democratizing" mass communication - others are sounding alarm bells about how new media forms have resulted in unforeseen challenges, in many ways degrading our national conversation and threatening democratic communication. On this panel, we center our discussions about the media and the elections through the prism of the school's mission of educating students to become civic-minded media professionals and media-literate citizens. Panelists will address the ruptured public sphere and the future of democracy. They will aim to reflect on the role of higher education in America's electoral politics specifically from the perspective of communication educators who mentor aspiring content creators whose work will carry significant implications for American's civic and political future.

Panelists:

• Aashish Kumar, Professor of Radio, Television, Film
• Scott A. Brinton, Assistant Professor, Journalism, Media Studies & Public Relations
• Victoria Semple, Associate Professor, Journalism, Media Studies & Public Relations
• Nicole Clarity, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations

Moderator:     Jingsi Christina Wu, Associate Professor of Journalism, Media Studies & Public Relations

1-2:25 p.m.

Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science Department of Computer Science presents

Balancing Privacy and Fairness in the Age of Electronic Voting: In Computing Research and in Latest Undergraduate Education Curriculum

Our panel is focuses on the contributions, impact and responsibility of computing academics and professionals in the Election Year. We will look at impactful research and latest curriculum changes. Research: In this election year, as we contemplate the future of higher education, it is crucial to consider the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our society. From the perspective of trustworthy AI, two key concepts come to mind, particularly regarding electronic voting systems and online ballots: privacy and fairness. Privacy must ensure that sensitive information is not leaked to unauthorized parties. Fairness must ensure that a given system is not biased against any group of people. Along with algorithms for data anonymization and Differential Privacy , cryptography has been gaining attention as a tool to ensure privacy. The core idea is that through cryptography, data can be encrypted in such a way that only the intended recipient can decrypt it. This allows AI service providers to use encrypted data without compromising its privacy. Standard machine learning algorithms can be applied to encrypted data, though they often face significant issues in terms of speed and efficiency. Our recent paper demonstrates that there is a trade-off between privacy through cryptography and fairness towards underrepresented groups based on sensitive characteristics, e.g., gender, religion, age, and sexual orientation. Specifically, accelerating models for cryptographic inference by reducing their approximation power can lead to disparate accuracy across these groups, disadvantaging the underrepresented ones. In conclusion, the use of AI in electronic voting systems and online ballots is a promising direction for the future of democracy. However, it is essential to consider the privacy and fairness of these systems. Cryptography is a powerful tool for ensuring privacy, but it is also important to weigh the trade-offs between privacy and fairness.

Presenters:

• Scott M. Jeffreys, Special Associate Professor of Computer Science
• Gerda L. Kamberova, Professor of Computer Science, Chair
• Marco Romanelli, Assistant Professor of Computer Science

2:40-4:05 p.m.

Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences presents

Our Bodies, Ourselves: The Role of Educators in Reproductive Justice 

Reproductive justice, a core strain in all political, social, and policy debates in the US in this election year, has been defined in terms of autonomy and access: “The right to not have children, the right to have children, and the right to parent.”  Higher education has a pivotal role to play in helping young people understand how topics like bodily autonomy, family planning, and healthcare access affect all sectors of society as well as their chosen professions. Yet the current moment in US politics sees attacks on basic freedoms, including access to healthcare, that impact all Americans. An interdisciplinary group of scholars, teachers and administrators, will draw on their own expertise and experience to discuss how higher education can help achieve or imperil reproductive justice and better support individual choices and freedoms. The panel will be conducted roundtable style to encourage discussion. 

Panelists:

• Lisa Merrill, Professor of Performance Studies, Rhetoric and Public Advocacy Program 
• Tomeka Robinson, Professor of Rhetoric & Public Advocacy
• Craig Rustici, Professor of English
• Katrina Sims, Assistant Professor of History
• Aisha Wilson-Carter, Executive Director for Equity and Inclusion

Moderator:     Lisa M. DeTora, Professor of Writing Studies and Rhetoric

4:20-5:45 p.m.

Maurice A. Deane School of Law presents

Debates over Academic Freedom and Free Speech on Campus

Moot Courtroom 308, Maurice A Deane School of Law
South Campus

This panel will discuss the complex and interrelated concepts of academic freedom and free speech as they are understood and debated in American universities. Recent controversies over universities’ responses to student protests over the conflict in Gaza, the efforts by some state governments to restrict teaching of topics in diversity, equity, and inclusion, university punishments of instructors for the use of racially insensitive language in class, and other topics have all implicated principles of academic freedom and free speech. This panel will discuss concrete legal and policy rules that attempt to either restrict or protect academic freedom and free speech on campus including recent laws enacted by state governments, standards promulgated by the Council on Legal Education of the American Bar Association, the American Association of University Professors, and other policymakers. It will explore whether such policies can properly balance the protection of academic freedom and free speech with other university requirements and the pursuit of the university’s academic mission. These concepts are particularly important during a contentious election season.

Panelists:

• Herman A. Berliner, Provost Emeritus and University Service Distinguished Professor of Economics
• Richard K. Neumann, Jr., Alexander M. Bickel Distinguished Professor of Law
• Lincoln Anniballi, Class of 2025, President, Hofstra University Student Government Association

Moderator:     Julian Ku, Maurice A. Deane Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law

9:40-11:05 a.m.

Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts presents

Theatre as Politics and Politics as Theatre: A University Perspective

Theatre serves as a powerful platform for presenting and dissecting ideas, and universities are prime venues for such discussions. Hofstra Drama has a history of aligning our theatre seasons with elections cycles. These plays create opportunities for students and audiences to draw parallels between the fictional worlds on stage and the real world we inhabit. Today’s panel will discuss political stories expressed in theatre and the significant overlap between a campaign and a theatrical production.

Panelists:

• Christopher Dippel, Associate Professor of Drama and Dance
• Maureen Connolly McFeely, Adjunct Professor of English

Moderator:      Ilona Pierce, Associate Professor of Drama and Dance, Chair

11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

Frank G. Zarb School of Business presents

Promotion over Policy – What influences voters when choosing a candidate?  

This interactive session will discuss political campaigns and the promotion of political candidates from a public relations, marketing, and branding perspective. Political candidates are now packaged and sold to voters in the same manner that celebrities (e.g., Kardashians) are promoted and products (e.g., automobiles, toothpaste, etc.) sold in stores. This brings into question how candidates should promote themselves. Which information sources on social media (e.g., family, friends, professors, religious leaders, news agencies, etc.) about political candidates are trusted by voters, what benefits do voters see in using social media for information about political candidates, are there particular brand personalities (e.g., tough, honest, intelligent, caring, etc.) that are perceived more favorable over others, how can candidates shape their image to be perceived positively by the voter/consumer. As there has been greater emphasis on branding candidates, thus the creation of "brandidates", voters are treated more like consumers and less like participants in the governing process. Candidates and campaigns have become reliant on the use of promotion, some say to the detriment of substance, to get elected - is the bumper sticker and baseball cap more influential that the policy paper. Candidates are putting more resources (e.g., people, money, etc.) into promotion than policy in order to win. What does this say about the voter and how does this impact future campaigns?

Panelists:

• Jeffrey S. Morosoff, Associate Professor of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations, Chair
• Boonghee Yoo, Professor of Marketing, International Business and Legal Studies
• Robert Zimmerman, Co-Founder and Co-President, ZE Creative Communications

Moderator:     Shawn T. Thelen, Professor of Marketing, International Business and Legal Studies

1-1:45 p.m.

State of the University Address 

DR. SUSAN POSER
President
Hofstra University

John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Followed by BBQ on Roosevelt Quad

2:40-4:05 p.m.

School of Education presents

Higher Education in an Election Year: Addressing Challenges and Fostering Meaningful Discourse 

The 2024 election has the potential to present numerous challenges for higher education, placing it once again at the forefront of national policy debates. After years of escalating legislative scrutiny and public critique, the 2024 election could be a critical milestone for higher education as states are increasingly asserting control over curriculum, pedagogy, and challenging academic freedom. College students remain divided on key issues that will be impacted by the outcome of the election. Students prioritize the economy, employment, abortion and reproductive rights, college affordability and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Colleges and universities are understandably anxious about the heightened political climate, with many institutions still grappling with unresolved tensions on campus. This panel aims to explore the impact of higher education policy, the role of campus leadership and student affairs, as well as sharing strategies for managing campus conflict and engaging the campus community by fostering constructive discourse.

Panelists:

• Sean A. Fanelli, Adjunct Professor of Specialized Programs in Education
• Rebecca S. Natow, Associate Professor of Specialized Programs in Education
• Severino Randazzo, Executive Director, Student Leadership & Engagement

Moderator:     Holly J. Seirup, Professor of Counseling and Mental Health Professions

4:20-5:45 p.m.

Hofstra-Northwell School of Nursing & Physician Assistant Studies presents

Shaping the Future of Healthcare: Navigating Healthcare Policy Challenges in an Election Year 

Health Policy in our nation has been a prevalent issue since 1912, under then President Theodore Roosevelt. Various healthcare issues have been on the ballot in every election year since then, in some iteration. This year is no different as a multitude of challenging issues require policy. At the forefront of many concerns, specifically for healthcare workers, are policies related to LGBTQAI+, gender affirming care, abortion rights and mental health. As healthcare providers and educators of the future, how do we responsibly educate our students? This program will discuss strategies to educate and advocate for the medical care of the communities we serve. The role healthcare providers play in impacting the physical and mental well-being of our communities will be highlighted.

Panelists:

• Amy Smith, DNP, AGACNP-BC, FNP-BC, NY-SAFE
• Stacie Dee, DNP, PMHNP-BC
   

Moderator:     Stefanie Keating, DNP, AGACNP-BC, FNP-BC, AOCNP

11:20-12:45 p.m.

School of Health Sciences presents

State and National Legislation to Enhance Mental Health Services on College Campuses: Impact of the Upcoming 2024 Presidential Election 

A key question in the upcoming presidential election is how Vice President Harris and former President Trump differ or agree on approaches to mental health treatment, specifically related to college students. Perceptions and reactions to mental health in American society have historically been dissimilar between the Democrats and Republicans. The critical voting population of college students and their parents will be closely evaluating the position of each party on this topic. The School of Health Sciences is hosting a symposium on the current state of student mental health at universities such as Hofstra, existing services to address the needs, state legislation to strengthen service provision, national efforts by congress to expand treatment, and the impact that the 2024 presidential election will have on subsequent national legislation to address mental health issues among college students.

Panelists: 

• Laura L. Braider, Assistant Vice President of Behavioral Health and Director of the College Mental Health Partnership, Northwell Health
• Lincoln Anniballi, Class of 2025, President, Hofstra University Student Government Association
• Merry E. McVey-Noble, Director, Hofstra University Counseling Center

Moderator: Joel J. Brown, Assistant Professor of Counseling and Mental Health Professions 

1-2:25 p.m.

HCLAS - Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs presents

How Can We Prepare Students to Participate Meaningfully in the 2024 Elections? 

Eighteen-year-olds were granted the right to vote with the ratification of the 26th Amendment in 1971. The turnout rate of 18-to-24 year-olds in the subsequent 1972 election (50%) never again approached that high point -- until Biden-Trump presidential election year, 2020 (48%). This panel will look at students' rate of registration and voting in the past few national elections, using data from the National Student learning, Voting, and Engagement project at Tufts University, and focusing on Hofstra students' activities in particular. Panel participants will detail how we are preparing students to participate in the 2024 presidential contest, and how we still can spur student engagement -- from voter registration to cooperation with the Nassau County Board of Elections, to classroom projects highlighting deliberative dialogue and issue research.

Panelists:

• Philip Dalton, Associate Professor of Writing Studies and Rhetoric
• Andrea Libresco, Professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology

Moderator:     Rosanna Perotti, Professor of Political Science

2:40-4:05 p.m.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
The Power of Identity in American Elections

Student Center Theater, Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center
North Campus 

Lilliana Hall Mason,
SNF Agora Institute Associate Professor of Political Science
John Hopkins University
Co Author of Radical American Partisanship: Mapping Violent Hostility, Its Causes, and the Consequences for Democracy (2022)
Author of Uncivil Agreement: How Politics Became Our Identity (2018)
Joseph G. Astman Presidential Academic Symposium Scholar

How can higher education work to reduce political polarization? Can civil discourse about elections and policy making moderate public passions about contentious topics? Dr. Lilliana Mason’s influential scholarship on how political polarization has become grounded in social identity, and the troubling rise in radical partisanship, addresses central issues to consider in this important election year.

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