Hofstra University announces the appointment of Eva D. Badowska, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Fordham University, as the new dean of the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Badowska will join Hofstra University on July 1.
She will succeed Dan Seabold, associate professor of math, who has served as acting dean of the college since 2021.
Over more than two decades at Fordham, Badowska – who is also an associate professor of English with an expertise in Victorian literature – has served in a variety of administrative roles, including associate vice president, arts and sciences, and dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
“Dr. Badowska comes to Hofstra with a stellar record as a scholar and administrator who has dedicated her career to the liberal arts,” said President Susan Poser. “We are excited to have such an experienced and creative leader at the helm of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at such a critical time in our university’s history.”
With the largest enrollment at the university, the College of Liberal Arts and Science includes four schools: the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the School of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts, the School of Education and the Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs.
“Eva Badowska combines strong, principled leadership and administrative acumen with a deep appreciation for the work of faculty and a fierce commitment to student success,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Charlie Riordan. “A staunch advocate for the liberal arts, she brings a record of accomplishment in advancing diversity, equity and inclusivity among faculty and students. I am thrilled to welcome Eva to Hofstra, and I look forward to working with her to further distinguish the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.”
Badowska spent two years as lecturer on literature at Harvard University before joining Fordham in 2000. During her time there, she has directed the comparative literature program, served as chair of the English department, been an associate dean, an interim dean and an acting dean – all in the liberal arts and sciences – before assuming her current roles in 2019. She also chaired the President’s Task Force on the Future of the Liberal Arts.
“I am delighted to be joining the Hofstra academic community as the new dean of HCLAS,” said Dr. Badowska. “My own education in the liberal arts and sciences empowered me to create a new life for myself in a language and culture different from my own. I am grateful for this opportunity to help Hofstra’s students realize its transformative potential in their lives as well. I am also thrilled to partner with the Hofstra leadership to support the faculty in HCLAS as they conduct groundbreaking research, publish thought-provoking scholarship, innovate in teaching and provide service to the broader community.”
In addition to her scholarship on Victorian literature, Badowska has written extensively about feminist theory, psychoanalytic theory, and Slavic literature and film. Her research and teaching expertise include the rise of consumer culture, cultural materialism and sensation fiction.
She earned her BA in English from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom and her MA and PhD in English from Cornell University.
Dr. Badowska was selected after a national search.
