The Unispan closure, a recap of Hofstra’s Town Hall, and Student Appreciation Week
BY: Leah Wrazin
With additional reporting by URVI GANDHI and Lex Besecker
Your insider guide to the Hofstra Pride. What students really need to know.
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1. Unispan may remain closed for several weeks
According to an email sent out by Geraldine Hart, Hofstra’s director of Public Safety, the Unispan that connects the residential and academic sides of Hofstra’s campus may not open for at least several weeks after a truck crashed into it on Thursday, Nov. 10.
The crash occurred at approximately 2:05 p.m., close to the end of the Unispan near the Axinn Library. People present in the library at the time of the crash reported that they could feel the building shake upon the truck’s impact. No Hofstra student or faculty reported injuries, but the driver of the truck was taken to a local hospital. Immediately following the crash, Hofstra University utilized campus-wide texts and the new HofstraSafe Alert System to inform students of the crash and that the Unispan and Hempstead Turnpike would be closed for the rest of the day on Thursday. Nassau County police were also on scene to investigate. In addition to the initial crash, there were two other crashes in the traffic on Hempstead Turnpike.
On Thursday night, Hofstra University issued a campus-wide email regarding the incident. “After consulting with our engineers, the New York State Department of Transportation and the Town of Hempstead, the Unispan will remain closed until next week to facilitate required safety inspections and repairs,” the email read in part. Students were advised to utilize the pedestrian bridge at Oak Street or the crosswalk at California Avenue to navigate between the South and North Campuses. Hofstra has stationed Public Safety officers at the California Avenue crosswalk to help students cross the street. Hofstra Public Safety is also providing an on-campus shuttle service for students that will make non-stop trips between the Student Center and South Campus, according to an email sent Friday, Nov. 11. The shuttle service is available from 7 a.m to 5 p.m. Students needing transport outside of those times or any other support are told to call Public Safety’s non-emergency line at 516-463-6606.
Photo credits: Leah Wrazin
2. Recap of Hofstra’s Town Hall
During common hour on Wednesday, Nov. 16, Hofstra hosted its annual fall semester Town Hall in the Student Center Multipurpose Room. President Susan Poser and multiple senior administrators were in attendance, as Poser announced various upcoming updates and changes to campus. After her address, students had the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session to ask their own specific questions of the President and her administration. One of the biggest issues students brought up was the removal of turnstiles in the dorm buildings and how that would affect residential student safety. Poser said multiple times that many college campuses do not have turnstiles, and Hofstra should move past having turnstiles in dorm buildings.
Other concerns students brought up included updating campus infrastructure, especially the dorm buildings and the three bridges connecting the North and South Campuses; hiring enough faculty and academic advisors; and professors currently not using technologies that were utilized during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. One commuter student brought up issues of professors canceling class last minute or not being understanding when a commuter student cannot make it to class due to adverse weather conditions or other issues, such as a car breaking down or public transportation not being on time. Overall, Poser emphasized long-term changes to better Hofstra University and its community.
3. Student Appreciation Week
This week, Hofstra’s Student Government Association (SGA) is celebrating Student Appreciation Week (SAW). Student Appreciation Week occurs every fall semester, complete with events sponsored and organized by SGA. Members of SGA will also be tabling in the Student Center throughout the week to give out free merchandise to students who participate in the Student Appreciation Week Survey. SGA is asking students to complete the SAW Survey about various initiatives and improvements that could happen on campus in the coming semesters. This year, the survey features things like extending dining hours of operation, providing free menstrual products in bathrooms on campus and ways to make practicing religion on campus easier for students.
