In an email sent to the Fordham community on March 30, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dennis Jacobs announced that Eva Badowska, dean of the faculty of arts and sciences and associate vice president for arts and sciences, will be stepping down from her positions at Fordham University at the end of this academic year. She will assume a new role at Hofstra University, where she will serve as the dean of Hofstra College of the Liberal Arts and Sciences. 

Badowska’s position and responsibilities will be transferred to Robert Hume, professor of political science and associate dean of faculty of arts and sciences, who will serve as the interim dean of faculty following Badowska’s departure. 

The dean of the faculty of arts and sciences said that leaving Fordham is “bittersweet” but that after 23 years, “it is time for new creative challenges.” She added that she is “thrilled” to accept her new position and hopes to partner with the faculty at Hofstra in order to help students realize the power liberal education has in their lives. 

“It is definitely difficult to leave: I have meaningful relationships with colleagues here and many friendships,” she said. “And I love working with our department chairs in Arts and Sciences: they make the academic world go round!”

Badowska joined the university in 2000, beginning her academic career as an assistant professor in English. Since then, she has served in different leadership positions across numerous Fordham schools and departments, including the chair of the English department from 2009-12 and the associate dean in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) from 2012-14. She also served as the associate dean of GSAS from 2014-17 before assuming her current role. 

She noted that although she has served in many roles throughout her time at the university, her guiding light has remained constant: “a profound regard for the work of the faculty, whose research and teaching are the heart of the institution.” 

“In the context of our mission, we are here for two reasons and two reasons only: to create and curate knowledge and to help students learn,” she said. “We will do the right thing as long as we focus our efforts on these twin pillars.”

Jacobs attributed a variety of accomplishments to Badowska and added that she helped recruit and retain a “diverse and academically talented faculty.” He also highlighted that Badowska championed innovations in teaching, promoted interdisciplinary studies and established new mechanisms to recognize faculty research achievements during her time as dean of the faculty. 

“Through her leadership, Dean Badowska has been driven by her deep respect and admiration for the faculty as well as her abiding commitment to the mission of Fordham,” Jacobs said.

Badowska shared that she is grateful Jacobs appointed Hume as her successor and said that knowing that she is “leaving things in good hands is a blessing.” She added that she intends to be in communications with Hume after her resignation as they both set out on separate adventures in academic leadership. 

Hume, who served as the chair of the political science department for six years prior to serving as associate dean for the past two years, said he is saddened that Badowska is leaving but has been thrilled to work with her during his time as associate dean. 

The associate dean referred to the faculty of arts and sciences as a “terrific team” and noted that the transition will be made smoothly. He also added that he will continue working with the department chairs and program directors, whom he defined as an “outstanding group.”

“I share Dean Badowska’s commitment to supporting the faculty of Arts & Sciences and I will help them however I can to better their careers as teachers and scholars,” he said.