NIU taps Governors State professor
with national visibility as English chair

by Tom Parisi

Governors State University Professor Deborah Holdstein, editor of the country’s top journal in the field of rhetoric and composition, has been named chair of the NIU Department of English, effective July 1.

For the past two decades, Holdstein has served as a professor of English and rhetoric at Governors State. Since 2002, she also has been a faculty associate in the provost’s office at the far south suburban university, where she led and coordinated efforts to bring oversight and cooperation to all aspects of graduate study.

She now takes the helm of one of the largest departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at NIU. More than 500 students are majoring in English and another 100 are seeking minors. The department boasts 35 tenured faculty members and 30 instructors.

“I’m excited about the challenge,” Holdstein said. “I’ve been impressed with NIU’s Department of English, and I’m committed to building upon its already outstanding reputation.”

Holdstein, of Oak Park, has been active for many years in the Conference on College Composition and Communication, a national organization that supports and promotes teaching and scholarship in the study of writing. She is a member of the organization’s executive committee and, in 2004, was appointed editor of its flagship journal.

She also served a 4-year term on the publications committee of the Modern Language Association.

“As a professor who has gained national visibility and has top-flight credentials, Dr. Holdstein is an excellent fit for NIU,” said Frederick Kitterle, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “It was clear that she enjoyed the support of a wide range of constituencies here.”

“Dr. Holdstein is a fine scholar and also has extensive administrative experience and skills,” added English Professor Jeffrey Johnson, a member of the search committee. “She was part of an accreditation team that came to review the program here a few years ago, so she’s familiar with our department and is enthusiastic about its strengths.”

Holdstein holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an M.B.A. certificate from the Wharton College of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. She has published numerous research articles and several books in the areas of rhetoric, literary studies, film and technology in the humanities. At Governors State, she was the recipient of university-wide Faculty Excellence Awards and three times won the Student Choice Award for teaching.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been dedicated to providing students with high-quality, affordable public education,” Holdstein said. “I firmly believe that students come first. At Governors State, even after taking on administrative duties, I continued to work as an active faculty member, advising and teaching students. I have a lot to learn on the administrative side in my first year at NIU, but down the road I would like to do some teaching as well. I want to get to know Northern students.”

Holdstein’s appointment fills a vacancy left by former English chair Heather Hardy, who was named dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Colorado State University in 2003. Professor Doris McDonald has served as interim department chair.

3-28-05