By Patrick Donachie
Outgoing U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (D-Melville) is heading from Congress to the classroom, announcing that he will be the chairman of Long Island University’s new Global Institute.
He will also be the university’s Distinguished Writer-in-Residence, taking up the post Jan. 4 after he retires from the U.S. House of Representatives.
Israel has served in Congress since 2001, and his district includes much of Nassau and Suffolk counties, as well as parts of Bay Terrace, Whitestone, Glen Oaks and Floral Park.
“The LIU Global Institute will be a premier regional platform for understanding a world that’s increasingly volatile, uncertain and complex,” Israel said.
“Our non-partisan mission will include bringing world leaders, thinkers and analysts to campus; serving as a resource for the university as well as regional business leaders and social activists for information and analysis of world events; and helping to prepare students to change our world with new models of innovation and social entrepreneurship.”
The Global Institute’s launch will be held March 2 at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts at LIU Post and will feature former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Israel’s official congressional records will also be housed at the university, available for both students and researchers.
The records will include “correspondence, e-mails and historical documents,” according to the statement announcing Israel’s new role.The materials promise to offer insight into Congress’ response to seismic national events like 9/11 and the 2008 financial crash.
Israel will also continue his writing career at the school, which offer classes for more than 20,000 students and has been in operation since 1926
Israel will be succeeded in office by former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, a fellow Democrat who won the seat in a general election in November.
Suozzi announced Tuesday that he was opening a district office in Huntington, L.I. The offices will be contained in two historic homes that date back to the American Revolution.
“I wanted to locate the office on the Suffolk-Nassau border, so it would be accessible, but I also wanted to locate the office on a property that paid tribute to our nation’s history,” Suozzi said about the opening.
Suozzi also pledged to offer a “satellite office” in Queens. In a previous interview, Suozzi suggested an area near the border of Queens and Nassau counties.
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdona
