New Department Chair Named at Hudson Valley Community College

January 10, 2023

Hudson Valley Community College has announced the appointment of a new academic department chair for English, Foreign Languages and English as a Second Language.

Tony Podlaski, a faculty member at the college since 2004, will lead the department, which offers more than 160 course sections each semester. The department also oversees academic advisement for students in the Liberal Arts and Sciences - Humanities and Social Science English degree track and the Liberal Arts and Sciences - Humanities and Social Science Communication (Non-Media) degree track.

Podlaski, an assistant professor, has taught courses in Composition, Writing for Technicians, Journalism, and Media and Culture during his 19-year tenure at the college.

He also has been very active on campus, chairing the committee for the campus-wide SUNY Chancellor’s Award nomination committee and twice serving on the self-study steering committee for reaccreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. He has been a longtime member of the college’s Academic Senate, serving a term as vice chair and multiple terms on subcommittees that include the Curriculum Committee and Personnel Resources Committee. He has been a longtime faculty mentor for the Center for Professional Excellence, which offers professional development for faculty and staff, and served as faculty liaison for a three-year term. He also served as secretary for the Faculty Association and chairperson for Faculty Workshop Day.

Podlaski received a SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service in 2018.

For almost three decades, Podlaski has had his sports journalism articles published in the Times Union, Baltimore Sun, Rocky Mountain News, Orlando Sentinel, New York Newsday and Saratoga Today. He has spent nearly 30 summers working for the New York Racing Association as publicist and press box coordinator at the Saratoga Race Course and for special events such as the Belmont Stakes.

Podlaski received a master’s degree from The College of Saint Rose and bachelor’s degree from the University at Albany, both in English, as well as an associate degree in Journalism from SUNY Morrisville.