Andrea J. Catania
Event Honors Beloved Late Faculty Member
Professor Catania was remembered by the Seton Hall Law community for her unwavering friendship and her loyalty and dedication to Seton Hall Law.
In a memory book handed out at a March 3 event honoring Professor Charles Sullivan as The Andrea J. Catania Endowed Faculty Chair, Seton Hall Law faculty paid tribute to Professor Catania, a unique individual remembered for her adventurous spirit, passion for teaching, concern for the well-being of others and unwavering friendship.
Professor and former Dean Ronald Riccio recalled a time when Professor Catania bought him a signed baseball as a gift during her vacation; he keeps the ball in his office as a reminder of her.
“Every now and then, you meet a person who leaves a lasting impression on what you do and how you think. Every now and then, you come across someone who has no ego, cares deeply about others, and is passionate about her profession. Such special persons are few and far between. Andrea Catania was one of those persons, and more. Andrea got teased a lot because she was a worrier. And she was, but never about herself. She worried only about others and, in particular, about her beloved Seton Hall Law School, its students, faculty, administration, and staff. When I was Dean, I enjoyed being one of the beneficiaries of her worrying because, unlike some who worry and do nothing, Andrea worked to make sure that her worries never became realities. When the new law school building was in the difficult planning and construction phase, Andrea was there. When admissions had hurdles to overcome, Andrea jumped in. When new faculty needed to be hired and mentored, Andrea volunteered to help. If students had problems, Andrea solved them. When there was a budget crisis, Andrea found solutions. When faculty and programmatic reforms needed to be implemented, Andrea was a catalyst. When anybody needed a helping hand for any reason, Andrea extended her hand. She worked harder than anyone I know to help make our law school the great law school that it is today. Andrea understood the fundamental difference between acquaintances, colleagues, and friends. Her relationship with the faculty and administration at the Law School transcended the workplace. It was rooted in genuine friendship. For example, once when she returned from one of her trips she had a gift for me. It was an autographed baseball signed by Don Drysdale. I keep it in my office. Andrea knew I enjoyed baseball. It was a nice gift. But I don’t keep the baseball because it’s a nice gift; I keep it because it reminds me that Andrea remembered me while on her vacation. How thoughtful. How kind. How so typically Andrea to think about others, even during her time of rest and relaxation. I recall vividly a summer many years ago when Andrea and I ran into each other at Saratoga Racetrack. Thinking I knew something about betting horses, Andrea asked me for a tip. My tip was the three horse in the fourth race. This was a big mistake, never to be repeated by Andrea. The three horse in the fourth could hardly finish the race. Andrea never let me forget it. She also delighted in reminding me that she cashed handsomely on several of her own picks that day while I was losing my shirt. She didn’t hesitate to not so gently rub it in. In truth, I enjoyed getting needled by Andrea as much as she enjoyed giving it to me. I miss Andrea. I miss her unmistakable laugh, her affection, her warmth, her camaraderie, her playfulness, and her undivided loyalty to Seton Hall Law. Andrea’s passing left a hole in the heart of our law school. We are not the same without her,” said Professor Riccio.
Noted for her contributions to law school governance, she served on nearly every law school committee. Her work as Chair of the Admissions Committee and as a member of the Appointments Committee helped draw top law professors and students.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve experienced a ‘Catania bulge.’ Whether serving on the admissions or appointments committee, Andrea knew how to recruit people to Seton Hall like few others. And then she became a one-person welcoming committee. She was on sabbatical the year I was hired, but I distinctly remember her calling me before I had even left New Haven to see when we could have dinner in New York. Little did I know that under Andrea’s watchful eye, I would become a “foodie” and eventually move into Manhattan. Apartment hunting with Andrea was an experience that could’ve been made into a reality TV show, as she interviewed residents of my prospective new homes to determine which met her criteria. There are still a couple of restaurants I avoid because I can’t imagine being there without Andrea. And it took me over a year after her death before I went back to the theater. It’s never been the same, though,” said Kathleen Boozang, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law.
Professor Charles Sullivan was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Andrea J. Catania Faculty Chair for his dedication to the law school. A good friend of Professor Catania, Professor Sullivan recalled her caring attitude.
“Capturing Andrea in a few words is impossible because she was a mass of inconsistencies, all of which added up to one of the most delightful persons it’s been my privilege to know. She was a worrier who nevertheless thought things would work out all right in the end. A cosmopolite who cared about our little corner of Newark. She would travel abroad – from Italy to Vietnam – but return dying to know “what’s happening” here. She was concerned with the state of the nation and with the state of her least successful student. She cared enormously about scholarship, but more about teaching, and most about people. Andrea took new faculty under her wing, but she also smoothed the rough edges of her senior colleagues, including me. She was riled when someone voted against her tenure, but she was unfailingly kind to everyone on the faculty. In internal political debates, she was aligned and unaligned, someone who shared your values but could talk to everyone. She was my friend. Seton Hall, the institution, owes her a huge debt. Seton Hall, the collection of individuals, owes her even more,” said Professor Sullivan.
Professor Catania arrived at Seton Hall Law in 1980 after careers as both an educator, as a social studies teacher at Weston High School, and a litigator, as an associate with the firm now called Winston Strawn. As a law professor, she regularly taught Civil Procedure and New York Practice.
Professor Catania also taught Remedies, Evidence, Business Associations, Tort Reform and Medical Malpractice at Seton Hall Law and was a visiting faculty member at Brooklyn Law School. She published in the areas of federal jurisdiction and employment discrimination.
During her tenure at Seton Hall, she was a strong voice for women in the law and in legal education and her dedication to the law school was unparalleled. For this, she was awarded Seton Hall Law’s highest honor: the Miriam T. Rooney Medal.