News and Updates
Timely Campus Resources and Guidance
Annual Security Report
Each year, Boston University publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report in accordance with the federal campus security law known as the Clery Act. This comprehensive document provides members of the Boston University community with information regarding reported crimes as well as policies, procedures, and resources concerning safety and security, such as policies for responding to emergency situations as well as information on fire safety and crime prevention. You are strongly encouraged to access and read this valuable source of safety information. The Annual Security Report contains three calendar years of statistics (2023, 2024, and 2025) for certain crimes that were reported to have occurred in the following locations: on-campus; in or on off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Boston University; and on public property within or immediately adjacent to the Boston campuses.
Boston University maintains campuses in other locations. The Annual Security Reports for those locations are also available on the University’s safety website. Printed copies of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report are available by calling the Office of the Chief of Police at 617-353-5362.
Information Security Awareness – some updates from a 9/15/26 email
Be Skeptical of That Job Offer
Fake job offers surge every September, sometimes appearing to come from a professor, a department, or a BU address. Here’s how it ends: you’re hired without an interview, mailed a check for “equipment,” and asked to wire part of it back or buy gift cards. Days later the check bounces. It was never real, and the money you sent is gone from your own account. Legitimate employers never hire you without speaking to you, send a check before you’ve done any work, ask you to buy gift cards, or recruit you by text or WhatsApp out of the blue. Real BU student jobs are posted through JobX. When an offer looks questionable, the Student Employment Office will gladly look at it first.
Know a Phish When You See One
Today’s phishing emails have correct logos, clean grammar, and real names from the BU directory. Don’t judge by polish—watch for the pattern: (1) An unexpected request for money, gift cards, passwords, or Duo codes; (2) Pressure to act immediately, or to keep it quiet; (3) Links or attachments you weren’t expecting; or (4) A reply-to address that doesn’t match the sender’s name. When something feels off, verify it another way, then forward the message to abuse@bu.edu. Every report helps protect the next inbox. See what’s circulating now at the BU Phish Bowl.
Add a Backup Duo Device
Register a second device with Duo—a backup phone, tablet, or hardware security key—so a dead battery doesn’t lock you out during add/drop week. Add one here. And one rule above all: never approve a Duo request you didn’t start. A prompt out of nowhere means someone else has your password. Deny it, change your password, and contact the IT Help Center.
International Resources
- New USDHS Rule Eliminates F and J Duration of Status (D/S), July 17, 2026.
- Update as of 9/14/26: A district court has granted nationwide preliminary relief which blocks the rule from taking effect and prohibits DHS from further implementation it while litigation continues.
- BU Support Pathways – a resource hub designed to support, inform, and guide Boston University’s global community.
- Resource Guide: Everything BU International Students and Faculty Need to Know Right Now, BU Today, April 7, 2025
- What the New Federal Actions Mean for You
- Understanding Federal Immigration Policy – A Boston University FAQ, Safety Security & Preparedness
- Supporting Boston University’s International Community—Q&A with President Melissa Gilliam and Willis Wang, Head of Global Operations, BU Today Article, June 11, 2025
Website Accessibility
- A new Website Accessibility site features website accessibility information, including website accessibility best practices, accessibility and PDFs, and Accessibility for Blackboard, including Blackboard Ally for instructors and Blackboard Ally for students.
AI – Artificial Intelligence
Updated Policies
2026
Code of Ethical Conduct and the Conflict of Interest Policy – updates approved by Audit and Risk Committee on September 16, 2026. Changes included: updating name of Board of Trustees Audit Committee to Audit and Risk, included the International Advisory Board, and codified process for appointing members to the Compliance Committee
Employee Handbook and Policies Manual – updates made July 1, 2026
Data Protection Standards Overview – Updates made May 1, 2026
- Data Classification Standard
- Data Access Management Standard
- Identity and Access Management Standards
- Data Lifecycle Management Standard
- Minimum Security Standards
- Cybersecurity Training, Compliance, and Remediation Standards
- Data Center Security Standards
- Vulnerability Management Standard
Academic Conduct Code – updates made April 2026
Undergraduate and Graduate Student Attendance Policy – updates made April 2026
Undergraduate Final Examinations Policy – updates made April 2026
Student Bereavement – updates made April 2026
Intra-University Transfer – effective June 1, 2026
Policy on Pass/Fail Courses for Undergraduate Students – updates made April 2026
Institutional Minimum Requirements for Undergraduate Graduation – updates made April 2026
6.3.1 University Expenditure and Approval Policy – a new version of this Policy replaced the 2.1.2 Electronic Funds Transfer Guidelines and the 6.3.3 Signatory Authority for Payments over $20,000 on April 1, 2026.
Employee Handbook – Section 302 Sick Leave, updated March 27, 2026
President’s Statement of Commitment to Ethical Conduct – March 2026
Employee Handbook – Section 301 Vacation Leave, updated January 28, 2026
2025
href=”http://www.bu.edu/dos/policies/student-responsibilities/” style=”font-size: 16px;”>Code of Student Responsibilities, updated July 1, 2025
Updates modernized the code and updated violations (including doxing or unauthorized recording) to align with current student needs and evolving campus challenges; also enhanced procedural transparency, introduced an alternate restorative justice option for certain violations, and rebranded the Office of Judicial Affairs as the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (OSCCR).
Background Check Policy, updated June 16, 2025
Revised Suspension or Termination for Cause Policy (Faculty Handbook), updated April 15, 2025
Provides examples of conduct that may be considered “gross neglect of duty or other applicable cause” to suspend or terminate a faculty member; also harmonizes with the University’s new Fitness for Duty Policy.
2024
Boston University Events and Demonstrations Policy, updated December 10, 2024
Identity and Access Management Policy, updated April 28, 2024
Network Security Monitoring Policy, updated April 24, 2024
Access to Electronic Information Policy, updated April 24, 2024
Data Access Management Policy, updated April 24, 2024
Minimum Security Standards, updated April 24, 2024
BUHR Compensation Guide for Non-Represented Staff – Published April 2024
Postdoctoral Scholars Policy, updated April 16, 2024
Academic Conduct Code, updated January 1, 2024 – applies to all students except the School of Law students and MD students at the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, who should refer to their academic conduct codes.
2023
Policy on Principal Investigator (PI) Status – updated May 25, 2023
Revision to Undergraduate Dual Degree Program Policy – updates related to cumulative GPA requirements for graduation, credits required for dual degree completion, and revision to the limit on summer courses. Updated May 9, 2023
Revision to Residency Requirement and Transfer of Undergraduate Credits Policy – reduces the number of transfer credits allowable for first-year entering full-time undergraduate students to 60 credits and for transfer students to 68 credits; removes restrictions on students taking courses within the Route 128 corridor; clarifies that full-time residential undergraduate students cannot earn credit toward their degrees from courses offered through Metropolitan College.
Revision to Academic Residency Requirement Policy – reduces the number of transfer credits for full-time, residential, first-year entering and transfer students.
Revision to Advanced Credit Guide – corresponds with revisions to the BU Residency Requirement and Transfer of Undergraduate Credits Policy and redirects readers to the omnibus policy on the Admissions website rather than repeat the information.
Revision to Undergraduate Pass/Fail Policy Regarding the BU Hub – removes BU Hub units from the list of excluded courses students can designate as pass/fail.
Undergraduate Student Registration and Overlapping Class Times Policy – ensures that undergraduate students may not enroll in two classes that meet at the same time.
New Policies
2026
Boston University Non-Discrimination Policy, and corresponding Boston University Non-Discrimination Procedures – effective August 1, 2026
Employee Handbook and Policies Manual – updates made July 1, 2026
Copyright Policy – Effective April 21, 2026.
Data Protection Standards Overview – Updates made May 1, 2026
- Cyber Risk Assessment Standard
- Cyber Risk Management Standard
- Log Collection, Analysis, and Retention Standard
Concurrent Registration for Undergraduate Students – Effective July 1, 2026
Undergraduate Academic Term Progression – Effective July 1, 2026
2025
Vacation Time Policy for Salaried Graduate Workers – Effective October 1, 2025 and replaces the Vacation Policy for PhD Students
BU OneCard Policy (6.4.2) – Policy within the Finance and Administration Policies Manual that replaced the Travel Card Policy (6.4.2) and the PCard Policies & Procedures (6.3.5) on September 15, 2025.
Policy on Reasonable Accommodations for Employees or Applicants for Employment and its corresponding Procedures for Reasonable Accommodations for Employees or Applicants for Employment replaced the Reasonable Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities, or Individuals who are Pregnant or Have a Pregnancy-Related Condition Policy on August 15, 2025.
Section 1557 Policies, July 1, 2025 Effective date
- Section 1557 Nondiscrimination Policy
- Section 1557 Language Access Policy
- Section 1557 Effective Communication Policy
- Section 1557 Reasonable Modifications Policy
- Section 1557 Grievance Policy
Interim Hazing Prevention Policy – Effective June 23, 2025
Fitness for Duty Policy – Effective April 18, 2025
2024
Interim Equal Opportunity and Title IX Policy and corresponding Interim Equal Opportunity and Title IX Procedures – Effective October 15, 2024, applying to conduct that occurs on or after October 15, 2024
Part-time PhD Students who are Employed Outside Boston University Guidelines, Effective April 19, 2024
2023
Cyber Incident Response Policy – Effective May 23, 2023
Acceptable Use of Computing Services Policy – Effective May 23, 2023, replaced the Conditions of Use and Policy on Computing Ethics
Policy on Responding to Employer Inquiries Regarding Sexual Misconduct– Effective spring semester 2023
Sexual Misconduct Hiring Disclosure Policy – Effective spring semester 2023
Guidance on Advocacy at Boston University – Effective May 17, 2022
2022
Emergency Campus Closing Standard Operating Procedure – Effective January 1, 2022
Sick Leave Policy for PhD Students
2021
Remote Work Guidelines, August 9, 2021 – Revised – See Flexible Work Guidelines
Cybersecurity Training, Compliance, and Remediation Policy – Policy is effective April 29, 2021 and replaces the previous Education, Compliance, and Remediation Policy
BU Research Compliance Policy on Acquisition and Documentation of Post-Mortem Human Samples – Effective April 21, 2021
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Policy passed December 15, 2020, effective in Spring 2021 semester
BU Paid Family and Medical Leave Law Policy– effective January 1, 2021
Boston University Family and Medical Leave Policy for Temporary Employees, Part-Time Faculty, and Former Employees– effective January 1, 2021
2020
Data Lifecycle Management Policy – Policy is effective in November 2020 and replaces the Data Protection Requirements Policy
Statement on Free Speech and Expression
Gift Acceptance and Naming Policy, effective September 17, 2020
Policy on Visiting Students, Effective fall 2020
Award of Posthumous Degrees by Boston University, Effective September 1, 2020
Policy on Visiting Faculty and Research Scholars, Effective September 1, 2020
Conflict of Commitment Policy – Policy is effective 7/31/20 and replaces the previous External Professional Activity Policy
Policy On Dissertation Work Outside Of Boston University, June 2020
Libraries Code of Conduct, June 2020
Sexual Misconduct and Title IX Policies and Procedures - New and Old
Policy and Procedures Applying to conduct that occurs on or after August 1, 2026
Policy and Procedures Applying to conduct that occurs on or after October 15, 2024 and before August 1, 2026
Policy and Procedures Applying to conduct that occurs on or after August 14, 2020 through to October 14, 2024
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- Sexual Misconduct Policy
- Procedures for the Resolution of Non-Title IX Sexual Misconduct Complaints Against Students
- Procedures for the Resolution of Non-Title IX Sexual Misconduct Complaints Against Faculty, Staff, Affiliates, and Non-Affiliates
- Procedures for the Resolution of Title IX Sexual Misconduct Complaints Against Students, Faculty, Staff, Affiliates, and Non-Affiliates
- Sexual Misconduct Policy
Policy and Procedures Applying to conduct that occurred on or before August 13, 2020
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- Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Policy and Procedures – applies to past conduct that occurred on or before August 13, 2020
Question About Policies?
If you have questions about University Policies or the process by which they are developed, refer to the About Policies page on this site which features information on the policy governance and approval process, or contact the Compliance Services Office or the Office of the Provost. To request that changes be made to a Policy on the website, contact the Compliance Services Office. They can help you understand the process for updating Policies and Procedures.
Policies Website Design
The Policies website features optimal keyword search functionality and streamlined searching through the homepage, and the ability to convert Policies hosted on the site into a printable PDF with the click of a button.
Policies can be located in several ways:
- Finding a Policy via a relevant Category or Subcategory
- Finding a Policy through a keyword search via the homepage www.bu.edu/policies
- Finding the Policy by “Responsible Office” – The Offices who own Policies can be filtered via the homepage so that you can display the Policies that office is responsible for.
- Finding Policies through other Policies: Each Policy and Procedure contains Additional Resources at the very bottom of the Policy page, and within that section is a listing of Policies and Procedures that are related to the Policy/Procedure you are viewing.
The following graphic highlights some of the other site features:
New and Enhanced Campus Website Resources
Boston University Safety, Security, and Preparedness Office Website
Boston University’s Safety, Security, and Preparedness department (SSP) comprises the University’s Emergency Management Department, Police Department, and Public Safety Department. They have recently launched a new website https://www.bu.edu/safety that provides many resources to help foster a safer BU Community, which includes information related to many compliance topics.
Privacy at Boston University Resource Website
The newly launched Privacy at Boston University Website at https://www.bu.edu/privacy provides resources resources for maintaining privacy in an educational environment while still enabling and fostering research, academic success, and information sharing. The site includes quick links to the University’s relevant Policies, guidance documents, and offices who can assist with privacy questions and concerns.