University Welcomes Discussion with City Council
Panel rejects BU’s written testimony on diversity; issues summons for Brown
In a letter delivered by hand yesterday, University President Robert A. Brown told Boston City Councilors that “much of our institutional strength has derived from an environment that celebrates academic rigor and inclusiveness of individuals from all backgrounds, creeds, cultures and beliefs.” Photo by Kalman Zabarsky
President Robert A. Brown has told the Boston City Council that the University would be pleased to meet to offer additional testimony on the issue of diversity in institutions of higher education. In a letter written in response to a summons initiated by Councilor Tito Jackson demanding that he appear before the group next Tuesday, Brown said prior commitments would prevent his appearance, and he offered to send a panel of senior University officials on that date. Brown also offered to testify in person when he returns from a long-scheduled trip.
BU’s exchange with Jackson began last month, when Brown and representatives from Northeastern University were asked to appear before the council’s education committee on October 24. According to Stephen Burgay, senior vice president for external affairs, Brown was unavailable, but the University provided detailed written testimony describing its efforts to foster a diverse, multicultural campus. BU’s testimony stated that in selecting the Class of 2018, cultivating diversity was a top priority, and that 32 percent of the class is composed of minority students. The testimony listed several initiatives, such as BU’s Community Service Scholarships, designed to ensure that students from Boston Public Schools can attend Boston University and succeed academically. The testimony also outlined special efforts made by the University to recruit and maintain minority faculty.
In an apparently unprecedented move, Jackson, chair of the council’s education committee, did not acknowledge the testimony provided by BU. Instead, Jackson issued a summons demanding that Brown appear before the group on December 2.
“We found the summons very surprising,” says Burgay. “In past years, written testimony has always been sufficient, and we put a great deal of thought and effort into providing a thorough and accurate description of the University’s efforts. For reasons that are unclear, Councilor Jackson ignored the testimony and insisted that President Brown personally appear.”
Burgay also said that only Brown received a summons.
In his letter to Jackson, Brown noted that diversity is very important to the University, and that BU offers many opportunities to local students, including the Thomas M. Menino Scholarships, the Community Service Scholarships, and other direct engagement with Boston Public Schools. “Throughout Boston University’s history,” he wrote, “much of our institutional strength has derived from an environment that celebrates academic rigor and inclusiveness of individuals from all backgrounds, creeds, cultures, and beliefs.”
The Boston Globe reports that the council rarely uses its power to compel people to attend meetings. Burgay calls the action “completely unnecessary.”
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