It costs a lot to provide free digital learning to the world or to engineer technology-rich classrooms that enable a world-class faculty to take their engagement with students to a new level. While we may be on the cusp of a revolution in how education is delivered, one equation remains steadfast—the financial one. When students and their families invest significant dollars in a higher education, it’s imperative they see a meaningful return. Today’s graduates need more and better tools to compete in the workplace. Staffing our classrooms with world-class scholars and researchers is just the beginning. Exposure to professional leaders across all industries is an integral part of the mix. Offering technical support for students to develop mobile apps for nonprofits? We’re there. Sending students across the world to scour hospital records in Nepal as part of an honors senior project? We’re going to help make that happen, too. And giving students enough financial assistance to make college a reality in the first place. Our goal. In this annual report, we’re going to try to explain how a university like BU runs and the lengths we’ve gone this year to make sure every dollar we spend creates value for our students. The bottom line for us: if you don’t keep up, you’re out—and BU is most definitely in.