A Few Words From the President

I think we can all agree that FY2021 was a year like no other.

A pandemic that claimed millions of lives worldwide. Racial strife that laid bare profound social inequities. Political upheaval that divided us. And economic turmoil that brought untold suffering. A lifetime of challenges packed into mere months.

Boston University, like the rest of the world, was undoubtedly tested. But thanks to a solid foundation, built over many decades, and the profound cooperation and dedication of our faculty, students, and staff, we not only kept the University standing but continued to make the significant contributions to the common good that we as a leading residential research institution always strive for.

Within days of the pandemic shutdown, School of Medicine faculty and students rushed to the front lines while hundreds of our researchers pivoted to COVID-19 work—notably at our National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, where scientists quickly began work on live samples of the novel coronavirus, proving the facility’s mission; within weeks, we developed the infrastructure to support a remote/hybrid teaching and learning system and allow our staff to carry on work from home; and within months, we developed our own PCR testing lab, launched a contact-tracing program, and established quarantine and isolation housing, all of which ensured the successful continuation of in-person and residential education.

At the same time, we were able to keep the rest of our enterprise moving. We established and filled the post of senior diversity officer, complementing ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at the University. Our Center for Antiracist Research, led by renowned scholar Ibram X. Kendi, struck a chord across the world, resulting in more than 4,400 donations to the center’s research, including several eight-figure gifts.

As the fiscal year ended, we began our successful transition back to the dynamic and collaborative in-person learning and research that defines us and continues to attract bright minds. This past year, our application numbers went up by nearly 25%. The Class of 2025, one of our largest in recent history, is talented and diverse. And for those who are the first in their families to attend college, we opened a new center for first-generation students.

But none of this would have been possible without two fundamental things: a clear vision—as expressed in our most recent Strategic Plan—and a community dedicated to realizing it.

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Robert A. Brown
President, Boston University

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