State of the University, Spring 2017

May 2, 2017

Dear Members of the BU Community,

I write this letter to the community late in the semester, having waited to form an assessment of the University’s circumstances and prospects against the backdrop of national and international developments. Although I can’t say that the wait afforded me as much clarity as I might have wished for at this point, I will offer my best assessment.

The summary version, on which I will elaborate, is that we have many reasons to be optimistic, as well as reasons for concern. And while we (obviously) can’t control the external variables that affect the University and higher education (more broadly), there is much that is within our power.

Our Foundation and Looking Forward

Times of transition are unsettling. It is appropriate, I believe, to re-ground ourselves in what we at Boston University value as we navigate the terrain that lies ahead. In October 2013, an international group of organizations representing major research universities met in Hefei, China, and crafted 10 principles to define research universities. The list is known as the “Hefei Statement.” I have compared the Hefei Statement with the work of the Boston University faculty committee that resulted in our 2006 Strategic Plan, and I have developed a set of principles (listed below) that I believe can serve as reference points or beacons as we continue the work of raising the quality and stature of Boston University. (The principles taken in part or in whole from the Hefei Statement are identified with an asterisk [*].)

1. A commitment to pursue excellence in everything we do, measured by independent assessments of research, scholarship, and teaching by organizations and individuals from outside the University.*
2. A commitment to meritocratic systems for selecting faculty, students, and staff that lead to an inclusive community of students and scholars, all committed to each other’s success.*
3. Initiation of, and sustained commitment to, research efforts with both depth and breadth, producing internationally recognized results which are broadly disseminated through publication, teaching, and community engagement.*
4. A commitment to quality teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, to produce broadly educated graduates able to contribute to our national and global welfare across a wide range of possible engagements.*
5. A dedication to the highest standards of research integrity and its associated ethical obligations, supported by explicit and effective processes for addressing unethical behavior.*
6. A commitment to developing the human, physical, and digital capital needed for students and faculty to do their best work.
7. A commitment to freedom of inquiry and speech so that differing views and perspectives can be discussed with civility and so that researchers can—without fear—follow evidence and reason wherever it leads.*
8. A commitment to support local, national, and global communities to maximize the positive societal impact of the research and education conducted within the University.*
9. A commitment to transparent, consultative governance that protects and supports the mission, priorities, and fundamental values necessary to sustain and advance a world-class university.
10. A commitment to fostering an inclusive environment in which differences of race, religion, sexual preference, and country of origin are respected and valued.

I believe each of these statements describes a necessary characteristic of the Boston University community of faculty and students that we strive to create.

Research universities committed to these principles are critical resources for the nation and the world today more than at any time in history. Our research addresses some of the greatest challenges facing humanity and catalyzes economic development in our immediate communities and around the world. Our graduates will lead and shape the future.

Boston University’s success is in the nation’s interest; that success depends on federal support of research and student financial aid. Today there is anxiety about possible budget cuts in both areas: reducing funding for faculty-led and student-driven research and potentially limiting educational access for qualified undergraduate students. Currently there are coordinated efforts to describe and emphasize the importance of continuity in federal funding to the new administration and key members of Congress. Individual universities and organizations like the Association of American Universities (AAU) are making the case. We are hopeful that the bipartisan support from Congress that has undergirded and sustained our global leadership in research and our programs for federal student financial aid will continue and that drastic cuts will be avoided.

Finally, more than at any time in our past, we must have a global outlook and perspective. The laws of physics and the effects of climate change do not recognize political boundaries. Nor do infectious diseases. A great research university is a community of scholars and students drawn together from every corner of the world, finding common ground in research, scholarship, and learning.

To this end, we will continue to make it clear that Boston University heartily welcomes students and scholars who want to study or work here, and we will make the point that our institution, and others like us, are much better places because of this diversity. We will make the case for our global connectivity in public ways, as I did in an opinion column in the Boston Globe earlier this semester, and in voicing our support for DACA legislation.

Boston University must stay the course in pursuing the mission and priorities of a major research university, and we will. We are seeing important gains. Because of the diligent work of our faculty search committees and academic leadership, accomplished and promising new faculty colleagues are joining our schools and colleges. They are the intellectual future of Boston University and are inspiring ever more qualified undergraduate and graduate students to enroll with us. We are growing financially stronger as well. Last fall the bond credit rating agency Moody’s Investors Service classified Boston University as A1-positive, the highest rating we have had in our history. In its public report Moody’s listed three strengths of the University:

1. Improved status as a large, urban research university
2. Solid operating performance, growth of financial reserves, and enhanced fundraising
3. Organizational culture of continuous improvement and benchmarking drives operational efficiencies and strategic use of resources

These three strengths (as cited by Moody’s) succinctly describe both our academic trajectory and our operational discipline—key ingredients to our success.

Updates

The remainder of this letter is devoted to updating you on initiatives and ongoing work and projects that are advancing the University. I will address the following topics:

1. New General Education Requirements and Opportunities in Undergraduate Education
2. Undergraduate Admissions
3. Graduate Professional Education on the Charles River Campus
4. Next Steps in Re-envisioning the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground
5. Our Changing Campuses

1. New General Education Requirements and Opportunities in Undergraduate Education

The BU Hub Implementation Task Force continues its work implementing the goals for University-wide general education adopted by the University Council last year. Led by Beth Loizeaux, Professor of English and Associate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs, and Bruce Schulman, William E. Huntington Professor of History, almost 100 faculty and staff members have been working on the Task Force and its satellite committees, with the aim of rolling out the new program for freshmen entering in fall 2018.

The goals of the program are for every Boston University undergraduate to have competency in the follow areas:

• Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation
• Scientific and Social Inquiry
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Diversity, Civic Engagement, and Global Citizenship
• Communication
• An Intellectual Toolkit that includes
  • Critical Thinking
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Life Skills

Please see the report of the Task Force on General Education for in-depth discussions of the six capacities and their constitutive areas.

The exacting work of curriculum revision in the schools and colleges is well under way. With the publication of A Practical Guide for Faculty to Building Out the BU Hub Curriculum, the Task Force has defined learning outcomes for each of the areas in the six capacities, established requirements for students, and developed priorities for revising existing courses and creating new courses for the first year of the BU Hub. The BU Hub’s proposed signature program, the BU Cross-College Challenge, will be piloted in spring 2018.

The adoption of these new requirements opens a door to new levels of collaboration and innovation in undergraduate education. The all-University general education requirement is a catalyst for educational innovation across the University on a large scale. Our faculty has great intellectual depth that spans a broad array of disciplines. We have the unique opportunity to work together to invent new ways to equip our students with these capacities by blending the liberal arts and sciences with the professional disciplines. I hope we seize this opportunity.

To facilitate (and incentivize) this innovation, the University Provost has established funding for curricular innovation to fulfill the ambitious vision for the BU Hub. This program of Course Development Stipends was announced in a memorandum available on the Task Force website. More information and applications are available through the Center for Teaching & Learning’s website for BU Hub resources.

2. Undergraduate Admissions

As has been reported in BU Today, undergraduate admissions for the next academic year are well under way. Our applicant pool increased another 6% to 60,815 applications received, with a record 4,159 applicants for early decision. Over 36% of the class was admitted via the early decision option. Only 25% of our applicants have been accepted, an all-time low.

Ensuring access for all qualified students continues to be a major priority in our enrollment strategy and budgeting. Once again we have raised the financial aid for our incoming freshman class by 3.4%, with a focus on relieving the debt levels of students from the lowest income families. Our undergraduate financial aid budget for the next academic year is $240 million, up 3% from this year’s budget. As a result of this commitment to financial aid, we expect to welcome a larger number of first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented minority students to our freshman class in the fall.

As our applicant pool has grown and we have deliberately decreased the size of the entering class, the quality of the academic credentials of enrolled students has continued to improve. Our open intra-university transfer policy (IUT) has also proved highly attractive to prospective students who value the option of moving from one school or college to another after they explore our curriculum and settle on a major or concentration. Few of our peers offer the flexibility for a student to so seamlessly transfer. The downside to this flexibility is that enrollments in individual schools and colleges can fluctuate, sometimes unexpectedly. Undergraduate enrollments in the Questrom School of Business have risen significantly, driven by strong interest in business education and the ease of transfer. Managing demand for faculty resources and space in this landscape of shifting enrollments is an ongoing challenge, one we embrace because it is the side effect of our growing stature. We must continue to innovate in our undergraduate programs to keep pace with the ability and aspirations of our students.

The College of General Studies (CGS) has undergone the greatest change during the last decade. Established in 1952 as an entry point for veterans, CGS evolved into a pathway for students who were initially unprepared for the rigors of a Boston University education. The unique two-year, team-taught, cohort-based CGS model has proved highly effective in enabling students to accelerate up to speed and graduate from one of the degree-granting schools or colleges. The first chapter in many great Boston University success stories was written at CGS.

The majority of admissions into the College have been what are called “referrals”—applicants who have sought admission to a degree-granting program, but are “referred” to CGS as the only available point of entry. These students’ educational program choices are, by design, initially more limited; consequently, their educational experiences differ from those of students admitted directly to four-year programs. Universities that do not have pathway programs akin to CGS simply admit all students to their four-year programs.

As the academic qualifications of our entering students continue to improve, we need, I believe, to evaluate whether the differences in educational experience that are entailed by maintaining an alternative pathway are justified. In the fall 2000 admissions cycle, students were admitted to CGS (direct admits and referrals) with an average score of 1152 on the SAT and high school GPA of 3.04. For fall 2017, we are planning to enroll a freshman class of 300 CGS students with an admitted SAT average of 1339 and high school GPA of 3.53. An additional 300 CGS students will be offered admission to matriculate in spring 2018. These students will attend a summer program in London and join the sophomore class the following fall. The CGS students admitted for fall 2017 are as academically accomplished as the students admitted to the College of Arts & Sciences for fall 2000. (The SAT average for students admitted to CAS in 2000 was 1309 with a GPA of 3.58.)

3. Graduate Professional Education on the Charles River Campus

Three years ago, as the result of discussions with schools and colleges on the Charles River Campus, we launched a modest expansion of our graduate professional education offerings. This initiative sparked an entrepreneurial reaction in many of our professional schools and colleges and resulted in the establishment of a number of innovative programs, such as the Master of Arts in Remote Sensing & Geospatial Sciences (College of Arts & Sciences) and the Master of Management in Hospitality (School of Hospitality Administration).

Because of strong interest in existing programs and the addition of new offerings, we have experienced a nearly 16% growth in entering student enrollment in our professionally oriented graduate programs from 2014 to 2016. Total enrollment in these programs has grown 8% to 9,351, as shown in the table below.

We are assessing the effects of this encouraging enrollment growth as we do our planning and budgeting for the next several years.

4. Next Steps in Re-envisioning the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground

Last spring, a committee of faculty, staff, and students led by Mary Elizabeth Moore, Dean of the School of Theology, and Kenn Elmore, Associate Provost and Dean of Students, made recommendations for the expansion of the program for the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground. I accepted the committee’s recommendations and we increased the funding to the center this fall. The new staffing for the center is in place and the expanded programming is being implemented.

The committee also recommended that the center be housed in expanded, more visible, and more central space. A faculty-staff working group led by Pedro Falci, Associate Director of the Thurman Center, and Amy Barrett, Assistant Provost for Academic Space Planning, has been exploring space options and a report was issued last month. The committee’s recommendations include larger, more flexible spaces to support scheduled events, teaching spaces that would support programmatic connections between the Thurman Center and the new BU Hub, as well as casual spaces to support socialization and interaction. We are evaluating several potential sites to identify the best possible location for these spaces. We hope to announce our plans soon.

5. Our Changing Campus

Our campuses offer visual confirmation of our evolution and progress. This month faculty, staff, and students are moving into our new Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering (CILSE) on Commonwealth Avenue, and the new fMRI was delivered to the Center for Cognitive Neuroimaging in CILSE for installation.

The first phase of the total renovation of Myles Standish Hall will be complete this summer. Rooms and suites in the renovated section will be available for fall occupancy by undergraduate students.

The new Joan and Edgar Booth Theatre and associated education and production facilities for the School of Theatre are quickly taking shape on West Campus. These new facilities will transform the educational experience for students in this nationally recognized program.

And the next set of transformative projects is being queued up. This summer we will begin the complete renovation of the Castle, which will become the Dahod Family Alumni Center and include a new faculty lunchroom and other expanded dining facilities; this will be the first Alumni Center on campus in the University’s 149-year history.

We are now seeking requisite permits for the expansion and renovation of the facility for the Goldman School of Dental Medicine. The new facilities will improve student and patient experiences and better support the latest pedagogical approaches to dental education being pioneered by our faculty.

As we head toward the end of the semester and turn to the work of education, research, and scholarship, to recruiting undergraduate and graduate students and new faculty members, and to making all of our support systems work for the students, faculty, and staff, I hope everyone will take pride in the great academic community that we are building together.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Brown
President

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