The Campaign for Arts & Sciences

The recently concluded Campaign for Boston University and Campaign for CAS have revolutionized philanthropy at BU. During the seven years of the Campaign, alumni, friends, and parents generously contributed more than $180 million to CAS—exceeding our aggressive goal to raise $100 million for the college.

The Campaign ended this fall on a strong note. During the effort’s final year, we raised just under $30 million in cash and pledges, as motivated donors made important contributions benefiting students, faculty, campus facilities, and our global world.

Examples of impact from this past year include:

  • Need-based financial aid: In FY19, CAS raised more than $3 million in scholarship support. Anthony Vidovich (UNI’90) and Trista Vidovich (Parents CAS’23) are among the generous donors. Their gift to support educational access followed from Anthony’s “amazing” experience at BU and his career as a secondary teacher. Other scholarship donors include: The Estate of Arthur S. Zamanakos, Lawrence Lipkind (CAS’56), Diane Beemer (CAS’67), and The Estate of Marian K. Hoffman.
  • Support for research: Our research endeavor is constantly evolving, with a wide-reaching impact on society. In FY19, our alumni and supporters were, once again, crucial to moving discoveries forward. As one example, overseer and CAS Dean’s Advisory Board Member Rebecca Norlander (CAS’91) gave generously to support BU Spark! in its goal of immersing students in computer science–related product development from concept to market.
  • Experiential learning: Opportunities outside of the classroom broaden students’ education, giving them hands-on research, internship, and real-world experiences. Paul Vigna, M.D. (MED’89, CAS’85) and Judith Vigna (Parents CAS’19), who gave generously in this area, were inspired to support undergraduate students in areas such as the humanities who are pursuing internships, including unpaid internships, so that they could gain insights into careers and different fields before entering the competitive job market.

View the full Donor Roster for FY 2018/19.

New Resources for Students

Arts & Sciences alumni and supporters work closely with the college and graduate school to develop important resources for students. In 2018/19, the Thomas Kunz Fund in Biology, used to support outstanding graduate students in Ecology, Behavior & Evolution, reached the endowed level thanks to numerous donations from faculty, students, staff, and alumni. This fund will enable GRS to attract outstanding students to the program and is a fitting tribute to a beloved and talented faculty member.

Campus Improvements

Meanwhile, generous donors funded new resources that will give a major boost to two academic programs, for both graduate and undergraduate students. The first is a much-needed space for sociology students to study and gather; the new lounge has individual study spaces, small huddle rooms, and open collaboration space.

Support for GRS

The second new resource is a $1.7 million endowment for the American & New England Studies Program; this donation, made anonymously, will support a postdoctoral fellowship in American material culture. This gift will bring a recent American studies doctoral graduate with a specialty in material culture to campus to teach an undergraduate course and a graduate-level class each year.

Giving Day 2019

Giving Day is a day full of energy, enthusiasm, and friendly competition. This FY19’s Giving Day exceeded all expectations. CAS alumni, parents, students, faculty, and friends raised $210,229. Among the 1,847 gifts for CAS and its departments and programs, 453 came from faculty and staff, 611 came from alumni, and 116 came from current parents.

Dean’s Advisory Board

The CAS Dean’s Advisory Board has played a leading role in ensuring the success of the Campaign for Arts & Sciences. The alumni, friends, and parents who comprise the board, which is chaired by Bonnie Feld (CAS’73, Parent COM’02), advise the Dean on broad matters of policy and planning, and serve as ambassadors and philanthropic supporters of the college. In their roles, Advisory Board members help foster relationships and connections with prospective students and their families, alumni, and potential employers, as well as with individuals, corporations, and other organizations that might be in a position to further the mission of CAS. In the 2018/19 academic year, the board’s biannual meetings focused on “The Value of a Liberal Arts Education” and “Arts & Sciences in the City.”

Stewarding Our Resources

The successful Campaign for Arts & Sciences, robust demand for our graduate and undergraduate programs, and Boston University’s wise financial management have put the College of Arts & Sciences in a strong fiscal position. However, in order to achieve our many goals, we must remain careful stewards of our resources. This means monitoring closely and modifying, as needed, our long- and short-term goals, aligning resources at the college level according to these priorities, and being on the lookout for better ways to leverage our resources.

At the close of the 2019 fiscal year, the college (including the Pardee School) achieved a balanced, unrestricted expense budget of $163,291,120. Faculty, staff, and student salaries accounted for the vast majority of expenditures, and regular operating expenses accounted for most of the rest. (See Appendix, Budget)