Keeping the College of Arts & Sciences on track and moving forward is an ongoing effort. It depends on securing and managing the resources that provide our faculty members the support they need in the classroom and in the field, and to make sure our students are getting the world-class education that brought them here in the first place. While CAS and BU continue to deal with the financial challenges that have plagued all of higher education in recent years, careful fiscal management has allowed the College to again make progress toward achieving its long-term goals.
At the close of FY 2013, the College achieved a balanced, unrestricted expense budget of almost $107 million. The vast majority of this budget covered faculty, staff, and student salaries across this very large college. About $8.5 million was available to serve the many operating expense needs demanded by our teaching and research missions and such items as technology and facility support across our 38 buildings. Beyond this, other revenues used to support our mission include indirect cost recovery based on federal grant expenditures generated by CAS researchers (almost $2 million) and gifts.
The financial challenges of the economic downturn and the sequester have had their impact on BU. CAS, like the rest of the University, has shared in the adjustment strategies by making carefully structured cuts in its continuing expenses. All use of university resources must be dedicated to pursuing our highest priorities. (See Appendix, Table 9. Budget.)
Annual Report 2012/2013
From the Dean
From recruiting ever-better faculty and students to engaging in path-breaking research, academic year 2012/2013 was a year of great accomplishments.
Recruiting Excellent Undergraduates
CAS again attracted excellent students who bring with them a wealth of interesting experiences and who are eager to pursue their education in a large and exciting university in one of the major cities of the world.
Strengthening Graduate Education
BU and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences laid the groundwork for a tremendous strengthening of the quality of doctoral programs by developing a new budget model.
Strengthening the Quality of the Faculty
In 2012/2013, CAS recruited an exemplary cohort of 16 new assistant professors in fields across the humanities and social and natural sciences.
Enhancing the Research Mission
This year, Boston University was welcomed into the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization of leading North American research universities—an accomplishment to which CAS, with its portfolio of research in the natural and social sciences and the humanities, was a key contributor.
Strengthening Connections to the Community and the World
The College’s commitment to make the world a better—and better-understood—place contributes to BU’s growing reputation as a leading, global university.
Managing Our Financial Resources
Despite the challenges facing all of higher education in recent years, careful fiscal management has allowed the College to again make progress toward achieving its long-term goals.
Nurturing Connections with Alumni and Friends
The College continues to develop new opportunities for continuing education, networking, and socializing to help alumni and friends stay connected.
A Community in Mourning
The BU community and CAS came together in many ways in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Our Impact, Your Impact: The Campaign for CAS
In 2012/2013, BU entered the public phase of its first capital campaign, inspiring many alumni, parents and other friends of CAS to step up support for our annual fund and critical projects.
Appendix