David Cotter

As Associate Vice President for Graduate Enrollment Management, David Cotter leads strategic efforts to drive institutional growth and ensure the continued excellence of Boston University’s graduate and professional programs. He champions data-driven enrollment strategies and fosters collaborative partnerships across BU’s schools and colleges to optimize recruitment, retention, and graduation outcomes.

David’s leadership is characterized by his commitment to building high-performing, collaborative teams. He works closely with deans, directors, chairs, and faculty on critical areas such as new program development, strategic program realignment, holistic and inclusive admissions, enrollment analysis, yield forecasting, digital and strategic marketing, and financial planning. He also oversees long-range graduate enrollment planning, ensuring BU’s programs remain responsive to evolving demographic, disciplinary, workplace, and global trends.

With a deep understanding of the evolving landscape of graduate and professional education, David brings a wealth of experience to his role. Prior to joining the Office of the Provost in 2016, he established and developed the Office of Graduate Affairs at BU’s College of Communication (COM), where he oversaw all aspects of graduate program management. His previous experience includes serving as Associate Dean in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis University and Assistant Director of Graduate Admission at Emerson College. David holds a BA in Communication and an MA in Higher Education Administration from Boston College.