The Campaign for CAS
BU is in the midst of our first-ever capital campaign. As of June 30th, 2015, CAS has received more than $93,595,000 in gifts from its alumni, parents and friends. Collectively these supporters have made more than 20,000 gifts to the CAS campaign. Contributions reflect a wide range of interests and capacities to give, and may be made to our annual fund or specific key initiatives.
On April 30, “BU Giving Day,” the BU community of parents, alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends came together to raise over $1.1 million in a single day, and CAS/GRS saw 565 gifts made to 36 different funds in CAS totaling $69,643. Each gift generated an additional $25 “bonus” for CAS/GRS, which resulted in an additional $14,125 in support for CAS. We look forward to this campaign again in April 2016, and your gift will again result in a $25 “bonus” to the CAS fund.
RAYMOND FISMAN Slater Family Professor in Behavioral Economics. Photo By Jackie Ricciardi
Here are some examples of recent gifts, and their impact:
- The Raymond & Margaret Horowitz Visiting Professorship in American Art will allow distinguished scholars of American Art to spend a semester at BU enhancing the scholarship and teaching of our current faculty
- A gift from the ILEX Foundation will create and staff an e-magazine in our Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies & Civilizations
- Ray Fisman, the Slater Family Professor in Behavioral Economics, has joined us this semester from the Columbia Business School. Ray brings innovative research methods to the study of corruption, amongst many other interests.
- The Ghahreman Khodadad Lecture in Greed and Aggressive Behavior will debut with its inaugural lecture in the spring of 2016.
Many generous alumni and other friends have given gifts of all sizes to the CAS Annual Fund that allow the Dean to move resources where they are most needed quickly and with great flexibility. In just the past year, these dollars have been used to retain faculty against attractive offers by other universities, provide exciting enrichment opportunities for students to take their learning outside of the classroom walls, and provide our teachers with the opportunity to improve their skills.
The additional resources raised through the campaign will provide more scholarships for talented students, funding for impactful research and innovative teaching, and resources to hire the best and brightest faculty. To learn more about the Campaign for CAS, visit www.bu.edu/cas/impactx2.
View the full Donor Roster for FY2014/15
CAS Leadership Advisory Board
The CAS Leadership Advisory Board (LAB) has played a leading role in ensuring the success of the Campaign for CAS. The alumni, friends, and parents who comprise the board advise the Dean on broad matters of policy and planning within the College. They also help foster relationships and connections with potential students and their families, alumni, and potential employers, as well as with individuals, corporations, and other organizations that might be in a position to support the College and its mission. (See Appendix, The Campaign for CAS: 2015 Status Report (See Appendix, The Campaign for CAS: 2015 Status Report.)
Stewarding Our Resources
The successful Campaign for CAS, 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 all of our many goals we must remain careful stewards of our still-limited 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 2015 fiscal year on June 30, the College achieved a balanced, unrestricted expense budget of just over $111 million. Faculty, staff, and student salaries account for the vast majority of expenditures, and regular operating expenses account for most of the rest. The other major revenue sources available to the College are a portion of the indirect cost recovery generated by federal grant expenditures generated by CAS researchers (almost $1.9 million) and gifts. Thus, the faculty themselves, as well as the many alumni, parents, and other friends who have participated in the capital campaign, are directly responsible for contributing to the financial health of the College. (See Appendix, Budget.)
Annual Report 2014/2015
From the Dean
From recruiting ever-better faculty and students to surging ahead in our capital campaign, academic year 2014/2015 was a year of great accomplishments.
A New Era Begins at CAS
On August 1, 2015, CAS welcomed its new dean, Ann Cudd. Dean Cudd brings her own unique energy and vision to CAS and GRS and is deeply committed to enhancing—and affirming—the value of a liberal arts education.
Improving Undergraduate Education
CAS once again attracted our most talented class of undergraduates ever. And we laid the groundwork to serve them even better, offering expanded academic opportunities and a comprehensive First-Year Experience program with over 800 first-year participants.
Strengthening Graduate Education
BU’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences continues to see a dramatic increase in applicant quality and enrollment due to our new five-year PhD funding model that has heightened the attractiveness of our doctoral programs. New program initiatives have also resulted in more applicants to our master’s programs.
Enhancing a World-Class Faculty
The quality of a university depends on the quality of its faculty, and hiring the best and giving them a strong start is crucial. In 2014/15, CAS hired 26 new professors across the humanities and social, natural, and computational sciences.
Conducting Pathbreaking Research
Discoveries and innovations at CAS help make BU one of the top 40 research universities in the world. Many fields of study at CAS are also highly ranked, including social sciences, physics, molecular biology and genetics, and psychology.
Deepening Our Global Mission
CAS is a major contributor to the international character of Boston University. The 2014–15 academic year was particularly eventful in this respect, being the inaugural year for the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies.
Creating Our Future: The CAS Strategic Plan at Halftime
In 2010, the College of Arts & Sciences crafted a bold 10-year plan to enhance all aspects of what we do: advancing undergraduate and graduate education, research, global partnerships, and the College’s relationships with its alumni. Over the past five years, we have made great strides toward these goals.
Nurturing Connections with Alumni and Friends
The College continues to develop new opportunities to engage and connect with CAS alumni and friends. In 2014–15, more than 5,000 CAS alumni registered for events hosted by the BU Alumni Association, accounting for 25% of all BU alumni event engagement.
Growing Our Capacity and Stewarding Our Resources
BU is in the midst of our first-ever capital campaign. As of June 30th, 2015, CAS has received more than $93,595,000 in gifts from its alumni, parents and friends. Collectively these supporters have made more than 20,000 gifts to the CAS campaign.
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