After President Robert Brown’s first semester familiarizing himself with Boston University, he has gotten to know the many faces of its faculty and students, and has tried to identify what makes a BU student different from students at other universities.

The BU student body, however, is hardly a homogeneous one, as too often there is talk of the College of Arts and Sciences student, the School of Management student and the School of Engineering student, and very little talk of the BU student.

Answering the question “What makes a BU student?” is not an easy task, as this university is one of the largest private institutions in the United States, with more than 16,000 undergraduates, all of whom come from a different background, have wide-ranging beliefs and customs and whose individuality cannot be expressed in generalized terms. But it is Brown’s responsibility to identify the BU student as best as he can, and understand his and her concerns. This often involves meeting with students directly, and not just dealing with the Student Union alone, because it is impossible for the Union to represent the incredible diversity of the student body.

Brown has articulated his own abstract process for changing university policies, making sure he listens to the concerns of all the parties involved. Though few policies in need of revision have changed this semester, the issues have not gone ignored, as President Brown has entertained active debate on these topics during his daily meetings with students and faculty. He has said there is no topic he is unwilling to consider, though certain topics occupy more of his time than others, and rightfully so.

Brown should make sure he hears all concerns regarding any particular policy before instituting change. This semester, he went around to the deans of every college within BU, and heard their concerns and their recommendations to improving their departments.

Next semester Brown will have to demonstrate, on the one hand, that he is a man of action, and prove that he is capable and willing to carry out the necessary changes he so extensively discussed this semester – from the Guest Policy to discrepancies in professors’ salaries.

Coming from a scientific background, Brown was able to look at the study measuring unfair discrepancies in professors’ salaries from an analytical perspective, allowing him to understand the issue in more depth than someone with less experience in the field. He’s also used this scientific base to develop an almost formulaic method of addressing issues so far: students + faculty + administration + logistics = action.

We hope Brown will continue to integrate himself into the university next semester, and meet with more students, faculty and staff to understand their concerns, and address them appropriately. Brown has established his foundation in the university; now it is time for the building process.

In the past 35 years, a term dominated by the reign of President emeritus John Silber, BU has been a school of action. Silber’s problem was not improving BU’s image and getting what he wanted done – but he didn’t always go out of his way to find out, or care about, what students and faculty wanted. Brown has shown a willingness and an effort to do this, and if he can put what he has learned and will continue to learn into effect, he will be able to leave quite a legacy at BU.