Contrary to results of a survey released by The Chronicle of Higher Education, President Robert Brown and other members of the Boston University administration say they strive to balance their attention among academic, student life and monetary issues.
The Chronicle found that of 764 college presidents surveyed, 53 percent spent part of every day fundraising – an aspect of the job one-fifth of those surveyed said they were not prepared for. In addition, five of the top six concerns of those presidents were also related to monetary issues as opposed to academic issues.
Brown said he did not pay much attention to the survey, adding that those who were unprepared for the fundraising side of the job were misinformed about the position.
“Either [those surveyed] aren’t telling the truth or they’re naïve,” he said. “You can’t lead an organization without putting the resources in place.”
He said that although this is a new survey, it is not a recent trend in university life.
“The biggest trend in education today is people are looking more broadly for resources,” Brown said. “You have to become more and more efficient. Either become more efficient or raise more money. That’s what the survey is telling you.”
BU History of Higher Education professor Joseph Cronin said he estimates university presidents spend one or two days of their week fundraising.
“They have to go to Arizona or Florida to meet with wealthy alumni and work with prospects,” said Cronin, the former president of Bentley College in Waltham.
“Money improves the quality of the institution,” he continued. “There’s a relationship. You need the big gifts to improve the academics.”
As for his own day-to-day job, Brown said he viewed himself as director of BU’s agenda.
“The way I view my job is as the leader of the BU community and the organization in the sense of trying to set strategy and direction to where the university is going,” he said.
“I talk to a lot of people about programs and people about where we’re going and what our vision is,” he continued.
He went on to stress the importance of acquiring and managing funds properly.
“The strategy is implemented where you put your resources,” he said. “Resources come down to money. … At the end of all this is resource allocation.”
In response to the survey’s assertion that presidents do not spend enough time on academic or student life issues, Brown said he spends a great deal of his day talking to those who are in charge of monitoring those areas of the university.
“I interface with many people,” he said, “but I rely on the provost and deans to form a network. The provost of the university is the chief academic officer. His full-time job is talking to the deans and department chairs.”
Brown said he also takes a large interest in student organizations, occasionally meeting with them to discuss university issues.
“At the end of the day, [student] organizations report to Dean [of Students Kenneth] Elmore and [Enrollment and Student Affairs Vice President] Anne Shea and up to me,” he said. “I rely on Ken to have there interfaces.”
Cronin said since about World War II there has been someone in place at most universities responsible for student affairs.
“The president is on top of all that,” he said. “If things are going well, student affairs don’t bubble up. When there’s a scandal or a problem, then the president has to spend time on that issue.
“A president has to worry about everything,” he continued.
In response to the 20 percent of those presidents surveyed who were not prepared for the fundraising aspect of their job, Cronin said the selection board may have not informed them of those duties.
“When the BU Board of Trustees a few years ago talked with Jon Westling, they said, ‘We want to raise a million dollars,'” he said. “Either the search consultant or the Board of Trustees should make [fundraising intentions] explicit.”
Students said they did not find themselves worried about Brown’s daily responsibilities.
“It’s such a big school that even if all he did was fundraising,” College of Arts and Sciences freshman Jane Falanga said, “I wouldn’t know it.”
As for getting her own university issues resolved, Falanga said she had never had a problem getting assistance.
“I think there’s a lot of people you can go to for help,” she said.
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