STAFF EDIT: Proceeding with caution

Boston University President Robert Brown’s letter and town hall meeting for faculty and staff regarding BU’s financial situation may have some students feeling left out, but it was the right action to take. Brown has treaded wisely by providing students with basic information without inciting panic.

BU has not been keeping the $10 million budget gap a secret, since anyone can view Brown’s letter to faculty and staff addressing the situation online. An email to all students was not necessary because excessively advertising BU’s financial is not in the university’s or the students’ best interests. The worth of a BU degree is directly tied to the university’s reputation. If it appeared as though BU was not handling the situation in a professional manner, employers may think less of the students the university produces.

New of the budget gap unfolded over winter break, a time when some students may have been considering transferring out of BU because of the high tuition cost, or other reasons. Alarming students by calling attention to a budget crisis in an email blast before university action could be taken to solve the problem might have caused students to make the hasty decision to leave BU before knowing all the facts.’

So far, Brown’s calm approach to ward handling the shrinking endowment and bridging the budget gap has been the responsible course of action, even if it means pushing back his ambitious Strategic Plan. Among the steps he has taken, refusing to lay off faculty is a no-brainer. Fortunately for students, Brown recognizes that BU’s selling point is its world-class faculty. In addition, the reorganization of BU services is long overdue, and should improve administrative efficiency.

If this school year’s hiring and construction freezes prove to be successful in stabilizing BU’s financial situation, Brown should implement another freeze ‘-‘- on tuition. The cost of a BU education is already high enough to deter talented high school seniors from applying. The temptation to raise tuition and fees for next year must be resisted. With financial aid applications already up over 100 percent from last year, a tuition hike will be counterproductive, since it will only require BU to provide more money toward financial aid.

Nobody knows for sure how long the financial crisis at BU will last, and there are sure to be more tough decisions to make in the future. Continuing to take this levelheaded approach by retaining its respected faculty and increasing efficiency will keep BU’s reputation and academic quality intact.