By Fiona Broadie and Jennifer Small
After 17 years, Robert A. Brown will step down as president of Boston University at the end of the academic year. Brown plans to take a sabbatical before joining the faculty of Boston University’s College of Engineering.
Brown, whose contract was set to end in 2025, became the 10th president of Boston University in September 2005.
“[I was drawn to BU in part because of] the role it plays in Boston, which is extensive and quite different from many other private universities in the area,” Brown said in his first interview with BU Today in 2005. “BU truly is a great urban university, in addition to being a university of the region and of the world.”
In an interview with BU Today following the announcement, Brown said he was proud of how diverse the BU student body has become since he began his presidency.
“One of the things I’m proud of, that I did not think back in 2005 would be a big agenda item, is how we’ve been able to, with resources and with changes, diversify the student body, not only racially and ethnically, but also socioeconomically,” he said.
In a letter to the Boston University community, Kenneth J. Feld, chair of the Board of Trustees, wrote about many of Brown’s accomplishments during his time as the president.
“[Brown] brought the best of higher education management principles to BU and applied them in consistent, creative, and ambitious ways,” Feld wrote. “In doing so, he transformed the University into one of the leading urban research and teaching institutions in the world today.”
Brown said in an interview with The Daily Free Press he originally told the Board of Trustees his plan to step down from his position in May of 2022.
“I spoke with the executive committee of the Board of Trustees in May, but the formal announcement was today,” Brown said.
When asked why he thought now would be the best time to retire, Brown noted there are few reasons for why he thought it was the right time to “turn over the leadership.”
“[The University] is coming out of COVID financially strong with great momentum, we’re attracting wonderful students, great faculty.” Brown said. “It just seems like this is the right time to turn over the University while it’s strong and there aren’t any big issues that a president has to do right off the bat.”
Brown said he is proud that BU is now one of the best private research universities in the country and believes it is, “moving forward in all the right dimensions with confidence.”
“That’s the legacy I would like,” Brown said. “It’s not about individual buildings or programs. It’s more about the overall, the whole institution.”
Brown said he believes BU will continue to make progress despite his retirement as the president due to the University’s strong foundation and future leaders.
“The University has a very strong foundation, and very good leadership in place at the board level – the Board of Trustees – so I am confident that all the ingredients are in place for us to continue to make progress,” Brown said.
Isabella Ketchen, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she hopes BU’s next president will bring a new perspective to campus.
Ketchen said she would like to see “someone who comes from a different background” or “someone with a new perspective” become the next president of BU.
Stephanie Sala, a senior in the College of Communication, said she is curious about who BU’s next president will be.
“It just leaves me wondering who is going to be the next president since he’s retiring,” Sala said. “Is there going to be someone new or someone within the school?”
In a letter to the BU Community, Brown wrote that the Board of Trustees will update the student body soon about the search for the next president.
“Kenneth Feld, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Ahmass Fakahany, the incoming Chair of the Board (starting September 29th), will communicate with you soon about the search process for the next president,” Brown wrote.
Feld added in his email that the search for the new president will take place soon and will be updated.
“Later this week we will share details about the upcoming presidential search,” Feld wrote. “We look forward to engaging the participation of the BU community in that process.”
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