Every year is busy for the BB&N Board of Trustees, and 2009-2010 was no exception. In addition to our ongoing oversight responsibilities and our continued attention to the immediate needs of our community in the face of the economic downturn, the Board of Trustees addressed a number of important strategic issues.
Our work on “sustainability,” which began more than three years ago, yielded a long-range financial plan that will guide future Boards in considering annual budgets, planning for our long-term real estate needs, and evaluating enrollment patterns. The Board anticipates a continued focus on important sustainability issues such as exploring increasing globalization and changing demographics.
During the year, the School completed its decennial NEASC review and accreditation process. The Board was very pleased with the recognition the review committee accorded the School, and found the recommendations they provided both thoughtful and helpful. The faculty and administration, who bear the lion’s share of the work involved in this two-year process, did a terrific job of articulating and demonstrating the School’s values to the committee. The committee commented in one meeting with Trustees on the “palpable intellectual drive” and “scintillating conversation” among students, as well as the “comfortable” and “respectful” overall culture, describing BB&N as a “cool place.”
We were also thrilled to toast the three faculty members who were awarded endowed positions last fall. Raising the funds for these positions has been a long-held goal of the Board, and the excitement and appreciation of the honorees gave us great pleasure. We very much hope to be able to announce further chairs and instructorships in the years ahead.
As we make this transition in board leadership, we would like to take a moment to thank the Trustees for their hard work and thoughtful guidance of the School; Rebecca Upham and our administrators for their leadership; our faculty and coaches for their connections to and cultivation of our students; our staff for their care of our School; and our families for their engagement in school life.
As always, the incredible support of our community both through annual giving and the Opening Minds Campaign, and the dedication of the many volunteers who give their time to help raise these contributions and serve the School in so many other ways, make possible much of what the School does. For this, we are enormously grateful.
Wishing you all the best for the new school year.
Laura Hodges Taylor ’74, P’04,’08
Chair, Board of Trustees (2006-2010)
Peter L. Slavin ’75, P’06,’11, M.D.
Chair, Board of Trustees (2010- )
