Five years into the Lawrence S. Bacow Era at Tufts, there is mostly good news to report from the hill. Indeed, President Bacow deserves more than just "a little credit" for the improvements over the past few years.
All around campus, the invisible hand of the president is evident. From the building of Sophia Gordon Hall and the new music building to more endowed professorships and increased wireless internet access, quality of life on the hill has improved drastically under his reign.
Moreover, the work President Bacow has completed is long lasting and goes a long way to solidifying Tufts' image of a school that prepares leaders for a changing world. Rather than imitate other schools in the highest levels of academia, Tufts has forged ahead with its own image and is well placed to send its students equipped with the skills and experience needed to tackle the world's coming challenges. The direction the president gives to the university goes a long way in focusing everyone toward this common goal. From purely a leadership level, President Bacow rightfully deserves his high marks.
The greatest asset and accomplishment President Bacow has achieved in his first years here is an ongoing one. The drive to accelerate and increase endowment fundraising is never a finished task, but President Bacow has taken great steps that will put the university on firm footing for years to come. From large ticket donations from the Omidyar and Tisch families to the smaller contributions from alumni and parents, the endowment has done so well it outperformed all other Massachusetts endowments in the past year by growing almost 34 percent. Judging from simply fundraising numbers, President Bacow's leadership gives this paper great confidence that the upcoming capital campaign will exceed all expectations.
Even in the face of this success, challenges remain. Over the years, Daily polls have demonstrated students are generally unaware of the President's work. It's telling that professors, administrators, and trustees in the Tufts community give high marks to President Bacow's work, but students have little to say about him -or make vague criticisms that show little understanding of his work. Why does this perception remain? Students have little interaction with the President on campus beyond a few highly publicized encounters scattered throughout the year and special events in their senior year. By improving his visibility and interaction with students on a daily basis, today's Jumbos will almost certainly see the President in a more personal and approving light.
Current students, as future donors, are most likely to donate to an engaged and visible President and ensure the continued success of the fast-growing endowment. It's no surprise that his demanding schedule mandates a ferocious pace of appointments and travel. But for the good of Jumbos past and present, we hope the President could take a little more time to unwind at student events and campus hot spots.
It's a testament to President Bacow's incredible achievements that we're able to have this advanced of a conversation about where to go next continuing the University's progress. Let there be no doubt that the direction and relevance of a Tufts education has been properly addressed. Yet, to keep the excitement about Tufts' future alive, a more interactive and visible president among the student body would go a long way. Given his track record at tackling challenges Tufts faces, we're confident in his ability to see and be seen.
