With Tufts University’s 175th anniversary coming up next year, the university is looking ahead with plans to improve beyond this milestone. In January 2026, President Sunil Kumar shared the final form of the Tufts Beyond 175 strategic plan, which aims to recommit the university to its mission of education, research and civic engagement as the university celebrates its anniversary and looks to the future.
The Office of the President recently announced in a schoolwide email that the plan’s first initiatives are taking effect this year, largely supported by savings from the Operating Model Transformation, a university effort that has streamlined financial processes.
In a statement to the Daily, Executive Vice President Michael Howard explained that savings from this model have been critical in financing the strategic plan and noted that the university is steadily making progress toward its fiscal goal.
“As of September, we have already identified $13 million in operating savings toward our $40 million target,” Howard wrote.
The remaining funds will be sourced from operating funds and philanthropy.
“Philanthropic support, including endowed gifts, will be especially important because endowment funding provides a permanent source of support for new programs and initiatives that advance the university’s mission,” Howard added.
The Beyond 175 strategic plan is organized in four distinct pillars, each centered on a unique aspect of the Tufts experience. Pillar one focuses on academic resources and expanding access to education, including a reevaluation of financial aid systems. Pillar two is concentrated on student life beyond the classroom, aimed at expanding opportunities for career advancement and promoting new residential and communal spaces for students to gather socially.
Pillar three focuses on research and scholarship, prioritizing strengthening Tufts’ position as a leading research institution in the nation. The fourth and final pillar centers around civic engagement and seeks to prepare scholars to give back to their communities through service, education and research.
Across all four pillars, university leaders have emphasized the importance of the cohesive student experience. Joseph Auner, provost and senior vice president ad interim, and Professor of Music Austin Fletcher described how shaping students as future leaders is an integral part of the Beyond 175 plan, highlighting the values of a Tufts education after graduation.
“Pillars 1 and 2 are centered on strengthening both the curricular and cocurricular experience to help students develop the skills and perspectives needed to lead thoughtfully in an increasingly complex world,” Auner wrote in a statement to the Daily.
Auner emphasized that there will be an increase in opportunities across schools and disciplines, as well as a commitment to maintaining the university’s liberal arts foundation.
“Students may see greater opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, experiential education, and civic engagement, all while building on Tufts’ foundation in the liberal arts,” he wrote. “The goal is not only to expose students to emerging areas of interest and inquiry but also to equip them with enduring skills through more coordinated programming.”
Initiatives such as the Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education and Tufts Talk Openly were highlighted as programs that are complementary to expanding leadership and pluralism outside of the classroom. The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life was also referenced as an exemplary representation of this goal.
Bernard Arulanandam, vice president for research and innovation, also spoke to how the mission to provide research opportunities will emerge in student life, a priority outlined by pillar three.
“Pillar 3 will create more opportunities for students to engage in hands-on research, internships, interdisciplinary collaboration, and applied learning alongside faculty,” he wrote in a statement to the Daily. “Investments in facilities, innovation programs, and external partnerships will connect classroom learning with real-world challenges and emerging career paths.”
Arulanandam expressed that research will be emphasized across schools, supporting the unique strengths of each discipline and “will embrace the full breadth of Tufts scholarship, including the arts and humanities.”
Beyond the university’s mission to enhance academic life, Auner acknowledged the importance of residential and social experiences, citing the developing Pachyderm Place on Boston Avenue and other efforts to rethink existing social and communal spaces.
“These efforts reflect the belief that what students learn outside the classroom is just as important as what they learn within it,” he wrote. “By creating more opportunities for connection, these initiatives aim to have a visible and lasting impact on the overall student experience.”
For those interested in following progress and implementation, Marty Ray, vice president for strategic initiatives and chief of staff, wrote in a statement to the Daily that the plan will post updates on its designated website, with the first update expected before the end of the year.
“We plan to publish updates by drivers and pillars, combining both school-based and university-wide progress on the TB175 website,” Ray wrote.
