Editing Boston University (section)

===21st century===
[[File:Aerial Boston University.jpg|thumb|An aerial view of the campus in May 2023]]
[[File:BUGWU and Res Life Strike.jpg|thumb|Resident life and graduate workers at the university on strike for better protections and pay in April 2024]]
Following the trustees' push for the resignation of the university's eighth president, Jon Westling, they voted unanimously to offer the presidency of the university to [[Daniel Goldin|Daniel S. Goldin]], former administrator of [[NASA]] under presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Goldin was set to take over the job on November 1, 2003, and be officially inaugurated on November 17, though the deal collapsed in the week leading up to his arrival in Boston.

The university eventually terminated Goldin's contract at a cost of $1.8&nbsp;million and initiated a second search to fill the presidential position, culminating with the inauguration of [[Robert A. Brown]] as the university's 10th president on April 27, 2006. ([[Aram Chobanian]], who had served as ''president ad interim'' during most of the second search, was formally recognized as the 9th president in 2005.)<ref>Rimer, Sara. "Turmoil at the Top at Boston University." ''The New York Times'' October 28, 2003, Late ed., sec. A: 16. LexisNexis Academic. Boston, MA. May 6, 2006.</ref> In the wake of this fiasco, several actions were taken to improve the image projected to potential presidential candidates as well as the functioning of the board itself.<ref>Rimer, Sara. "Boston U. Trustees Regrouping After Turmoil Over Presidency." ''The New York Times'' April 16, 2004, Late ed., sec. A: 16. LexisNexis Academic. Boston, MA. May 6, 2006.</ref>

In 2012, the university was invited to join the [[Association of American Universities]], comprising 66 leading research universities in the United States and Canada. BU, one of four universities at the time invited to join the group since 2000, became the 62nd member. In the Boston area, [[Harvard]], [[MIT]], [[Tufts]], and [[Brandeis]] are also members.<ref name="AAU">{{Cite news |title=BU Joins Association of American Universities |url=http://www.bu.edu/today/2012/bu-joins-association-of-american-universities/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822222146/http://www.bu.edu/today/2012/bu-joins-association-of-american-universities/ |archive-date=August 22, 2017 |access-date=April 4, 2017 |work=BU Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kelderman |first=Eric |date=November 5, 2012 |title=Boston U. Receives Coveted Invitation to Join Assn. of American Universities |url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/Boston-U-Receives-Coveted/135566 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718030738/https://www.chronicle.com/article/Boston-U-Receives-Coveted/135566 |archive-date=July 18, 2020 |access-date=July 18, 2020 |work=[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AAU Welcomes Tufts University to Membership {{!}} Association of American Universities (AAU) |url=https://www.aau.edu/newsroom/press-releases/aau-welcomes-tufts-university-membership |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215153120/https://www.aau.edu/newsroom/press-releases/aau-welcomes-tufts-university-membership |archive-date=February 15, 2022 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |website=aau.edu}}</ref>

That same year, a $1 billion fundraising campaign was launched, its first comprehensive campaign, emphasizing financial aid, faculty support, research, and facility improvements. In 2016, the campaign goal was reached. The board of trustees voted to raise the goal to $1.5 billion and extend through 2019. The campaign has funded 74 new faculty positions, including 49 named full professorships and 25 Career Development Professorships.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston University – Annual Report 2016 |url=http://www.bu.edu/ar/2016/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504083443/http://www.bu.edu/ar/2016/ |archive-date=May 4, 2017 |access-date=April 4, 2017 |website=Boston University – Annual Report 2016 |language=en}}</ref> The campaign concluded in September 2019, raising a total of $1.85 billion over seven years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crimaldi |first=Laura |date=September 21, 2019 |title=BU celebrates raising $1.85b over seven years |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/09/21/celebrates-raising-over-seven-years/QU3wHdNYwBa6bgqOAYuiyL/story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414112647/https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/09/21/celebrates-raising-over-seven-years/QU3wHdNYwBa6bgqOAYuiyL/story.html |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |website=The Boston Globe |language=en-US}}</ref>

In February 2015, the faculty adopted an [[open-access policy]] to make its scholarship [[open access|publicly accessible]] online.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=March 30, 2015 |title=Boston University |url=http://roarmap.eprints.org/719/ |url-status=live |journal=ROARMAP: Registry of Open Access Repository Mandates and Policies |location=UK |publisher=[[University of Southampton]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531214722/http://roarmap.eprints.org/719/ |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |access-date=July 23, 2018}}</ref>
The Charles River and Medical Campuses have undergone physical transformations since 2006, from new buildings and playing fields to dormitory renovations. The campus has seen the addition of a 26-floor student residence at 33 Harry Agganis Way, nicknamed [[John Hancock Student Village|StuVi2]], the New Balance Playing Field, the Yawkey Center for Student Services, the Alan and Sherry Leventhal Center, the Law tower and Redstone annex, the Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC), the Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering, and the Joan and Edgar Booth Theatre, which opened in fall 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Caffrey |first=Christi |date=May 15, 2018 |title=New Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre Opens |url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2017/new-joan-edgar-booth-theatre-opens/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130092248/http://www.bu.edu/articles/2017/new-joan-edgar-booth-theatre-opens |archive-date=January 30, 2021 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |website=Boston University |language=en}}</ref> The construction of the Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering was funded by part of BU's largest ever gift, a $115 million donation from [[Rajen A. Kilachand|Rajen Kilachand]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fern |first=Deirdre |date=September 14, 2017 |title=$115m gift, BU's largest ever, will fund life sciences and engineering research |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/09/13/gift-largest-ever-will-fund-life-sciences-and-engineering-research/wBlCBpF2ylxDMCIUej5prO/story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414084942/https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/09/13/gift-largest-ever-will-fund-life-sciences-and-engineering-research/wBlCBpF2ylxDMCIUej5prO/story.html |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |website=The Boston Globe |language=en-US}}</ref> The Dahod Family Alumni Center in the renovated [[BU Castle]] began in May 2017 and was completed in fall 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 28, 2019 |title=Take a peek inside BU's renovated castle |url=http://realestate.boston.com/news/2019/03/28/boston-university-castle-restoration/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414112649/http://realestate.boston.com/news/2019/03/28/boston-university-castle-restoration/ |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |website=Boston.com Real Estate}}</ref> Development of the university's existing housing stock has included significant renovations to BU's oldest dorm, 610 Beacon Street (formerly [[Myles Standish Hall]]) and Annex, and to [[Kilachand Hall]], formerly known as Shelton Hall, and a brand new student residence on the Medical Campus. In May 2024, Boston University removed Myles Standish's name from the building. It is now referred to by its address, 610 Beacon Street.<ref name="bu.edu">{{Cite web |date=2024-05-23 |title=Boston University Removes the Myles Standish Name from Dorm |url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2024/bu-removes-myles-standish-dorm-name/ |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=Boston University |language=en}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spatz |first1=Emily |title=BU dorm named after English colonist will be renamed, school says |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2024/05/28/bu-dorm-named-after-english-colonist-will-be-renamed-school-says/ |website=www.boston.com}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web |last1=Topf |first1=Sydney |title=Myles Standish Hall renamed to 610 Beacon Street – The Daily Free Press |url=https://dailyfreepress.com/2024/06/02/myles-standish-hall-renamed-to-610-beacon-street/ |date=2 June 2024}}</ref>

In 2019, Boston University expanded its financial aid program so that it would "meet the full need for all domestic students who qualify for financial aid," starting in fall 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |title=BU Boosts Financial Aid to 100 Percent of Calculated Need |url=http://www.bu.edu/articles/2019/bu-boosts-financial-aid/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005044130/https://www.bu.edu/articles/2019/bu-boosts-financial-aid/ |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |work=Boston University |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Scholarships & Financial Aid {{!}} Admissions |url=https://www.bu.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/scholarships-financial-aid/#:~:text=BU%20meets%20your%20full%20need,US%20citizens%20or%20permanent%20residents. |website=www.bu.edu}}</ref>

In September 2022, [[Robert A. Brown]] announced he will step down at the end of the 2022–2023 academic year. Brown began his presidency in September 2005, and his contract was set to run through 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Most |first=Doug |date=September 7, 2022 |title=Robert A. Brown, BU's 10th President, to Retire after 2022–23 School Year |url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/bu-president-robert-brown-to-retire-after-2022-23-school-year |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220919190936/https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/bu-president-robert-brown-to-retire-after-2022-23-school-year/ |archive-date=September 19, 2022 |access-date=September 17, 2022 |work=BU Today}}</ref> Although Brown chose to end his presidency, he will resume teaching at the university.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mullins |first=Lisa |date=September 8, 2022 |title=BU President Robert Brown on why he's stepping down, what he hopes to leave behind |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/09/07/boston-university-president-leaving |access-date=August 1, 2023 |website=WBUR |language=en}}</ref> On August 1, 2023, [[Kenneth W. Freeman]] started serving as president ad interim.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cutler |first=Sonel |date=May 10, 2023 |title=Boston University taps Kenneth Freeman, former business dean, as interim president |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/10/metro/boston-university-taps-kenneth-freeman-former-business-dean-colleges-interim-president/ |access-date=August 1, 2023 |website=The Boston Globe |language=en-US}}</ref>  In October 2023, [[Melissa L. Gilliam|Melissa Gilliam]] was named the incoming president, starting her term on July 1, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jung |first=Carrie |date=October 4, 2023 |title=Dr. Melissa Gilliam will lead Boston University as school's first Black and first female president |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/10/04/bu-melissa-gilliam-next-university-president |access-date=October 4, 2023 |website=WBUR |language=en}}</ref>

On July 1, 2024, [[Melissa L. Gilliam|Melissa Gilliam]] began her tenure as the university's 11th president.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Conversation: Boston University President Melissa L. Gilliam on First Impressions, Challenges, and Ambitions |url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2024/president-melissa-gilliam-on-impressions-challenges-and-ambitions/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Boston University |date=July 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Meet Our President - Office of the President |url=https://www.bu.edu/president/meet-our-president/ |website=www.bu.edu}}</ref> On October 16, 2024, the [[2024 Boston University strikes]] ended.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Ryan |date=October 17, 2024 |title=7-Month Boston University Grad Worker Strike Ends, but Fight May Not Be Over |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/labor-unionization/2024/10/17/seven-month-boston-university-grad-worker-strike |website=Inside Higher Ed}}</ref>

==== Response to the COVID-19 pandemic ====
The university closed down due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts|COVID-19]] and shifted to online learning for the remainder of the semester on March 11, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Most |first=Doug |date=March 11, 2020 |title=Updated: BU Moves All Classes Online Due to Coronavirus — Questions and Answers |url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/bu-all-classes-online-coronavirus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526032210/http://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/bu-all-classes-online-coronavirus/ |archive-date=May 26, 2020 |access-date=August 12, 2020 |website=BU Today}}</ref> For the fall 2020 semester, BU offered a hybrid system that allows for students to decide whether to take a remote class or participate in-person. Larger classes would be broken down into smaller groups that rotate between online and in-person sessions. The school started administering its own [[COVID-19 testing]] for faculty, staff, and students on July 27, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 21, 2020 |title=Universities use robots to reopen safely during pandemic |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/boston-university-other-schools-deploy-robots-so-campuses-can-safely-n1237706 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114010505/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/boston-university-other-schools-deploy-robots-so-campuses-can-safely-n1237706 |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> The new BU Clinical Testing Laboratory has accelerated testing that can give results to students, staff, and faculty by the next day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston University Clinical Testing Lab {{!}} Back To BU |url=https://www.bu.edu/back2bu/boston-university-clinical-testing-lab/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202153319/https://www.bu.edu/back2bu/boston-university-clinical-testing-lab/ |archive-date=December 2, 2020 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |website=www.bu.edu}}</ref> The lab uses eight robots to process up to 6,000 tests per day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston University develops lab to regularly test students for coronavirus |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/boston-university-develops-lab-to-regularly-test-students-for-coronavirus-90695237547 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204193431/https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/boston-university-develops-lab-to-regularly-test-students-for-coronavirus-90695237547 |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> A contact tracing team is part of the process to contain infections on campus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=COVID-19 Screening, Testing & Contact Tracing {{!}} Back To BU |url=https://www.bu.edu/back2bu/student-health-safety/covid-19-screening-testing-contact-tracing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201045502/https://www.bu.edu/back2bu/student-health-safety/covid-19-screening-testing-contact-tracing/ |archive-date=December 1, 2020 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |website=bu.edu}}</ref> BU also started a new website "Back2BU" to provide students with the latest information on reopening.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barlow |first=Rich |date=August 12, 2020 |title=FAQ: Quarantine vs Isolation and BU's Safety Plans for Reopening Campus |url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/quarantine-bu-safety-plan-faq/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812151050/https://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/quarantine-bu-safety-plan-faq/ |archive-date=August 12, 2020 |access-date=August 12, 2020 |work=BU Today}}</ref> The results of the tests were published on BU's public COVID-19 Testing Data Dashboard.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BU COVID-19 Testing Data Dashboard {{!}} Healthway |url=https://www.bu.edu/healthway/community-dashboard/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129015235/https://www.bu.edu/healthway/community-dashboard/ |archive-date=November 29, 2020 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |website=bu.edu}}</ref>

BU's [[National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories]] (NEIDL) has been working with live coronavirus samples since March 2020, and—at the time—was the only New England lab to have live samples.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Groopman |first=Jerome |title=The Long Game of Coronavirus Research |url=https://www.newyorker.com/science/medical-dispatch/the-long-game-of-coronavirus-research |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128082238/https://www.newyorker.com/science/medical-dispatch/the-long-game-of-coronavirus-research |archive-date=November 28, 2020 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Saltzman |first=Jonathan |date=March 24, 2020 |title=Controversial BU lab is only one in New England with live coronavirus |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/24/business/controversial-bu-lab-is-only-one-new-england-with-live-coronavirus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027154143/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/24/business/controversial-bu-lab-is-only-one-new-england-with-live-coronavirus/ |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |website=The Boston Globe |language=en-US}}</ref>

In August 2020, BU filed a [[service mark]] application with the [[United States Patent and Trademark Office]] to secure the phrase "F*ck It Won't Cut It" for a student-led COVID-19 safety program on campus. The slogan is meant to promote "safe and smart actions and behaviors for college and university students in a COVID-19 environment", according to the application.<ref>{{Cite web |title=F*CK IT WON'T CUT IT |url=http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4802:hql1rd.2.1 |access-date=August 12, 2020 |publisher=United States Patent and Trademark Office |quote=Promoting public awareness of safe and smart actions and behaviors for college and university students in a COVID-19 environment}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Annear |first=Steve |date=August 11, 2020 |title=Here's why Boston University had the f-bomb in a trademark application for a COVID-19 initiative |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/11/nation/heres-why-boston-university-had-f-bomb-trademark-application-covid-19-campus-initiative/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813150115/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/11/nation/heres-why-boston-university-had-f-bomb-trademark-application-covid-19-campus-initiative/ |archive-date=August 13, 2020 |access-date=August 12, 2020 |work=[[The Boston Globe]]}}</ref>

In July 2021, BU announced faculty and staff will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall 2022 semester. This comes after a vaccine requirement for all students, which was announced in April.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston University announces vaccination requirement for faculty and staff |url=https://www.boston.com/news/coronavirus/2021/07/19/boston-university-vaccine-requirement-faculty-staff/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215153119/https://www.boston.com/news/coronavirus/2021/07/19/boston-university-vaccine-requirement-faculty-staff/ |archive-date=February 15, 2022 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |website=www.boston.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 20, 2021 |title=Staff and Faculty React to BU COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate |url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/staff-faculty-react-to-vaccine-mandate/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216044458/https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/staff-faculty-react-to-vaccine-mandate/ |archive-date=February 16, 2022 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |website=Boston University |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Larkin |first=Max |date=July 19, 2021 |title=Boston University Will Require Vaccination For Faculty, Staff On Campus This Fall |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/07/19/boston-university-vaccine-requirement |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215153121/https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/07/19/boston-university-vaccine-requirement |archive-date=February 15, 2022 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |website=WBUR |language=en}}</ref>

==== COVID-19 research and gain-of-function controversy ====
In October 2022, Boston University's National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories conducted research in a Biosafety Level 3 lab that modified the original strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 with the spike proteins of the Omicron variant.<ref name="Branswell 2022">{{Cite web |last=Branswell |first=Helen |date=October 18, 2022 |title=Boston University researchers' testing of lab-made version of Covid virus draws government scrutiny |url=https://www.statnews.com/2022/10/17/boston-university-researchers-testing-of-lab-made-version-of-covid-virus-draws-government-scrutiny/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020162508/https://www.statnews.com/2022/10/17/boston-university-researchers-testing-of-lab-made-version-of-covid-virus-draws-government-scrutiny/ |archive-date=October 20, 2022 |access-date=October 20, 2022 |website=STAT |language=en-US}}</ref> This resulted in a virus that was more lethal to lab mice than the Omicron variant itself, but less lethal than the original strain.<ref name="Branswell 2022" /> Some medical authorities criticized the research as dangerous "[[Gain-of-function research|gain of function]]" research, but others argued that it did not ''technically'' count as gain of function research because the modified virus happened not to be quite as lethal as the original strain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gain of Function? Not So Fast. |url=https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/gain-function-not-so-fast |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020154818/https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/gain-function-not-so-fast |archive-date=October 20, 2022 |access-date=October 20, 2022 |website=www.science.org |language=en}}</ref> Marc Lipsitch of Harvard, however, argued "these are unquestionably gain-of-function experiments. As many have noted, this is a very broad term encompassing many harmless and some potentially dangerous experiments. GOF is a scientific technique, not an epithet."<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1582574061062098946 |user=mlipsitch |title=First, these are unquestionably gain-of-function experiments... |language=en}}</ref> While the BU researchers gained internal research and Boston government approvals for the research, they failed to notify the US Government's [[National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases]] that was a funder of the lab.<ref name="Branswell 2022" />