Leadership Update
April 9, 2021
Dear Brandeis Community,
I am pleased to share the following information with you.
Sincerely,
Ron
Brandeis University Board of Trustees reaffirms support for Ronald D. Liebowitz; agrees on five-year contract extension
(Waltham, MA) The Brandeis University Board of Trustees today announced that it has reached agreement with current president Ronald D. Liebowitz for a five-year contract extension, reflecting strong support for his continued leadership.
Chair of the Board of Trustees Meyer Koplow said the board is committed to strengthening its partnership with President Liebowitz, while reinvigorating its own structures for greater transparency and dynamic leadership. "Going forward, the board will pursue increasingly effective and innovative approaches to best support the administrative leadership of the university," Koplow said.
President Liebowitz said, "I am honored to have the opportunity to continue advancing Brandeis' contributions through its top-notch teaching, research, and community engagement. I am passionate about Brandeis' unique place in the higher education world — in my estimation, there is no other research university of its size that does as much to bring together rigorous academic inquiry, a commitment to social justice, and an entrepreneurial spirit." He added, "We have made good progress with philanthropy and are now well positioned to be even more successful, launching mission-critical initiatives and growing transformational support from alumni and friends of the university."
Koplow hailed President Liebowitz's contributions, saying, "From day one, Ron has been a leader who is committed to driving Brandeis forward in a way that both reinforces our historic values and prepares our graduates for successful futures in a dynamic, global environment. The board has always recognized that Ron has fostered a strong academic culture and created a detailed plan for an agile and dynamic university of the future."
Under Liebowitz's leadership, Brandeis University successfully navigated the pandemic, including allowing students to live safely on campus with frequent testing and other health and safety measures. Despite the pandemic and the economic downturn, Liebowitz led Brandeis' fundraising efforts last fiscal year, resulting in a 15% increase in giving over FY2019. During his tenure, the university secured the largest endowed professorship and the largest single gift to the endowment to support student financial aid. The latter was also the largest gift in Brandeis' history from an alumnus or alumna. Liebowitz was responsible for hiring the university's first Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. And guided by Liebowitz's vision, the university developed the Framework for the Future, a strategic blueprint that was approved by the board last year.
"I am energized by the commitment of our extraordinary faculty and staff to work together to help this truly special university reach its lofty goals. With strong board partnership and engagement from our alumni and friends, the future of Brandeis is bright and exciting," said President Liebowitz.
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