University Organization

Board of Trustees

Under its charter as established by Massachusetts law, Brandeis University is governed by its Board of Trustees. The Board is a self-perpetuating body, selecting its own members for four-year terms. The president of the University, the chair of the Board of Fellows, the president of the Brandeis National Committee, and the president of the Alumni Association serve ex officio with votes. The Board annually elects an alumni trustee who serves a non-renewable four-year term with full voting privileges. There are five faculty representatives – the Chair of the Faculty Senate and four other elected faculty – and three student representatives to the Board, who participate in Board meetings but do not have votes.

The President

The President, the chief executive officer of the university, is appointed by the Board of Trustees and is responsible for all academic, administrative, financial, and other activities of the University.

Board of Fellows

University Fellows comprise about 248 distinguished individuals who lend counsel, expertise, and support to the University. University Fellows are elected by the Board of Trustees and remain Fellows throughout their life.

The Provost and Deans

The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs is the chief academic officer of the University with administrative responsibility under the president for all of the academic activities of the University. The provost oversees, coordinates and promotes the university's educational activities, student life, and research initiatives, seeking to catalyze growth while maintaining excellence. She plays a key role in institutional strategy and planning as well as advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at Brandeis. She develops and implements strategic initiatives with the president, senior management, the Committee on Strategy and Planning, deans, and faculty, and promotes the university's regional, national, and international activities.

The Provost chairs the University Policy Review Committee, which reviews proposed institutional policies; the Committee on Academic Standards and Policy, which advises the Provost concerning curriculum, the course approval process across schools, the coordination of policy manuals across schools, the coordination and communication of degree and program requirements, all academic policies pertaining to students, and new academic and co-curricular opportunities; and the Committee on Teaching, Learning and Assessment, which coordinates efforts to improve teaching and learning on campus and mediate between the expectations of accreditation bodies and the norms of faculty.

Reporting directly to the Provost are the Dean of Arts and Sciences, the Dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, the Dean of the Brandeis International Business School, the Vice President for the Rabb School of Continuing Studies, the Vice Provost for Research, the Vice Provost for Student Affairs, the Senior Associate Provost for Academic Services, the Vice President for Planning and Institutional Research, the Assistant Provost, Administration & Budget, the Assistant Provost for Strategic Initiatives, the Director of Athletics, the Executive Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, the University Librarian, and the director of the Rose Art Museum. The directors of centers and institutes not situated within a particular school also report to the Provost. Other reporting units include the Office of Planning and Institutional Research, the Office of Research Administration, the Office of Technology Licensing, the Registrar's Office, Academic Services, Study Abroad, the International Students and Scholars Office, Athletics, and Student Affairs. Student Affairs includes community living, the Hiatt Career Center, community service, the Center for Spiritual Life, the Dean of Students, and the Health and Counseling Centers among other offices.

The Dean of Arts and Sciences has authority over faculty appointment, tenure, and promotion processes and administrative responsibility for the educational and research functions of the University, within Arts and Sciences. The Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid reports to the Dean of Arts and Sciences. The Dean has oversight of academic departments, interdepartmental programs, and research centers within Arts and Sciences, and responsibility for management of academic resources. The Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, who reports to the Dean of Arts and Sciences, is responsible for oversight of graduate programs in Arts and Sciences, including program development, recruitment and admissions, and fellowships and financial aid.

The Dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management has authority over faculty appointment, tenure, and promotion processes and administrative responsibility for the educational and research functions of the School. The Dean has oversight of academic programs and research centers, admissions and financial aid, and all administrative functions of the school, as well as responsibility for the school's financial resources.

The Dean of the Brandeis International Business School (IBS) has authority over faculty appointment, tenure, and promotion processes and administrative responsibility for the educational and research functions of the School. The Dean has oversight of academic programs and research centers, admissions and financial aid, and all administrative functions of the school, as well as responsibility for the school’s financial resources.

The Vice President for the Rabb School of Continuing Studies oversees the degree-granting and other programs of the Rabb School as well as precollege programs. The Vice President provides strategic direction for the Rabb School, ensures the academic quality of its programs, promotes its success in the marketplace of continuing education programs, and facilitates collaboration with other parts of the University.

Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate, elected by the faculty as its official representative body, addresses matters relevant to the educational and research missions of the University, including academic freedom, faculty rights and responsibilities, governance, and university policies regarding appointments, tenure, and promotion. Faculty also serve on standing committees that contribute to the shared governance of the University, including the Committee on Strategy and Planning, the Committee on Academic Standards and Policy, the Committee on Teaching, Learning and Assessment, the Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid, the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, the Intellectual Property Review Committee, the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities, and the Committee on Undergraduate Academic Standing.

President's Senior Management Team

The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs is the chief academic officer of the University with administrative responsibility under the president for all of the academic activities of the University. As the second ranking member of the administration, the provost has broad responsibility, under the president, for the strategic direction of the University.

The Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration oversees all financial and business functions, as well as human resources and campus facilities. Reporting directly to the EVP for Finance and Administration are the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Vice President for Campus Operations, the Vice President for Human Resources, and the Chief Information Officer.

The Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement is responsible for directing fundraising activities, including leadership gifts, the Annual Fund, planned giving, capital campaigns, alumni relations, and corporate and foundation relations.

The Vice Provost for Student Affairs oversees retention of undergraduates and the quality of life for students. Offices directly reporting to the Vice Provost include the Dean of Students Office (Student Activities, Community Service, and Student Rights and Community Standards); Hiatt Career Center; Community Living (undergraduate residential housing and Undergraduate Orientation); Spiritual and Religious Life; Hillel; Family Engagement and Communication; and student health and wellness (the Counseling Center, the Health Center, and the Prevention, Advocacy & Resource Center).

The Senior Vice President for Communications, Marketing and External Relations oversees the University’s relations with the community, government, businesses and other institutions locally, nationally and globally, and assists the president and others in communicating Brandeis’s intellectual and institutional contributions.

The Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is responsible for aligning diversity policy and programming for faculty, staff and students across the university in areas of recruitment, retention and success strategies; cultural competence training and preparation; assessment, metrics and creating a diversity dashboard; and messaging, communications and passive education around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.

The General Counsel is the chief legal adviser to the president, the Board of Trustees, and the University's senior management team.

Brandeis National Committee

The Brandeis National Committee (formerly the Brandeis University National Women's Committee) is an organization committed to providing philanthropic support to the university. Since its founding in 1948, it has contributed more than $130 million to Brandeis. BNC supports the Brandeis libraries, scientific research in neurodegenerative diseases and student scholarships.

The organization's national center is located on campus as part of the department of Institutional Advancement, where professional staff members collaborate with over 25,000 volunteers to coordinate fundraising efforts and to develop educational programs for members within chapters across the country. The Brandeis National Committee connects its members to Brandeis through fundraising and through activities that reflect the values of the university. The organization can be reached at 781-736-7588.