PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 VOL. 31 NO. 3
‘Soaring Higher’
University Announces $3 Billion Campaign Campaign prioritizes academics, financial aid, and student life BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
University President William P. Leahy, S.J., with co-chairs of the “Soaring Higher” campaign leadership at last night’s official launch, which included a gala on Middle Campus. photo by lee pellegrini
Q&A: Heather Cox Richardson
Where We Are, and How We Got There Professor of History Heather Cox Richardson recently published her seventh book, Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America, which examines the long, intricate path to today’s fraught, dysfunctional American political state of affairs. Richardson zeroes in on the role of a small group of wealthy people that, down through the years, has weaponized language and promoted false history to create a disaffected population all too willing to embrace authoritarianism at the expense of democratic ideals. She shows how the United States has long struggled to live up to and maintain the principles on which it was founded—and how, time and again, marginalized Americans have played a key role in helping the U.S. renew, and expand, its commitment to democracy. Richardson discussed the story behind Democracy Awakening—and the question of whether America can recover its true ideals— with Chronicle Editor Sean Smith. How did Democracy Awakening come together? Richardson: The evolution of the book
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Boston College has announced the largest capital campaign in its history, a $3 billion initiative to raise money for key priorities in academics, financial aid, and student life. “Soaring Higher: The Campaign for Boston College” doubles the goal of the University’s 2008 “Light the World” campaign, which ultimately raised $1.6 billion upon its completion in 2016. Funds raised through “Soaring Higher”
will enhance teaching and scholarship across all of BC’s schools and colleges, and enable the University to double the number of endowed faculty chairs and fellowships, strengthen faculty research, and support curricular innovation. Central to the campaign is an initiative to raise $1 billion to boost financial aid for low- and middle-income families, helping BC to maintain its commitment to need blind admissions and meeting the full demonstrated need of undergraduate students. It will also increase student internships, graduate fellowships, and sup-
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MCAS Announces New Associate Deans BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., has announced leadership changes in the college, including the appointments of faculty members Brian Gareau and Ethan Baxter to newly created administrative positions, and the naming of Elizabeth Shlala as associate dean for the University Core Curriculum. Gareau, an associate professor of Sociology who also holds an appointment in the International Studies Program, has been named senior associate dean for faculty affairs and academic planning. Baxter, a professor in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, has been appointed associate dean for the STEM Disciplines. Shlala, an associate professor of the practice in the Core, succeeds Gareau as associate dean for the Core, a position he held from 2018 until the end of the 20222023 academic year; she served as assistant dean for the Core [see separate story on p. 6]. “As the pace of our faculty hiring, the scale of our research efforts, and the complexity of our academic programs all continue to grow, it became clear to me that the administrative bandwidth in the Dean’s Office needed to grow as well,” said Fr. Kalscheur. “Brian and Ethan have
Brian Gareau, above, and Ethan Baxter photos by lee pellegrini
demonstrated great leadership abilities and I am grateful for their willingness to take on these new positions. I look forward to working closely with them in our shared efforts to continue building academic strength and scholarly excellence in the distinctive mission of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences.” In his new role, Gareau will assist Fr. Kalscheur with all areas of the faculty lifecycle in the humanities and social science departments of the Morrissey College. He will serve as a point of contact for department chairs and other department leaders on personnel issues, and assist in reviewing faculty search requests, faculty hiring, faculty evaluation and merit review, developing faculty programming, working with de-
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INSIDE 2 Around Campus
Digital Wellness Challenge; DeVoy Lecture Series
3 Ascione Family Formation Fellow Belle Liang named to new position.
4 Forum on Racial Justice. “Who We Are” screening.