<p>Chancellor Thomas J. Tisch has informed members of the Corporation that “Boldly Brown: The Campaign for Academic Enrichment” has reached its overall goal of $1.4 billion. Campaign fund-raising efforts will continue through Dec. 31, 2010, to meet goals for individual priorities, including student financial aid and endowed faculty positions.</p>

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Brown University’s “Boldly Brown: The Campaign for Academic Enrichment” has reached its overall goal of $1.4 billion. Brown Chancellor Thomas J. Tisch announced that news to members of the Brown Corporation at a strategic discussion session Thursday afternoon, May 21, 2009.

“We have a blueprint for Brown’s future that has created a truly engaged, emboldened community of alumni, parents, and friends,” Tisch said, referring to Brown’s strategic plan, the Plan for Academic Enrichment. “When we launched Boldly Brown in 2005, we were optimistic that we could reach $1.4 billion by December 2010, and here we are — 19 months ahead of schedule. I’m confident that we will continue to accomplish extraordinary things.”

The Plan for Academic Enrichment, endorsed by the Corporation in 2002 and formally approved in 2004, set ambitious goals for faculty expansion, undergraduate financial aid, growth of the Graduate School, enhancement of the academic program, and extension of facilities and the physical campus. Although the Boldly Brown campaign has met its overall goal, work will continue through December 2010 to complete funding for the individual priorities embodied by the campaign.

“Let us pause to celebrate this truly historic moment,” President Ruth J. Simmons said to members of the Brown Corporation at that meeting, “but let us not dwell too long on celebrating our past achievements. Some of our most urgent priorities need further support; there is still much work to do in the campaign.”

Launched on Oct. 22, 2005, with initial commitments of $575 million, Boldly Brown has raised $1,400,138,302 to date from more than 63,675 alumni, parents, friends, corporations, and foundations. That total includes more than $648 million for endowment, $239 million for capital projects, $240 million in current-use unrestricted support, and $46 million in undesignated gifts.

“These results are without precedent in the University’s history. They demonstrate a deep loyalty to Brown and generosity of spirit that transcends even these difficult times,” said Jerome C. Vascellaro, vice chancellor and a national co-chair of the campaign.

Current and former members of the Corporation, Brown’s governing body, contributed more than $428 million — 31 percent of the campaign’s total to date. “This is a truly remarkable accomplishment for any university’s governing board,” said Ronald D. Vanden Dorpel, senior vice president for advancement and campaign director.

Work will continue on individual priorities, Vanden Dorpel said, including additional fund raising for:

  • $114 million in undergraduate scholarship endowment to complete the campaign’s $400-million financial aid initiative;
  • $50 million to $75 million in endowment for the Brown faculty, including endowed professorships and endowed faculty funds;
  • $65 million to complete key capital projects, including the Mind Brain Behavior Building, the Medical Education Building, the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, and the fitness/aquatics center;
  • more than $50 million in current-use unrestricted gifts for the critically important Brown Annual Fund.

Full funding for these remaining campaign priorities will require raising a total of $275 million by Dec. 31, 2010.