Boston-U Joins Prestigious Association of American Universities

Boston-U Joins Prestigious Association of American Universities

The Association of American Universities (AAU) announced Monday that Boston University has accepted the invitation to join the coveted organization, which is devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education in the continent.

The organization largely prefers to remain stable and BU has become one of the four universities since 2000 that have been invited. The year 2009 saw some changes in the association with the addition of Georgia Tech and University of Nebraska at Lincoln being voted out. Syracuse University voluntarily dropped out.

"It's gratifying for Boston University to receive this recognition for the quality of our education and research programs," wrote university president Robert A. Brown in a statement.

He added: "We look forward to participating with the AAU membership in helping guide the future of research universities in the United States as a critical resource for American leadership in higher education, knowledge creation, and innovation."

Boston-U has become the 61^st member in the organization and the fourth university from Boston area-MIT, Harvard and Brandeis being the other three.

Membership in the organization is by invitation only, and is based on several criteria: the quality of programs of academic research and scholarship; undergraduate, graduate, and professional education in a number of fields; and general recognition that a university is outstanding by reason of the excellence of its research and education programs.

A membership committee of AAU presidents and chancellors periodically reviews universities for AAU membership; institutions recommended for membership must be approved by a three-fourths vote of the membership.

Hunter R. Rawlings III, president of the AAU has said that the decision to extend the invitation was based on an 'in-depth review' of the university's research and academic programs.

"AAU universities play an essential role in America's research enterprise and in educating the nation's young scientists, engineers, and scholars. Boston University is a welcome addition to the ranks of these leading research universities," said Rawlings.

Headquartered in Washington D.C., the AAU currently has 62 members. Of them, 60 are from the U.S. and two from Canada. Among the 60 in the U.S., 34 are public universities, the rest of which are private.