October 2021 Board Meeting Reports on Admissions and Advancement Results, Strategic Plan
The AUBG Board of Trustees has gathered for the traditional fall meeting to discuss the university’s developments Oct. 22-24. Among the topics considered were the admissions and advancement results, the 30th anniversary, AUBG’s strategic plan and the university's response to the global pandemic.
“On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to extend our gratitude for your dedication and hard work in ensuring a smooth and excellent education experience to our students in these challenging times,” said Chair of the Board Michael Marvin.
The chair commended the Admissions, which, in coordination with the other administrative offices, has secured 240 new students from around the world. The Dean of Students reported that the AUBG campus, in contrast to the country, continues to be a safe environment for both students and employees with no internal transmission of COVID-19 during the Fall semester.
The Board thanked the President, the Interim Provost, and all faculty members for the tremendous efforts to continue to offer outstanding education in a difficult environment. The Board was pleased the Department of Business achieved a rating of 9.45 on a ten-point scale from the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency, which is the highest in AUBG’s history.
The Advancement presentation noted that even though 2020 and 2021 have been some of the worst years for higher education fundraising, AUBG registered a 15% increase in cash donations and the upcoming Alumni Pledge Drive should allow the university to easily surpass the ABF Challenge Match ($500K). The celebration of AUBG’s 30th Anniversary was an important topic of the Office of Communications and Marketing. The celebrations, launched in June, give a platform to Blagoevgrad citizens, students, faculty, staff, and alumni to both share memories and discuss the way forward for the university and the city. The Finance Department provided the final audited statements and reported that the University is fiscally sound and AUBG’s budget is on plan.
The board, faculty, and staff continue to develop AUBG’s strategic plan, "with an emphasis on ensuring that AUBG continues to grow in its role as a provider of a high-touch, low-friction contemporary liberal arts education, emphasizing life and business skills, centered in Bulgaria but capable of impacting the entire world," Marvin said. "The implementation of a new Student Information System, a new WiFi system and a new website will be just a few of the early visible outcomes of the evolving strategic plan."
During the Board meeting, Svetoslav Georgiev (EMBA’05) and Deputy Chair Victoria Entwistle were reelected for three-year terms to the board.