BGU PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2021

BGU PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2021

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FROM THE CHAIRMAN

In these challenging times, I hope everyone is well and doing their best to stay safe and healthy. When I wrote last year's message, we were at the outset of a global pandemic, concerned about what lay ahead, yet hopeful that the crisis would be over before long. It was my sincere wish that on our 51 st Annual Board of Governors Meeting we could meet in person, shake hands, and get to know each other better on the Marcus Family Campus. We are not there yet, but I have faith that we will be soon, and I look forward to seeing you all in October, on our BGU trip to Dubai and to Sde Boker, Israel. As I look back on the passing year, I see that, despite the challenges, we have been able to function as a community. We raised a glass of wine together on Seder night; we created Ben-Gurion's Circle, hosting University honorary doctorate recipients who shared their experiences and insights with us; and with the help of my Vice Chairperson Toni Young, we established the Global Development Committee to further the collaboration between the University’s Associates organizations. Working together, we achieved outstanding results in raising the necessary funds for two critical University ventures — the Coronavirus Taskforce and the SOS Campaign (Save the Class of COVID-19) for our students. Now is the time to look ahead to the next fifty years, which promise to be exciting, with several new projects underway. As I am sure President Chamovitz will elucidate in his address, the University management has created an extensive, integrative strategic plan with the objective to turn BGU into “one of the most outstanding universities in the world and the leading university in Israel: in research, teaching and contribution to society.” Uniquely, this project is the result of a partnership among all the University’s