Boston University President Announces Plans to Step Down

Boston University president Robert A. Brown said Wednesday he will step down at the end of the current academic year, bringing to an end an 18-year tenure during which the school gained membership into the prestigious Association of American Universities, grew its endowment more than fourfold, and developed new interdisciplinary programs. The leaders of several other high profile New England universities, including Harvard, Dartmouth and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have this year announced plans to step down.