Overview of Bridgewater State University

Additional information about the school and its responsibilities.

Overview

Bridgewater State University (BSU), formerly Bridgewater State College,¹ is authorized by Section 5 of Chapter 15A of the Massachusetts General Laws and operates under the direction of a board of trustees, whose members are appointed by the Governor. The board operates under the regulations promulgated by the state’s Board of Higher Education. This includes, as the board’s primary responsibilities, setting policy, approving annual budgets, monitoring quarterly budget performance, and approving internal audits. The president of BSU reports to the board of trustees, is the administrative head of the university, and is supported by the vice presidents of External Affairs, Academic Affairs, Administration and Finance, University Advancement, and Student Affairs, as well as a chief information officer and an associate vice president of Human Resources.

BSU is a member of the Massachusetts public higher-education system, which consists of 15 community colleges, 9 state universities, and 5 University of Massachusetts campuses. BSU is located on Summer Street in Bridgewater and has a satellite campus in Attleboro. As of June 2017, BSU had a student population of 13,289 and a full-time faculty of 362. BSU offers more than 99 areas of undergraduate study on a 270-acre campus. BSU conferred 2,508 degrees and expended $208,572,851 in operating and non-operating costs in fiscal year 2017.

BSU’s recycling program is operated by the Waste Management (Solid Waste and Recycling) Unit of its Department of Facilities Management and Planning. The recycling program employs a part-time staff consisting of a recycling coordinator, an environmental health and safety officer, and an administrative assistant. During the academic year, it also employs 10 to 15 students who are responsible for the daily pickup of all recyclable materials from the buildings and grounds on campus. Student employees collect recyclable materials, including cans, bottles, and paper products, from collection bins inside and outside the buildings on campus. These materials are subject to credits, which the university’s contracted trash hauler applies against the amounts it bills to the university. Hazardous materials, such as waste oil and chemicals, are collected less frequently and are stored in dedicated containers and areas for separate collection by a hazardous-waste hauler. During the audit period, BSU paid its primary hauler of recyclable materials $321,400.94 and received $8,123.15 in credits from the hauler. The student payroll related to the recycling process totaled $130,196 for the audit period.

1. Chapter 189 of the Acts of 2010 amended Chapter 15A of the General Laws, which had created a state university system. Because of the 2010 legislation, the six state colleges were renamed Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, Salem State University, Westfield State University, and Worcester State University. The three specialized state colleges—Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and Massachusetts Maritime Academy—retained their existing names.

Date published:	March 20, 2018