The primary responsibilities of the office include:
Serving as a liaison to municipalities and the community on campus development, institutional master planning and resolution of off-campus student life issues
Oversight, delivery and coordination of scholarship, grant, cultural, athletic and service programs or initiatives that benefit Boston and Newton residents
Providing government relations support for the University’s research and legislative agenda
Directions
The Office of Governmental and Community Affairs is located at Hopkins House, 116 College Road in Chestnut Hill. It is across from Bapst Library on the main Boston College Campus.
- From Downtown Boston: Take Beacon Street toward Newton. Turn right on Hammond Street. Turn right onto College Road. Hopkins House is on the left-hand side and near the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and College Road.
- From the Massachusetts Turnpike: Exit at Newton Corner and take Center Street toward Newton Center. Take a left on Commonwealth Avenue. Take a right on Hammond Street. At the intersection of College Road and Hammond Street, take a left onto College Road. Hopkins House is on the left-hand side and toward the end of College Road.
People
Thomas J. Keady, Jr.
Vice President
617-552-2512
thomas.keady@bc.edu
William Mills
Director, Community Affairs
617-552-8661
william.mills@bc.edu
Jeanne Levesque
Director, Government Relations
617-552-4789
jeanne.levesque@bc.edu
Stephen Montgomery
Student Community Liaison
617-552-6028
stephen.montgomery@bc.edu
Caroline Rourke
617-552-6795
rourkecb@bc.edu
Laura Bitran
617-552-4787
bitran@bc.edu
Economic Impact
Boston College contributes to the local, state and national economies by creating employment in higher education, paying salary, benefits and payroll taxes, generating employee and student spending, purchasing of goods and services from vendors, creating temporary construction jobs and conducting sponsored research projects.
Boston College is one of the region's largest employers, providing a total of 5,900 jobs during FY 2020 (of which 3,700 were full-time and 2,200 were part-time). Of the 5,900 employed more than 30% reside in Boston and Newton: 1,000 employees live in Boston and 792 in Newton. As of FY2021, Boston College directly employees 350 union workers.
Boston College contributes directly to the economic stability of Boston and Newton through annual financial payments under voluntary municipal services agreements with both Boston and Newton, linkage payments to Boston for major development impact projects that support housing and job creation, and the voluntary payment of real estate taxes on some properties. Over the last five years, these contributions amount to over $8.1 million dollars of support.
Additionally, the University augments and helps reduce the burden on city services in our host communities by providing a deputized University police force, removing snow on city sidewalks and as needed on streets abutting the campus, planting and maintenance of city street trees, assisting with graffiti removal on city infrastructure, and contracting privately for trash and recycling services.
Across disciplines, collaborative teams of undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty are examining the complex problems of our contemporary world, proposing new solutions and new ways of thinking about religion and culture, science and technology, art and education, business and ethics.
In FY 2020, BC submitted 346 research proposals and received a total of $66.3 million in sponsored research awards.
In FY 2020 Boston College awarded $135 million in local vendor contracts, representing 30% of the $439 million BC spent on goods and services from vendors.
BC developed a robust Supplier Diversity Program through which it identifies, screens and supports diverse suppliers such as certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Women Business Enterprises (WBEs). These efforts have resulted in a stronger pool of vendors for BC when buying goods and services and builds capacity for local MBEs and WBEs via contract opportunities.