| FORM 990, PART I, LINE 1: |
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY'S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE, FOSTER INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY, BUILD COMMUNITY, AND EMPOWER LIVES OF PURPOSE, SERVICE, AND LEADERSHIP. |
| FORM 990, PART III, LINE 1: |
ORGANIZATION'S VISION AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IS A LEADING STUDENT-CENTERED RESEARCH UNIVERSITY WHERE PASSIONATE LEARNERS, BOLD LEADERS, ENGAGED SCHOLARS, INNOVATORS, AND ACTIVE CITIZENS UNLEASH THE POWER OF COLLABORATIVE DISCOVERY. WE PARTNER WITH KEY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WASHINGTON, DC REGION, AND AROUND THE GLOBE TO BETTER THE HUMAN CONDITION, LEARN FROM A VAST ARRAY OF EXPERIENCES AND INTERNSHIPS, CREATE MEANINGFUL CHANGE, AND ADDRESS SOCIETY'S CURRENT AND EMERGING CHALLENGES. |
| FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4D |
OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES ACADEMIC SUPPORT - THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES, ACADEMIC COMPUTER SERVICES, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES AND SUPPORT FOR THE SIX ACADEMIC DIVISIONS. STUDENT SERVICES - HEALTH AND COUNSELING, CAREER CENTER, UNIVERSITY REGISTRAR, FINANCIAL AID AND ENROLLMENT SERVICES, SPORTS AND RECREATION. INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, SPACE MANAGEMENT, SECURITY, MAIL AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. RESEARCH- RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECTS FUNDED BY FEDERAL AND PRIVATE AGENCIES. PUBLIC SERVICE - THE OPERATION OF WAMU 88.5 FM, A 24-HOUR, 50,000 WATT PUBLIC RADIO STATION LICENSED TO THE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1961. COVID-19 PANDEMIC THE OUTBREAK OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED DOMESTIC AND GLOBAL DISRUPTIONS IN OPERATIONS FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY IN THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC YEAR, COURSES WERE PRIMARILY DELIVERED ONLINE AND ONLY VERY LIMITED ON-CAMPUS HOUSING WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC YEAR. ADDITIONALLY, THE UNIVERSITY INVESTED IN COVID-19 TESTING CENTERS, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR ESSENTIAL STAFF AND UPGRADES TO UNIVERSITY FACILITIES. THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC WAS MITIGATED BY A TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE RETIREMENT PLAN, EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION REDUCTIONS, A ONE-WEEK FURLOUGH FOR ALL FACULTY AND STAFF AND CAREFULLY CONTROLLING ALL UNIVERSITY SPENDING. THE UNIVERSITY ACHIEVED ITS GOAL OF RETURNING TO FULL IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCES FOR THE FALL 2021 SEMESTER, WHILE PROMOTING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY, PROGRESSING OUR EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH MISSION, AND SUPPORTING THE BROADER RESPONSE TO COVID-19 IN THE DC REGION. AS OF JUNE 30, 2021, THE UNIVERSITY EVALUATED ITS ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES FOR ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC. WHILE THIS EVALUATION DID NOT RESULT IN A MATERIAL EFFECT TO THE UNIVERSITY'S CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF JUNE 30, 2021, FUTURE EVALUATIONS COULD RESULT IN A MATERIAL EFFECT DEPENDING ON THE EVENTUAL IMPACT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PANDEMIC IN FUTURE PERIODS. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC PLAN IN JANUARY 2019, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY UNVEILED A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, CHANGE MAKERS FOR A CHANGING WORLD. THE PLAN REPRESENTS AU'S COMMITMENT TO ITS MISSION "TO ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE, FOSTER INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY, BUILD COMMUNITY, AND EMPOWER LIVES OF PURPOSE, SERVICE, AND LEADERSHIP." THE UNIVERSITY'S FIVE-YEAR PLAN WILL ADDRESS THE ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITY AND HIGHER EDUCATION, WHILE BUILDING ON OUR LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP, SCHOLARSHIP, AND SERVICE, AND BOLDLY EMBRACING OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREATER IMPACT. IT INCLUDES THREE CENTRAL THEMES - SCHOLARSHIP, LEARNING, AND COMMUNITY - WITH NINE STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES TO GUIDE AU'S PROGRESS: SCHOLARSHIP: SCHOLARSHIP IS CENTRAL TO AU'S FUTURE. WE WILL DEVELOP AREAS OF STRATEGIC FOCUS THAT DRAW ON FIELDS WHERE AU ALREADY EXCELS, WHERE OUR EXPERTISE CROSSES SCHOOLS AND DISCIPLINARY BOUNDARIES, AND THAT HOLD PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE. WE WILL ESTABLISH NEW WAYS TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF FACULTY ACROSS A RANGE OF DISCIPLINES. LEARNING: LEARNING IS AT THE CORE OF AU. AS WE PREPARE FOR TOMORROW'S OPPORTUNITIES, WE CONTINUE TO EMBRACE THE HIGHEST-QUALITY TEACHING, WHILE EXPLORING NEW FRONTIERS OF LEARNING AND SCHOLARSHIP. WE WILL EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIFELONG LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE MORE FLEXIBLE, PERSONALIZED, AND ACCESSIBLE. COMMUNITY: AU IS AN INSTITUTION DEEPLY ROOTED IN COMMUNITY - LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, AND GLOBALLY - AND WHEN OUR COMMUNITY GROWS STRONGER, SO DO WE. OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, OUR STRATEGIC EFFORTS WILL EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN OUR TIES TO COMMUNITIES, BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL. EACH OF THE NINE STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES OUTLINED IN THE PLAN INCLUDES SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN YEARS ONE AND TWO, FOLLOWED BY AREAS FOR EXPLORATION IN YEARS THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE. THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES FOUR OUTCOMES FOR MONITORING SUCCESS: IMPROVING RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES, ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, ENHANCING AU'S REPUTATION, AND DIVERSIFYING AND GROWING REVENUE. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: PARTNER IN OUR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY SERVICE MANY OF AU'S PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES, AND INDIVIDUALS EXEMPLIFY THE UNIVERSITY'S COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE. AU VIEWS ITSELF AS A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY WITH A PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY. THE UNIVERSITY WORKED WITH NUMEROUS LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTICIPATED IN A MYRIAD OF COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES. INCLUDING: COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING AND RESEARCH, DC READS, DC READS "KIDS TO CAMPUS DAY", DR. SEUSS DAY, FRESHMAN SERVICE EXPERIENCE ONE-DAY SERVICE EVENTS, EAGLE ENDOWMENT AND COMMUNITY LEARNERS ADVANCING IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH. WORKING WITH DC SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS AU'S SCHOOL OF EDUCATION PREPARES EDUCATION STUDENTS TO BECOME EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, BILINGUAL, SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS THROUGH INSTRUCTIONAL WORK IN AREA SCHOOLS. A GROUP OF EDUCATION MAJORS EACH YEAR ARE PLACED AS STUDENT TEACHERS FOR TWO FULL DAYS EACH WEEK, AND THEN FIVE DAYS PER WEEK OVER TWO SEMESTERS IN TEACHING ALL ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM FROM THE ARTS TO THE SCIENCES AND IN THE AREAS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SPECIAL EDUCATION. WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW (WCL), LOCATED ONE BLOCK FROM THE AU-TENLEYTOWN METRO, CONSISTENTLY PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME AND OTHERWISE UNDERREPRESENTED AREA RESIDENTS THROUGH ITS HIGHLY-RANKED CLINICAL PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION, A SELECTED GROUP OF WCL STUDENTS EACH YEAR REPRESENTS LOW-INCOME CLIENTS FACING EVICTION IN DC LANDLORD AND TENANT COURT, AS PARTICIPANTS IN THE DC LAW STUDENTS IN COURT PROGRAM, AN INDEPENDENT LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDER IN THE DISTRICT. AN OPEN DOOR POLICY AU MAINTAINS A GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY BY WORKING WITH NEIGHBORS, LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONS IN THE CAMPUS AREA. LED BY THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS, THE UNIVERSITY'S OUTREACH EFFORTS ALSO INCLUDE MAINTAINING ONGOING CONTACT WITH SEVERAL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICES AND AGENCIES. ON A MORE INFORMAL LEVEL, REPRESENTATIVES OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITY ALSO MEET AND INTERACT WITH MEMBERS OF THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES ON A REGULAR BASIS. CONTINUED EDUCATION DC RESIDENTS ARE WELCOME AT AU'S BENDER LIBRARY TO STUDY AND ACCESS PRINT MATERIALS, LIBRARY CATALOG, AND DATABASES. THE OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE (OLLI) OFFERS CLASSES IN THE FALL AND SPRING FOR INTELLECTUALLY CURIOUS "SEASONED LEARNERS" WITH A GENUINE INTEREST IN CONTINUING THEIR LEARNING WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE. THE ARTS THE KATZEN ARTS CENTER AND AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM SERVES AS AN IMPORTANT VENUE FOR THE DC ARTS COMMUNITY. IT HOSTS A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS RANGING FROM STUDENT PERFORMANCES TO LECTURES ON ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND BUSINESS PRACTICES AND FILM SCREENINGS. DC RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND OPEN REHEARSALS OR TAKE TOURS OF THE GALLERIES. MANY OF THE EXHIBITS SHOWN AT THE MUSEUM HAVE EARNED REGIONAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL ACCOLADES. DISTRICT CHILDREN ARE THE FOCUS OF KIDS AT THE KATZEN, WHICH PRESENTS CREATIVE ACTIVITIES AND SUMMER SPORTS CAMPS. |
| A GREEN LEADER IN DC |
AU IS PROUD TO ALSO BE THE FIRST URBAN CAMPUS, THE FIRST RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, AND THE LARGEST HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION TO ACHIEVE CARBON NEUTRALITY. AU ACHIEVED CARBON NEUTRALITY TWO YEARS AHEAD OF AN AMBITIOUS TARGET OF 2020 BY APPROACHING THE GOAL WITH INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE OUR OVERALL EMISSIONS, USE RENEWABLE ENERGY, AND OFFSET THE SMALL REMAINDER. AU'S PATH TO NEUTRALITY HAS BEEN ACHIEVED THROUGH COMMITMENT, LEADERSHIP, AND A CULTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY. IT'S BEEN A COMMUNITY EFFORT. STUDENTS HAVE LED EVERY STEP OF THIS JOURNEY; THEY HAVE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED THE UNIVERSITY TO BROADEN HOW WE THINK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND STRIVE FOR MORE. THOSE WHO BUILD AND MANAGE THE SPACES ON CAMPUS EMBRACED THE COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY, WHILE FACULTY AND STAFF HAVE INTEGRATED SUSTAINABILITY INTO CLASSES AND PROCESSES TO REFLECT THEIR SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT. INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE AU HAS A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR PLAN TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND DIVERSITY. THE PLAN FOR INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE TOUCHES ALL PARTS OF AND ALL PEOPLE AT THE UNIVERSITY. IT ADDRESSES THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM; FACULTY AND STAFF RECRUITMENT, HIRING, PROMOTION, AND RETENTION; THE HANDLING OF INCIDENTS OF BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS; COMMUNICATION AROUND ISSUES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION; AND MUCH MORE. WAMU WAMU 88.5 FM IS A 24-HOUR, 50,000-WATT PUBLIC RADIO STATION, LICENSED TO AMERICAN UNIVERSITY SINCE 1961. THE STATION SERVES MORE THAN 599,400 LISTENERS IN VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WITH NEWS, TALK PROGRAMMING, AND TRADITIONAL AMERICAN MUSIC. WAMU IS FUNDED BY MEMBER DONATIONS AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE UNIVERSITY. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 1 |
BOARD OF TRUSTEES THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES CONSISTS OF 23 MEMBERS, ALL OF THEM HAVE VOTING RIGHTS. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B |
FORM 990 REVIEW PROCESS FORM 990 IS PREPARED BY THE FINANCE OFFICE AND REVIEWED BY INDEPENDENT TAX ADVISORS. FORM 990 IS REVIEWED AND SIGNED BY THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. FORM 990 IS REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE PRIOR TO FILING. ACCESS TO THE FORM 990 IS PROVIDED TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS BEFORE THE RETURN IS FILED WITH THE IRS. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C |
CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY MONITORING & ENFORCEMENT BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ANNUAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT AND SUBMIT SUCH STATEMENT TO THE SECRETARY OF THE BOARD WHO IS ALSO THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE UNIVERSTY. THE SECRETARY REVIEWS THOSE STATEMENTS FOR POTENTIAL CONFLICTS AND REPORTS SUCH CONFLICTS TO THE BOARD CHAIR. THE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT ALSO REQUIRES ALL MEMBERS TO NOTIFY THE BOARD PROMPTLY OF AN ACTUAL, APPARENT, OR POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST AS IT ARISES, SO THAT IT CAN BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY AND NOT JUST ONCE PER YEAR. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 |
PROCESS FOR DETERMINING COMPENSATION THE COMPENSATION OF ALL OFFICERS OF THE UNIVERSITY IS REVIEWED AND APPROVED ANNUALLY BY THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND IS SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED BY THE FULL BOARD. THE COMMITTEE ENGAGES THIRD PARTY EXPERTS TO BENCHMARK COMPENSATION FOR THESE POSITIONS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. THE COMPENSATION OF KEY EMPLOYEES IS SET BY THEIR SUPERVISING OFFICER WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES' APPROVED UNIVERSITY OPERATING BUDGET. THE INDIVIDUALS WHO DETERMINE COMPENSATION OF THE OFFICERS ARE INDEPENDENT PERSONS SERVING ON THE BOARD. DURING THE COURSE OF DELIBERATIONS, THESE PERSONS REVIEW THIRD-PARTY COMPARABILITY DATA TO HELP THEM DECIDE WHAT COMPENSATION IS REASONABLE. THE COMMITTEE CONTEMPORANEOUSLY DOCUMENTS ITS DECISION WITHIN THE MINUTES. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 |
DOCUMENT DISCLOSURE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE AS PUBLIC INFORMATION ON THE UNIVERSITY'S WEBSITE. |
| FORM 990, PART IX, LINE 11G |
SUB-CONTRACTS/CONTRACTUAL EXP: PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES 74,410,383. MANAGEMENT AND GENERAL EXPENSES 2,285,601. FUNDRAISING EXPENSES 1,394,456. TOTAL EXPENSES 78,090,440. CONSULTING SERVICES: PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES 4,266,222. MANAGEMENT AND GENERAL EXPENSES 148,556. FUNDRAISING EXPENSES 35,762. TOTAL EXPENSES 4,450,540. |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.