Amid City Council’s scrutiny of Drexel, the university’s chief financial officer is leaving for a new job
Helen Bowman, executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer at Drexel, will start her new role at Boston University as executive vice president on Jan. 1.
Amid ongoing budget tightening, Drexel University’s chief financial officer is leaving for a new top job at Boston University.
Helen Bowman, executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer at Drexel, will start her new role at Boston University as executive vice president on Jan. 1.
She has worked at Drexel for more than 15 years, joining former Drexel President John Fry whom she had also worked with in his previous presidency at Franklin & Marshall College. Fry left Drexel ion 2024 to become president of Temple.
The move comes as Drexel is facing scrutiny from Philadelphia City Council over its decision to close the Academy of Natural Sciences museum and as the school continues to try to erase a budget deficit. Bowman is on the academy’s board of trustees.
» READ MORE: City Council grills Drexel representatives for closing Academy of Natural Sciences museum
“For the past 15 years, Helen has provided critical strategic leadership that has strengthened Drexel’s operational effectiveness and long-term sustainability,” Drexel President Antonio Merlo said in a message to the university’s institutional leaders on Monday.
Bowman was responsible for overseeing all of Drexel’s financial and investment planning and accounting practices, as well as information technology, facilities, real estate, public safety and other areas. The endowment grew to over $1 billion during her tenure, Merlo said in the message, and she oversaw the university during particularly challenging times including the acquisition of St. Christopher’s Children’s Hospital and the pandemic.
She’s also been at the helm as the university faces criticism for closing the academy’s museum and giving the museum the ultimatum of coming fully under Drexel or dis-affiliating. Drexel leaders have said they can’t afford to continue funding the academy’s deficits.
Drexel will develop interim plans for her role before her departure, Merlo said.
Bowman referred a reporter to Drexel’s communications office for comment.
“I look forward to partnering with (Boston) President Melissa Gilliam, Provost Colin Duckett, the other senior leaders, faculty, staff, students, trustees, alumni, and external constituencies to advance excellence across BU’s operational and administrative systems,” she said in the Boston University announcement.
