University Rutgers pays BCG 1.1 million for strategy

The American university Rutgers has hired strategy consulting firm The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to develop its new strategy. The Boston Consulting Group was selected through a competitive bidding process, including multiple strategic advisory firms and organizational advisory firms. BCG will present an interim report to the university’s boards in June 2013 and a final strategic plan in September 2013.

Rutgers University is the largest university in the state of New Jersey and has more than 175 academic departments.

€1.1 million for new strategy

In a press statement, Rutgers declared that it will pay BCG more than €1.1 million to help the university develop a strategic plan. In a reaction to public criticism on the high expenditure on the consultants, university spokesman Greg Trevor said the following: “the fee is in line with the university’s expectations, given the magnitude and importance of the project”.

BCG won the tender due to its “breadth of experience” in helping academic institutions and universities. In a reaction from BCG, the advisory firm acknowledges that over the past years it has worked with “many of the top 20 universities and academic medical centers in the U.S.”.

Bottom-up strategy approach

Rutgers also announced that BCG’s approach to the new strategy will include a comprehensive bottom-up approach. The Boston Consulting Group will reach out to all of its 60,000 students, 13,000 employees and 400,000 alumni in making the plan for the next 10 to 15 years. The advisory firm will conduct interviews, surveys, and focus groups in looking at the school’s strengths and weaknesses. “BCG will help us ensure that different voices and perspectives within the broader Rutgers community are heard in our planning process” said Barchi, president of the Rutgers University.