Dear Student,
I am writing to share the very sad news that Robert “Bob” Terrell, Part-time Lecturer in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, passed away this week.
For the past four years, Bob has been teaching the seminar in our mid-career Master of Public Policy (MPP) program. A MPP alum himself and a former Tufts Neighborhood Fellow, Bob was very well regarded in the UEP community, where his impactful research and practice focused on topics such as housing, economic development, public transportation, sustainable development, economic democracy, gentrification, displacement, civil rights, and public policy. In addition to his graduate studies at Tufts, Bob held a BA in Government and Sociology from Bowdoin College.
Bob spent his career dedicated to creating fair and equitable access to housing. He was a prominent leader and key driver for fair housing in the Greater Boston region. He was the architect of the first-in-the-nation fair housing zoning ordinance in the City of Boston in 2020. Most recently, Bob was the Executive Director of the Office of Fair Housing and Equity for the City of Boston, appointed by Mayor Michelle Wu. Bob was the recipient of Tufts’ Graduate Alumni Outstanding Career Achievement Award in 2023.
Bob will be greatly missed. Thank you for joining us as we extend our compassion and condolences to Bob’s loved ones as well as to our colleagues and students in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.
Available support resources
During difficult moments such as these, we encourage you to connect and spend time with your friends, your classmates, and your loved ones, whether at or outside of Tufts. On campus there also are multiple points of support for students that can respond to individual and group needs. Here’s how to get started:
