Reappointment of trustee rescinded

Robert M. Mahoney

ithin minutes of taking office on Jan. 2, Gov. Mitt Romney last week rescinded 27 appointments made by Acting Gov. Jane Swift during her last two weeks in office.

     While most of the appointments were to obscure state boards and commissions, Romney's action affected the reappointment of Robert M. Mahoney of Wellesley to the Board of Trustees. Mahoney has served on the board since 1997 when he was appointed by Gov. William Weld.

     Mahoney, a 1970 Amherst campus graduate, is a vice chairman of Citizens Financial Group and chairs the Audit Committee of the University of Massachusetts Foundation, Inc.

     A new governor has the right to withdraw nominations up to 15 days after they were made by his predecessor.

     Eric Fehrnstrom, a spokesman for Romney, said the new governor wanted to review the qualifications of the nominees. "At least some" could be reappointed after the review, said Fehrnstrom.