Watch the Chancellor's Address
Chancellor's Convocation Address:
Chancellor Holub highlights many recent impressive achievements of the UMass Amherst campus, and addresses the challenges that lie ahead, during his installation as the 29th Chancellor of the University.
Convocation Program
FACULTY CONVOCATION
October 2, 2009 • 11am
in Bowker Auditorum
Marking the occasion of his installation as the 29th leader of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Robert C. Holub said the campus must pursue a different course and develop new sources of revenue to support its aspiration to be among the best public universities in the nation.
In his address during the fifth annual convocation honoring outstanding professors, the chancellor cited an extensive list of faculty and student accomplishments and noted the strong academic credentials of this year’s entering class, regarded as the best in campus history, as well as increases in first-year and transfer student applications. He also commended efforts to maintain diversity in the student body, contain costs and expand financial aid, which has grown by $11 million over the past five years.
Holub also praised the growth in faculty research support and noted the addition of several new facilities on campus, including the Studio Arts Building, Integrated Sciences Building and the state-of-the-art Central Heating Plant.
Despite its many accomplishments over the past year, said Holub, UMass Amherst needs to take greater control of its destiny by finding new sources of support. He said an infusion of new funds will help protect the campus from the vagaries of state support, which has declined over the past few decades. While federal stimulus funds blunted some of the impact of state budget cuts this year, he said, the coming year poses greater financial challenges.