Chancellor Javier Reyes welcomed the campus community to the start of the 2026-27 academic year in the campuswide email message, which can be found below, on Sept. 9.
 

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Dear UMass Community,

Welcome to the 2026–27 academic year!  It is great to see everyone back on campus! 

This fall, based on our preliminary numbers, we are excited to welcome close to 5,300 new first-year students to our community. Among them are first-year students in our Career Launch program on the Charles River Campus in Newton, as well as first-year students in our Global Launch programs, who begin their UMass journey in Dublin, London, Madrid, or Paris. 

We are also delighted to welcome 1,110 new transfer students, more than 1,800 new graduate students, hundreds of University Without Walls students, and dozens of non-degree students, associate’s degree students, and postgraduate students.

In addition, we warmly welcome 70 new faculty members and librarians and 210 new staff, with staff appointments beginning over the past five months.

Whether you are new, returning, or have been on campus throughout the summer, we are glad that you have chosen to make UMass Amherst home.

The beginning of the academic year is a special time, ushering in fresh possibilities and new opportunities. I also acknowledge that we are in a time of uncertainty for higher education. While this uncertainty is real, UMass Amherst stands firm in its mission of excellence in teaching, research, and service for the common good, and continues to move forward with momentum:

• For the fourth consecutive year, our university received more than 50,000 applications for undergraduate admission.
   
• Our faculty and researchers continue to drive innovation that fuels creative and economic activity across the commonwealth and beyond. Over the past four fiscal years, the campus has been awarded $957 million in sponsored projects, including $235 million in FY26. 
   
• We continue to improve our campus infrastructure. In FY26, we celebrated the new School of Public Health & Health Sciences Hub, and this academic year we will celebrate the new Computer Science Laboratories—the first building on our campus to earn LEED Platinum certification—as well as the new Sustainable Engineering Laboratories building, and the new College of Natural Sciences Student Success Center at Flint.
   
• In January, we exceeded our $600 million Accelerate campaign fundraising goal 18 months ahead of schedule. To date, the campaign has raised more than $690 million and continues to grow.
   
• We continue to broaden our national alumni footprint. In FY26, we held 170 programs across 13 states, driving a 17 percent increase in event attendance, strengthening alumni networks in Los Angeles, Calif.; Greater Hartford, Conn.; Austin, Texas; Chicago, Ill.; Burlington, Vt.; and Dallas, Texas, and expanding volunteer support for admissions in Texas, Virginia, Michigan, Maryland, and California. We also engaged nearly 2,000 participants through the new six-stop UMass Pass Homecoming experience, realized a 48 percent increase in attendance over Homecoming 2024, and connected with alumni and donors through Accelerate events in Massachusetts, California, Washington, D.C., and New York, which showcased UMass research excellence and leading work in democracy, quantum science, food systems, personalized health, and public policy.
   
• We continue to strengthen our statewide engagement. The university’s presence and impact in the commonwealth extends from the New York border to the Atlantic Ocean, with sites including the W. E. B. Du Bois Boyhood Homesite in Great Barrington, the Henry M. Thomas III Center in Springfield, the Cranberry Station in East Wareham, the Charles River Campus in Newton, and the Gloucester Marine Station.

Collectively, this momentum reflects confidence in you—students, faculty, and staff—and the power and promise of a UMass education. 

As you work toward your academic and professional goals, I encourage you to also make time to engage with the campus community. There are many opportunities for engagement this fall, including:

• Welcome to the U offers several events that are open to the whole campus community including our signature Pondfire.
   
• Thrive at Five continues through September.
   
• The Fine Arts Center has an incredible lineup of events to explore.
   
• UMass Athletics has a full schedule of athletic competitions to cheer on.
   
• UMass Downtown offers a range of events, including the Translated Book Club, “Talking Tech” discussions, and the MASSive Desk Concert Series.
   
• The Henry M. Thomas III Center at Springfield hosts a number of community programs and events, including the upcoming UMass Amherst Showcase.
   
• From Boston Duck Tours to Eats and Education lunches, the Charles River Campus offers ample opportunities for students and faculty to connect.
   
• And much more.

I also recognize that sometimes the most important communities are the ones we form through our ordinary day-to-day interactions. We create connections everywhere—in our classrooms, our offices, and our shared spaces. So, whether you are having a meal at one of our celebrated Dining Commons, attending a concert or a play, supporting our Minutemen and Minutewomen, or simply unplugging at one of the many community spaces on our campuses, I encourage you to seek opportunities to connect with one another.

And finally, while the beginning of a new academic year brings excitement, for some, it can also bring stress and anxiety. Please know that you are not alone and there are many resources available to support your well-being, including health, mental health, and counseling services.

A list of campus resources can be found here.

Additional resources are also available on the Charles River Campus.

At UMass, we are committed to fostering an environment where all members of our community can thrive. If you need help, please reach out. 

UMass Amherst has momentum, and together, we will continue to propel discovery, drive innovation, and advance the common good. 

I hope that you have a great semester, and I look forward to seeing you around campus!

Go UMass!

Sincerely,

Javier A. Reyes
Chancellor