A Message From Chancellor Javier Reyes to the Campus Community

Chancellor Javier Reyes sent his inaugural email to faculty, staff and students on July 10 expressing his honor and excitement to be leading UMass and his desire to work with the UMass Amherst community to develop a comprehensive plan for the future.

Dear Campus Community,

I write today, in my inaugural communication as chancellor of the university, honored and excited to lead this institution. 

I begin my tenure with an immense appreciation for the transformative power of public land-grant universities, born of my own lived experience, and with tremendous respect for the UMass community. Your commitment to excellence and your remarkable accomplishments under the leadership of Chancellor Subbaswamy have elevated this university to the top tier of public universities nationally. Over the next few months, I will be listening intently and learning from all of you. Together, we will develop a plan for the future that builds on our considerable strengths, addresses areas of unmet potential, and sustains our remarkable trajectory of success. 

As chancellor, it is my job to empower student, faculty, and staff success by aligning priorities and addressing challenges. In this work, our institutional mission and values will remain consistent and clear: by attracting and retaining exceptional, diverse students, faculty, and staff, we will continue to advance knowledge and discovery across disciplines. And by continuing to fuel Massachusetts’ innovation economy and contribute to its cultural relevance, we will further substantiate our status as the flagship campus of the commonwealth. 

Higher education today is confronted with many pressing issues, including threats to academic freedom, changing demographics, and disruptive technologies, but the Supreme Court decision dismantling affirmative action in college admissions is our most immediate challenge. While the Court’s decision will have implications for all of higher education, I am inspired by the resolve of our campus to continue advancing educational access for all deserving students. I am also grateful for the steadfast support of University President Meehan; Governor Healey and her administration; Attorney General Campbell; and the Massachusetts General Court, all of whom are working to ensure resources and programming are in place to meet our mission of access and opportunity. In this moment, we have an opportunity to come together and unequivocally demonstrate our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as both a pathway of access for our students and a critical component in the continued excellence of UMass Amherst. I know that together we will successfully navigate this challenge.  

I am grateful to Chancellor Subbaswamy for ensuring such a smooth leadership transition and I look forward to working with him in his new role with the UMass System. Swamy and the entire UMass community have been so welcoming to Maritza and me. In the weeks and months ahead, we look forward to meeting even more of you as we settle into this wonderful, vibrant campus. 

In the meantime, best wishes for a restful summer with family and friends. 

Sincerely,

Chancellor Javier Reyes