Robert Caret Chosen as University of Massachusetts President

January 13, 2011 by Marie Posted in Education, Lowell, Politics 3 Comments

The Boston Globe and the Herald are both reporting that Robert Caret – president of  Towson University in suburban Baltimore – has been chosen unanimously by the Board of Trustees as the new President of the  five-campus University of Massachusetts system. 

Caret  has New England connections  – he received degrees at both the University of New Hampshire and Suffolk University in Boston.

Read the full articles here in the Globe and here in the Herald.

Stay tuned.

3 Responses to Robert Caret Chosen as University of Massachusetts President

  1. Bob Forrant says:

    Here’s my post from earlier today at the Globe’s website. My guess is he won’t be giving me a call any time soon-not always the most popular guy on campus-but I hope he does.

    As a faculty member at UMass Lowell in the history dept. I wish Dr. Caret luck and hope that his interest in the community extends to placing some added emphasis on the university’s social sciences and humanities. For too, too long this side of the house has suffered from neglect as the band wagon was all about the sciences helping us leap ahead. We need it all, and our students need a strong background in the humanities and social sciences as they make their way in an increasingly complex world. One suggestion – develop a strong focus on the history of science, technology, medicine and engineering at at least two of the campuses so that folks studying to be engineers, biotech researchers, etc. understand where their fields came from and the ethical questions that permeate their fields. This is so badly needed.

    Also, don’t forget that we are more, as a system than the self-proclaimed ‘flagship’ in Amherst. And, that the Dartmouth, Lowell and Boston campuses play a vital role in getting young people into higher ed. Just as in your bio. it states you were the first in your family to go to college (as was I) this remains the case for many students at Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell. This is for me a critical part of what we must never forget. The off-campus community matters a lot.

    Doubt you’ll read this, but if you do, and you’re interested, I’ll take you to breakfast in Lowell some morning once you’re on the job and treat you to the best French Toast you’ve ever had at a place called Ray Robinson’s on Central Street.

    Regards and hope you’re not a Ravens fan!

  3. Bob Forrant says:

    Thanks Steve. It was fun and an added bonus was sports reporter Bob Lobel was in the waiting area before I went on and we got to talk Bruins, Red Sox, Patriots for about twenty minutes. I enjoy the radio format and every time I’m on WGBH or WBUR I think back and miss the role that Sunrise played on WUML. Wish there was a way to persuade Marty to bring it back – even if only three mornings a week. It was a welcome spot for political conversation, information exchanges along the cultural highway, and a terrific way to have faculty discuss their work to a larger audience than they usually got.

    Marty please???