University of Massachusetts president Marty Meehan is defending his school's decision to purchase Mount Ida College.
Meehan said in a statement that UMass had no role in Mount Ida shutting down and that UMass was not chosen by Mount Ida administrators over a previously-proposed merger with another school in Newton, Lasell College.
However, Meehan did acknowledge that UMass and Mount Ida had conversations before Mount Ida considered merging with Lasell.
Locally, Elms College officials say they will work with students at Mount Ida to finish their studies with them.