UMass Trustees will be asked later today to elect University of Illinois - Chicago Interim Chancellor Javier Reyes as the next UMass Amherst Chancellor. He will replace the retiring UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswammy.
“Dr. Reyes understands that UMass Amherst is the Commonwealth’s indispensable education and research engine,” said Stephen R. Karam, chairman of the UMass Board of Trustees. “From the very beginning, we were determined to find a special leader who could build on all that has been accomplished over the past decade and help drive our flagship campus even higher. We have found that exact person in Dr. Javier Reyes.”
“Javier Reyes has demonstrated uncommon energy and vision throughout his career,” UMass President Marty Meehan said. “A bold and innovative leader, he has inspired students in the classroom, supported initiatives that have unleashed the teaching and research talents of faculty, and connected great public universities to the socio-economic aspirations of their communities. He is well-prepared to build on the strong foundation that has been built under Chancellor SubSubbaswamy’s stellar leadership.”
“I am honored by the opportunity to lead UMass Amherst, a world class university that is on the rise, and humbled by the trust that President Meehan and the Board of Trustees are placing in me,” Reyes said. “My visit to campus and meetings with students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners were truly inspiring. My wife, Maritza, and I are excited about making Massachusetts our home and doing our part to elevate UMass Amherst toward the top 20 public universities in the United States.”
Reyes currently serves as interim chancellor of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), Chicago’s largest university campus, with more than 33,000 students and $440 million in research awards. He will succeed Chancellor Subbaswamy, who has led UMass Amherst for the past 11 years.
(Photo Credit: UMASS/Amherst)
Photo: John Solem