The University of Massachusetts Boston, also known as UMass Boston, is an urban public research university and the third-largest campus in the five-campus University of Massachusetts system.
The university is located on 177 acres (0.72 km2) on the Columbia Point peninsula in the city of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. UMass Boston is the only public university in Boston. Students are primarily from Massachusetts but some are from other parts of the U.S. or different countries.
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History
The University of Massachusetts Boston was established by vote of the state legislature in 1964. Freshman classes started for 1,227 undergraduate students in September 1965 at a renovated building in the Park Square area of downtown Boston. The Founding Day Convocation was held December 10, 1966, at the Prudential Center in Boston. John W. Ryan was installed as the university's first chancellor. UMass Boston is part of the Greater Boston Urban Education Collaborative, In 1982 it merged with Boston State College (est. 1852).
In 1974, it opened its new campus at the Columbia Point peninsula on Dorchester Bay. The university originally occupied five buildings: McCormack Hall, Wheatley Hall, the Science Center, Healey Library, and the Quinn Administration Building.
The original Harbor Campus buildings were said to have had sparse and unattractive interiors, with odd mazes of hallways; the campus was known as "the fortress" or "the prison" colloquially. They were rumored to have been designed by architects who were primarily familiar with prisons, although the library had been designed by the Chicago modernist architect Harry Mohr Weese. At one point in his career, Weese had designed the Metropolitan Correction Center in Chicago.
McKee-Berger-Mansueto, Inc. (MBM), the company contracted to supervise construction of the new campus, came under fire after its contract with the Commonwealth was criticized in a series of newspaper articles for being abnormally favorable towards MBM. A special legislative committee was formed to investigative the contract. A scandal erupted after it was learned that MBM paid State Senators Joseph DiCarlo and Ronald MacKenzie $40,000 in exchange for a favorable report from the committee. DiCarlo and MacKenzie were convicted of extortion.
The Clark Athletic Center was added later, including an ice hockey arena, swimming pool, and basketball courts. It also hosted the first presidential debate between then Texas Governor George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore in 2000. The cancellation of two days of classes in order to create security for the debate resulted in a protest by UMass Boston students, faculty, and staff members at the UMass President's office in downtown Boston.
The original buildings fell into disrepair, and there are plans for replacement. Allegations of shoddy construction surfaced again in 2006 when the underground parking garage had to be closed because it had become structurally unsound. All parking is now outdoors, except for the Campus Center garage.
In 2004, a new Campus Center was opened, designed by the Boston-based architectural firm of Kallmann McKinnell & Wood and built by Suffolk Construction at a cost of $80 million. It houses offices, restaurants in a food court, event space, student clubs, and activities space. It also serves as the new entrance for the campus and was the first major building erected since the original Harbor Campus was built in the 1970s.
In January 2015 the university opened its first new academic building since the original campus was built, a research facility named the Integrated Sciences Complex. A second new academic building, University Hall, is expected to open in 2016, and the first residential halls on campus are in the planning stage.
On June 2, 2006, Barack Obama addressed his commencement speech at UMass Boston to the graduating students. In his address, among other topics, he discussed his speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004.
In 2007, the university proposed a plan to change the nature of the campus from primarily a commuter campus with many parking lots for cars to a more residential campus with dormitory-style living.
J. Keith Motley is the university's first African American chancellor.
In 2009, the nearby Bayside Expo Center property was lost in a foreclosure to a Florida-based real estate firm, LNR/CMAT. The University of Massachusetts Boston has acquired the property for future campus facilities.
In 2014 and 2015, UMass Boston celebrated its fiftieth anniversary and published its first history of the founding and growth of the university, entitled UMass Boston at 50.
Timeline
(from UMass Boston website, note that this also contains the history of Boston State College)
- 1851 - Superintendent Nathan Bishop proposes a normal school to train teachers for the elementary grades.
- 1852 - Girls' High School conducts its first classes in the Adams School building on Mason St.
- 1854 - Girls' High is renamed Girls' High and Normal School.
- 1863 - Massachusetts Agricultural College (M.A.C) is founded in Amherst.
- 1870 - The school moves to new quarters on West Newton St.
- 1872 - Boston Normal School becomes a separate institution.
- 1876 - Boston Normal moves to the Rice School building on Dartmouth St.
- 1907 - Boston Normal moves to a specially built facility on Huntington Ave.
- 1922 - Boston Normal becomes the Teachers College of the City of Boston.
- 1931 - "M.A.C." became Massachusetts State College.
- 1947 - "M.A.C." became University of Massachusetts.
- 1952 - Teachers College becomes the State Teachers College at Boston.
- 1960 - Renamed State College at Boston at 100 Arlington St. in Park Square.
- 1964 - The University of Massachusetts Boston is established.
- 1968 - State College at Boston renamed Boston State College.
- 1974 - First classes at UMass Boston's Harbor Campus.
- 1982 - Boston State College merges with UMass Boston.
- 2004 - New UMass Boston Campus Center opens.
- 2015 - New Integrated Sciences Complex opens.
- 2016 - New University Hall Building opens.
Umass Boston School Of Education Video
Campus
Transportation
UMass Boston is located off Interstate 93, sited within walking distance of the JFK/UMass MBTA stop on the Red Line and the Old Colony Lines of the Commuter Rail . Free shuttles run frequently between the JFK/UMass station and campus. The MBTA also operates bus stops on campus.
Academics
The university confers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, and also operates certificate programs and a corporate, continuing, and distance learning program.
There are eleven schools and colleges at UMass Boston: the College of Liberal Arts, College of Science and Mathematics, School for the Environment, College of Management, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, College of Public and Community Service, College of Education and Human Development, John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies and Global Studies, School for Global Inclusion and Social Development, Honors College, and College of Advancing and Professional Studies (CAPS) .
The university is a member of the Urban 13 universities, alongside schools like Temple University and the University of Pittsburgh.
According to the UMass Boston Office of Institutional Research and Policy Studies, in the 2015-2016 academic year, the five most popular majors at the university were Management, Biology, Psychology, Exercise and Health Sciences, and Nursing. Within the College of Liberal Arts, the five most popular majors were Psychology, Criminal Justice, Economics, Communication Studies, and English. Within the College of Science and Mathematics, the five most popular majors were Biology, Computer Science, Information Technology, Biochemistry, and Environmental Sciences. Within the College of Management, the five most popular concentrations were No Concentration, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, and Leadership and Organizational Change. The five most popular minors at the university were Psychology, Sociology, Biology, Criminal Justice, and Economics.
Institutes and centers
The following free-standing institutes and centers are administered by the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
- Center for Social Development and Education
- Center for Survey Research
- Institute for Asian American Studies
- Institute for Community Inclusion
- Institute for New England Native American Studies
- Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration
- The Mauricio Gaston Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy
- Urban Harbors Institute
- Venture Development Center
- William Joiner Institute for the Study of War and Social Consequences
- William Monroe Trotter Institute for the Study of Black Culture
Accreditation
UMass Boston is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Additionally, the College of Management is accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and the College of Nursing and Health Services hold accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. The Family Therapy Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Marital and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). UMass Boston is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools and the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools
Faculty
UMass Boston's faculty of more than 1000 consists of roughly half tenure-track and half non-tenure-track professors. It includes poets Lloyd Schwartz (who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1994) and Patrick Barron, translator and Slavic philologist Diana Lewis Burgin, linguist Donaldo Macedo, author Padraig O'Malley, feminist scholar Carol Cohn, economists Julie A. Nelson and Randy Albelda, philosopher Lynne Tirrell, political scientists Leila Farsakh and Thomas Ferguson, psychologist Sharon Lamb, computer scientist Patrick O'Neil, Monet expert Paul Tucker, and physicist Benjamin Mollow, discoverer of the Mollow triplet. Ninety-six percent of the faculty hold the highest degree in their fields. The student-teacher ratio is 14:1. Former faculty members include biblical scholar Richard A. Horsley, chemist John Warner, feminist scholar Beverly Smith, historians Edward Berkowitz, James Green, Peter Linebaugh, William Andrew Moffett, Mark Peattie, and James Turner, literary scholar Carlo L. Golino, mathematicians Amir Aczel, Victor S. Miller, and Robert Thomas Seeley, neurologist M. V. Padma Srivastava, novelists Jaime Clarke, Elizabeth Searle, and Melanie Rae Thon, philosopher Jane Roland Martin, poets Martha Collins and Sabra Loomis, political scientists Jalal Alamgir and Kent John Chabotar, clinical psychologist David Lisak, social psychologist Melanie Joy, and sociologists Benjamin Bolger and Robert Dentler.
Athletics
Intercollegiate athletics, intramurals, and recreation for the students, staff, and faculty are the primary programs of the UMass Boston Department of Athletics. The department offers 18 varsity sports and is a member of the NCAA's Division III. UMass Boston, known by their nickname: the Beacons, has teams competing in the ECAC, the Little East Conference, and ECAC East Ice Hockey. The Beacons have been named All-Americans 93 times in seven sports. The women's indoor and outdoor track & field teams have won four NCAA team championships and 38 NCAA individual championships. In the years 1999 through 2006 the National Consortium for Academics and Sports named the Department of Athletics at UMass Boston first in the country for community service.
Student activities
UMass Boston's independent, student run and financed newspaper is The Mass Media. Other student publications include the yearbook, Watermark arts and literary magazine, and The Beacon monthly humor magazine.
UMass Boston's undergraduates are represented by the Undergraduate Student Government, which consists of the Undergraduate Student Senate, the executive office of the USG President, and the office of the USG Chief Justice. UMass Boston's graduate students are represented by the Graduate Student Assembly. UMass Boston's graduate student employees (teaching assistants, research assistants, and administrative assistants) are represented by the Graduate Employee Organization/UAW Local 1596--UMass Boston Chapter.
The university also has a large waterfront recreation program. The Division of Marine Operations operates the Universities waterfront which supports recreational and Environmental education programs. Full-Time Umass Boston students are offered free sailing lessons and boat rentals, paddleboards, kayaks and harbor cruises. Marine Operations recently developed the U-Sea Fund Grant for UMass Boston Faculty who are interested in developing a classroom component around our ocean environment. Starting Summer 2011 Marine Operations will work in conjunction with B&G, Boating in Boston, to offer a sailing camp for youth up to age 18. Boating in Boston has operated for years in other locations and have shown considerable interest in UMass Boston's grand waterfront.
Notable alumni
- Joseph Abboud, B.A. 1972, International Men's Fashion Designer.
- Amsale Aberra, B.A. 1981, Celebrity Wedding designer.
- Paul Anastas, B.S. 1984, Regarded as the "Father of Green Chemistry"; EPA official
- Cory Atkins, (B.S. 1979), member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1999 - present)
- Panayiota Bertzikis, B.A. 2010, Humanitarian
- Daniel E. Bosley, (M.S. 1996), Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1986 - present)
- Alton J. Brann, B.A. 1969, former President and CEO of Litton Industries
- William Bratton, B.A. 1975, former Police Commissioner of the Boston, New York City, and Los Angeles Police Departments
- Phillip Brutus, B.A. 1982, former member of the Florida House of Representatives (2001-2007)
- Christine E. Canavan, (B.S. Nursing (summa cum laude) 1988), member of the Mass. House of Representatives (served 1993 - present)
- Ken Casey, bassist for the punk rock group the Dropkick Murphys
- Lenny Clarke, (did not finish), comedian/actor
- Tim Costello (1945-2009), labor and anti-globalization advocate and author
- Paul M. English, B.A. 1987 and M.S. 1989 (both in Computer Science), Co-Founder and CTO of Kayak.com
- Paul Evans, B.A. 1974 (Boston State College), former Police Chief of the Boston Police Department 1994-2003
- Jovita Fontanez 1984, head of Boston Election Commission, member of Massachusetts Electoral College
- Sally Kelly, B.A. 1973, Boston Municipal Court Judge, Boston
- Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, (B.A. 1976), current President of Citizens Energy Corporation and former member of the US House of Representatives (served 1986-1999)
- Bruce Lehane, current Cross Country and Distance Track coach at Boston University. (Attended the Boston State College)
- Dennis Lehane, (did not finish), Author
- Gina McCarthy,(B.A., 1976), current Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Thomas Menino, (B.A. Community Planning, 1988). Mayor of the City of Boston, 1993-2014
- Janet T. Mills (1970), Maine Attorney General 2009-2010; current Attorney General of Maine (2013-pres.).
- Eileen Myles, B.A. Author
- Kelly Overton, animal rights activist
- Joe Rogan, (did not finish), comedian, actor, "News Radio" and "Fear Factor"
- Debra J. Saunders, B.A. 1982, conservative columnist, San Francisco Chronicle
- Biz Stone, (did not finish) Co-Founder of Twitter.com
- Steve Sweeney, B.A. 1974, Comedian
- Harry Trask, B.A. 1969, (1928-2002) 1957 Pulitzer Prize in Phototography (for a photograph of the SS Andrea Doria sinking)
- Robert Travaglini, B.S. 1974. former President, Massachusetts State Senate
- John Warner, B.S. 1984, one of the founding fathers of Green Chemistry; founded first PhD program in Green Chemistry
- Dana White, (did not finish), current president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
- John F. Kelly, 1976, General in the United States Marine Corps, Current Commander of U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) from November 19, 2012. Former Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Former Commander of Multi-National Force-West, Iraq, and the 5th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
- Bill Walczak, B.A. 1978. former CEO Codman Square Health Center and candidate for Mayor of Boston.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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