Thursday, 4:30 PM
Patrick gives support to UMass President Wilson
By Peter Schworm and Andrea Estes, Globe Staff
Governor Deval Patrick Wednesday said he supported University of Massachusetts President Jack M. Wilson's right to reassign top university leaders, issuing his first public comments on a reorganization plan that has sparked outrage among faculty on the Amherst and Boston campuses.
"I respect the president's authority to make personnel decisions," Patrick said.
Patrick acknowledged that professors were angry they were given no say in the reorganization, which would result in the retirement of popular UMass-Amherst Chancellor John Lombardi at the end of the next school year. The Amherst faculty last week resoundingly passed a no-confidence vote in Wilson's leadership and the Boston faculty may consider a similar measure next week.
But Patrick said he supported Wilson's right to restructure the university leadership as he sees fit.
"I understand that there's some feeling on at least the UMass Amherst campus that President Wilson didn't consult broadly enough in advance," he said. "But in terms of his authority to make those calls, I respect that."
A spokesman for Wilson's office said the president welcomed the governor's comments as a sign of support, but added that Wilson would continue to discuss his reasons for the reorganization with faculty and administrators. Wilson has said the appointments will help the five-campus system achieve greater unity and prominence.
"We appreciate the Governor’s comments," said spokesman Robert Connolly. "Governor Patrick and President Wilson share the same goal of a university of excellence and national prominence."
Wilson and Patrick worked closely together earlier this year to shape the governor's plan to invest $1 billion in a biotechnology initiative, which will include the creation of a stem cell bank at the UMass Medical School in Worcester.
Patrick: Wilson has right to make personnel decisions
