UMass Boston Announces New College

The University of Massachusetts Boston is pleased to announce the creation of University College, a new academic unit charged with expanding the university's range of academic offerings, particularly those involving programs for working professionals, international programs, and online learning. The Board of Trustees approved the proposal to establish the new college at its June 2010 meeting.

University College will continue the mission, functions, and programs of the former Division of Corporate, Continuing and Distance Education (CCDE), and will offer its own academic degree programs as well. The college will continue to collaborate with the university's existing colleges to develop and deliver certificate and degree programs.

The goals of University College are to:

• Enhance and diversify the university's academic offerings
• Respond quickly and responsibly to workforce development needs
• Promote and expand lifelong learning opportunities
• Increase the number of professional master's degrees offered
• Provide an academic site within which experimentation with new academic programs
• can take place
• Increase the university's revenues

University College will contain three academic subunits, responsible for professional studies, international education, and online learning. It will by governed by a dean and a faculty steering committee. Another group, including representatives from the university's other major academic units, will serve in an advisory role.

I hope you will join me in congratulating the staff of University College and wishing them success in their new endeavors. If you would like to know more about University College, please visit umb.edu/academics/uc.