We have a new president, a new dean, and shortly we'll have a new future, as envisioned by the strategic planning process now under way.

All of us at Commonwealth Compact cheered the selection of Marty Meehan as the next president of the University of Massachusetts System because of his universally recognized accomplishments as chancellor of UMass Lowell, and specifically because, under his leadership, UMass Lowell embraced the Compact and became one of our strongest partners in higher education. Meehan is committed to diversity, and transformed his campus into one that now reflects the region's population far more than it did when he arrived. We look forward to dynamic leadership from President Meehan.

In the meantime, David Cash has been named dean of the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, succeeding Ira Jackson. Cash has been commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection. He is a Harvard PhD and an expert on climate change. In interviews, he stressed that the diversity of the UMass Boston campus is one of the most appealing qualities that drew him to the job. We look forward to talking with Dean Cash in coming weeks. Meanwhile, Ira will stay on campus as a vice provost, and potentially a Compact partner again. We are grateful to him for his collegiality and wise counsel.