By: Emily Reynolds

Chancellor Holub is on the lookout for a new Vice Chancellor of Research and Engagement, and it seems that he is willing to let the entire campus chime in, including students.

Steve Goodwin, Dean of the College of Natural Resources and Environment and chair of the search committee, sent an e-mail last week to everyone with a UMail account asking for nominations.

Not only did Goodwin cover the campus looking for nominations, but it seems, “The search committee also wants to solicit your ideas, comments, and opinions on the skills, character, and experience that you believe are most important in a Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement.”

The nomination deadline is Wednesday, April 15, but applications are not due in until April 24, at the end of the following week.

In the e-mail, Goodwin wrote that, “It is obvious to all that this position is critical to the research success of the campus.”

This falls in line with the multitude of e-mails that Chancellor Holub has been sending out over the past year, wanting UMass to become a premier research university.

This search comes after months of talking about budget cuts and restructuring the University, which may lead certain Deans whose colleges are being combined with others out of a job.

While it’s uncertain whether the Chancellor actually wants everyone on campus to be involved or if it’s a courtesy call, the chosen Vice Chancellor will have a lot on their hands, overseeing a program that received funding of over $135 million this year on projects given by private and public donors.

Emily Reynolds can be reached at [email protected].