Nancy Buffone, Executive Director of the Office of External Relations and University Events believes the University’s presence in Boston is crucial to garner support for the campus. “Having Chris in Boston is key for us. He is our eyes and ears on the ground in Boston. It is critical we have someone like Chris involved at the State House because he already has so much experience there. He lets us to know what up and coming topics may be, and we need faculty involvement there to help set policy.” Buffone works closely with Chris and State Legislators to help form a legislative policy for campus.
Dunn’s involvement in politics started while he was a senior at Beverly High School as an intern for Congressman Tierney. As Dunn puts it, he “caught the political bug.” Being so close to the State House as an undergrad at Suffolk University and then a law student at Suffolk Law School, the thought of eventually working in the building was always present. From 2003-2007 Dunn served in the Office of the Clerk to the Senate before serving in the Office of the Counsel to the Senate in 2007.
The experience Dunn already has in the State House is crucial to the nature of his work now, and it is extremely beneficial as he meets often with members of the legislative and executive branches. Having surrounded himself by the personalities and processes of the State House for many years, Dunn has become accustomed to the workings of Massachusetts politics. The knowledge he acquired from his years of service formed his expertise on legislative procedure, the process of turning an idea into a bill and the rules of the legislature.
Christina Maguire is advocating for support for the Umass campus in the Boston area as well. A lot of Umass Alumni are located in the Boston area so having a space for them to meet and connect is important for our mission. Maguire’s job is to engage and motivate Umass Alumni to support Umass Amherst. Alumni groups have the opportunity to use the space to network and communicate with each other. The senior alumni meet with younger alumni in the office to engage them as part of the Financial Services Affinity Network. “The office space in Boston is lovely. The space is not just for employees but also for alumni. We are happy to have student groups utilize the space as it is a vibrant vital space for Umass students, parents, faculty and alumni.” The office is located on Franklin Street in Boston on the 12th floor.
This coming fall Massachusetts will see about a 20% change in the makeup of the legislature. Some members of the House and Senate have decided to not run, and many races are highly contested making for an interesting campaign season. Dunn hopes to emphasize the importance of Umass Amherst to both new and seasoned elected officials by showing off to the Legislature the most valuable attributes Umass has to offer not only to students but to the Commonwealth as a whole. As Dunn puts it, “I want to show legislators that Umass is the Commonwealth’s flagship campus, it is a great public research facility, a place that should be at the forefront of the legislature’s mind.”
Fiscal Year 2011 will be difficult; the roadblocks Dunn and Maguire are likely to face are financial ones. Funds for programs and organizations across the Commonwealth will be minimal. Buffone projects it will be a very challenging year, but even with the lack of funds available she hopes to send a message to Legislators. “When they have questions about something I want the Umass faculty to be the first place they turn to for their expertise. The faculty of the University is there to help them.” That message can be expressed even in a deficit.
Dunn emphasizes the importance of student engagement and all voting members of the public. “We’d love to have the students’ support and for them to push their hometown elected officials to support Umass.” To find out who your local elected officials are and how to contact them, go to www.mass.gov/legis.
