Governor Deval Patrick recently appointed six new members to the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees and reappointed chairman James Karam to the board.

Karam’s appointment has stirred controversy as he was recently chastised by the attorney general for illegally holding meetings to determine the new UMass president behind closed doors. But Karam and other trustees said that they were acting under the advice of their legal counsel when the oversights were made.

Despite this, the UMass Amherst recently stated in a press release that the school is “pleased” with the appointment.

New to the board are Jeffrey Mullan, Margaret Xifaras, Lawrence Carpman, Alyce Lee, Richard Campbell, and Zoila Gomes, who will each serve a five year term. They are replacing Lawrence Boyle, Jennifer Braceras, Richard Lawton, Kenneth MacAfee and Stephen Tocco, whose terms have expired. Some, such as Tucco, represent the last of the Republican appointed trustees.

Prior to his appointment as a trustee, Mullan worked as the Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation. According to a profile on massport.com, Mullan had worked in transportation for the past 20 years serving as executive director of the former Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, undersecretary and general counsel at the Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works and chief operating officer in October of 2008. Prior to that, he worked at the Foley Hoag LLP law firm.

Xifaras works at the Lang, Xifaras & Bullard – New Bedford Trial Attorneys. According to her profile on lxblaw.com, she served as the former chair of the family law section of the Massachusetts Bar Association, and frequently makes presentations on family law and ethics.

Carpman is the president of Carpman Communication, LCC. In the past, Carpman has both served as an adviser to Patrick and a Democratic Party spokesperson.

As former chief of staff to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Lee currently works as vice chairman of the Boston Medical Center board of trustees and as a board member of the Boston Museum and Friends of the Sick and Poor.

Richard Campbell is the founder and a shareholder of Campbell Edwards & Conroy. According to his biography online at campbell-trial-lawyers.com, Campbell is the vice president of the Massachusetts Bar Association and frequently comments on litigation, social host liability and the law for local media sources.

Zoila Gomez works as an attorney at the Law Offices of Zoila M. Gomez. She is a former immigration consultant and has previously been a congressional aide to former U.S. Representative Martin T. Meehan.

Only Lee did not graduate from one of the five UMass campuses.

-Collegian News Staff