UMass Boston - Winter/Spring 2007-2008 - (Page 9)

Engaged with the Community Keith Motley says that his work at UMass Boston requires him to be “mindful” of the time he gives to other interests, but he’s far from uninterested. Here are a few of his current commitments: n Roxbury Preparatory Charter School— Co-Founder and Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts, Inc., and its Paul Robeson Institute for Positive Self-Development—Founding Member and Education Chair. Newbury College—Board Member American Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts—Board Member Freedom House—Board Member n Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, Inc.—Board Member United Way of Massachusetts Bay— Board Member Action Center for Educational Services and Scholarships (ACCESS)—Board Member Dimock Community Health Center— Board Member “Do the Write Thing Challenge” Initiative of the National Campaign to Stop Violence—Boston Chair n n n n n n n n students, whose needs and concerns, Motley says, will always come first. That’s a tall order, of course, since those concerns cover an enormous range. Faculty aren’t the only ones united by a common grievance over parking, after all, but access to a convenient parking spot means little if you feel your degree doesn’t carry the impact in the wider world that you want it to. So Motley has to work both sides of the lot, so to speak. He can offer a visitor a quick briefing on how drainage issues are being resolved at a given location on campus today, then describe how new buildings that have yet to be designed will propel the university forward over the next quarter-century. He can admit that the university’s current ambitions will require substantial funding, effort, and commitment, and then suggest that perhaps those plans aren’t ambitious enough. He can readily acknowledge that his assuming the role of chancellor feels “like coming home” and then quote Governor Patrick’s remarks at the 2007 graduation ceremony in which Patrick noted that the university can no longer focus on a “local landscape” but must find a way to thrive in a “world without borders.” Motley was recently asked by WBZ-TV newswoman Liz Walker about how, in a city known for its elite private universities, he planned to “sell” UMass Boston. “When I first came here,” Motley responded, “I thought I had to sell it. But all I need to do is get you here and you start to feel it.” From faculty who have been “trained at the most elite institutions and who choose to be here” to “students from all generations who want to learn, benefit, and contribute,” a visitor will inevitably, Motley said, “get caught up in the excitement of being here.” Given the nature of TV news, Motley had a mere three minutes to extol the virtues of UMass Boston. But as chancellor he’ll have many more opportunities to sell his vision, and the clout to make it come to pass. It’s a vision that builds both on UMass Boston’s heritage and Motley’s own. He was taught to believe in the transformative power of education, and to accept gladly the obligations that accompany the benefits. “I can’t remember a time,” he says, “when someone didn’t have their arms around me, wanting me to succeed.” When he lifts his long arms, Motley doesn’t raise them to the sky in a gesture of personal triumph; he extends them outward, to the community, in a welcoming embrace. Passion is not, presumably, listed among the requirements in the typical chancellor’s job description. Perhaps it should be. Scott Leibs (MA in English ’95) is deputy editor of CFO magazine in Boston and a long-time contributor to this magazine. He can be reached at SLeibs@charter.net. umass boston n

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of UMass Boston - Winter/Spring 2007-2008

UMass Boston - Winter/Spring 2007-2008 Contents U News Values and Vision, Bricks and Mortar An Inauguration to Remember An Expedition to Iceland An American Original Reciprocal Dedication About Alumni Alumni Calendar A Report on Private Giving Generous Friends

UMass Boston - Winter/Spring 2007-2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.