UMass System Office

University of Massachusetts > AASAIR > Higher Education Policy

As described in Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 75, the major purpose of the university shall be to provide, without discrimination, public service, research and education programs through the doctoral level. To that end, the University of Massachusetts System Office maintains active participation in local and national higher education policy organizations toward the goal of:

• strengthening the University's ability to maintain and improve affordability and access through the highest levels of educational attainment,
• preparing globally competent graduates,
• responding to and resolving the workforce needs of the state,
• supporting high level research and development initiatives that strengthen the state and region as a whole.

A sample listing of UMass System Office Policy Initiatives and Memberships are below:

Executive Office

 Governor's Stem Advisory Council and State STEM Plan

Executive Office of Education

• Teacher Preparation Advisory Committee
• Department of Higher Education - Vision Project
• Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and DHE - Partnership for the Assessment of College and Career Readiness 

Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development 

• Commonwealth Corporation

Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development

• Choosing to Compete in the 21st Century
• Massachusetts Economic Development Planning Council *
• Massachusetts Technology Collaborative *

Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

• Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Board *

Legislature 

Joint Committee on Higher Education

Statewide Initiatives

Massachusetts Life Sciences Center Board * 

Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center *

Massachusetts Business Roundtable *

Hanscom Air Force Base Innovation and Collaboration Board

Natick Solider Systems Center Science & Technology Board

New England Defense Technology Initiatives (DTI) Regional Advisory Board

Regional Initiatives

The New England Board of Higher Education

New England Council * 

National Initiatives

Complete College America

Achieve   

Business Higher Education Forum

Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate *

National Organizations

ACE *

APLU

AGB

AASCU MLI *

* President Robert L. Caret is a board member of these organizations or part of the executive leadership team