The University of Massachusetts search committee unanimously elected Martin T. Meehan as the next president of the five-campus UMass System on May 1.
Meehan, a former U.S. congressman and current UMass Lowell Chancellor, will succeed current President Robert Caret, who is stepping down to become chancellor of the University of Maryland system.
“I know he will keep UMass moving toward the future the Commonwealth needs. I congratulate him on his achievement. UMass is in very good hands,” said President Caret, who has worked with Chancellor Meehan for the past four years. 
Meehan, during his Chancellorship, propelled UMass Lowell to higher and higher levels of excellence. In 2011, UMass Lowell was named a top-tier national university and is number 156 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best National Universities ranking. Its four-year, 27-spot climb is the second-fastest in the nation. UMass Lowell also ranks 84th among all public universities in the country.
“Chancellor Meehan’s successful tenure at UMass Lowell has shown that he has what it takes to move the University of Massachusetts system forward. His results-driven, visionary leadership has opened up new frontiers for UMass Lowell, and we fully expect the same to happen for the entire university in the course of his presidency,” said Chairman of the UMass Board of Trustees Victor Woolridge.  
UMass Boston Chancellor Keith Motley praised the search committee along with the UMass Board of Trustees for electing Meehan as the next president of the UMass System. “The UMass Board of Trustees has selected an excellent president in Chancellor Meehan,” he said. “I have worked with him as a respected colleague these past eight years and have seen him develop an impressive record of success at UMass Lowell. I look forward to working with Marty on continuing the transformation of our campus and the progress we are making system-wide.”
Many Massachusetts political figures and dignitaries hailed the election of Meehan as UMass President. “The best-educated state in the nation is now getting a great education leader for our outstanding university system,” said Sen. Edward J. Markey.
Others Massachusetts dignitaries included, but were not limited to, U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas; Gloria Cordes Larson, President of Bentley University; Richard Freeland, Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education. “Marty Meehan is a terrific choice to lead the University of Massachusetts. He has expanded academic programs and overseen significant growth at UMass Lowell, propelling the school forward. His enthusiasm for the students … I’m really looking forward to working with him,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
The UMass presidential search began on February 6, 2015, when the Board of Trustees established a 21-member search committee consisting of faculty members from all five UMass campuses, three students, community and business leaders, and members of the UMass Board of Trustees. The committee was chaired by Robert J. Manning, chairman of MFS Investment Management and former chairman of the UMass Board of Trustees.
Meehan’s first duty is to replicate his success with UMass Lowell with the five-campus, 73,000-student University of Massachusetts system.“Serving as Chancellor of my alma mater, UMass Lowell, for the last eight years has been the most fulfilling period of my professional life, so I am excited about the opportunity to lead the University of Massachusetts system,” said Chancellor Meehan.
John A. Quelch, a Harvard Business School professor, was the other finalist tapped to replace outgoing President Robert Caret.