I am disappointed by the spectacle of another failed national search for an academic leader in the UMass system. The current president of UMass, an insider, was chosen after a so-called national search. His predecessor was the quintessential Massachusetts insider, selected after another “national” search.

The chancellor at the Dartmouth campus was also an insider, who had been denied tenure at the Boston campus, yet she prevailed in a “national” search. Now, the Boston campus, after conducting yet another “national” search, is embroiled in controversy over political maneuvering to ensure that another insider is selected.

I am not opposed to selecting a chancellor from within on principle, but national searches at UMass have become a charade. How much longer can UMass conduct itself in this manner? Don’t the trustees, faculty and students care about the reputation of the University? How many more hits can it take? Sincerely, Jack H. Archer, Professor of Environmental Sciences, UMass Boston (ret.)