GETTING THE INTERIM OUT
According to those in the know, advancements have been made in the search for a permanent dean in both the College of Public and Community Service (CPCS) and the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies.In CPCS more than half of the nine semi-finalist candidates have been interviewed by telephone. Interviews were set to be complete by last Tuesday. Those close to the search say that Interim Dean Connie Chan is among those nine candidates and had already been interviewed at press time. Sources also confirm that the McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies has hosted candidates for the dean’s position for on-campus interviews. On the chancellor front, sources in a position to know say that interviews are set to begin early next month. UMass President Jack Wilson, introduced Interim UMB Chancellor and candidate for the permanent job, J. Keith Motley at Senator Edward Kennedy’s appearance this past Friday in the Campus Center Ballroom. Following Kennedy’s remarks, Wilson declined comment on the chancellor search or Motley’s involvement beyond saying, “He’s doing a terrific job.”
CAMPEN KEEPS TRACK
In his fifth and newest installment of “Borrowing Trouble? Subprime Mortgage Lending in Greater Boston, 2000-2003″ economist and former UMB professor Jim Campen reports trends in lending in the Boston area. As investigator of a grant sponsored by UMass Boston’s Gaston Institute, Campen has been chronicling lending practices and patterns for years.”The idea is to keep track of how many subprime loans are being made and where they are made,” says Campen.
Campen relays that when entering the home loan process it is important to be informed. “Be careful about what you’re getting into. Talk about it with someone knowledgeable…If you ever get a loan on your house, you should really get a lawyer involved who is working for you. There’s always a lawyer at the closing, and you may pay for it but that lawyer is working for the lender. Given the amounts of money involved and given the potential consequences it’s worthwhile,” he says.
“Borrowing Trouble” is linked from the happenings section of the UMB website, www.umb.edu. Campen’s full report can also be accessed directly by visiting http://www.masscommunityandbanking.org/mortgage_lending.html.