Chancellor Jo Ann Gora-congratulations on your inauguration, and welcome to UMass, Boston.

You have arrived at an opportune moment in history for this shaggy old dog of a university-UMB is being shaved and spruced up, and apparently the plan is to teach this old dog some new tricks, maybe ’cause some of the old tricks were pretty nasty.

There’s plenty of blame to go around concerning UMB’s checkered past, but, to quote the Globe, we all look forward to a “new-era.” We are cautiously optimistic.

While we are not without reservations, about Chancellor Gora or UMB, we accept them and will try to change them, as we are changed.

We truly believe UMass, Boston, has some real potential: there are valuable centers and institutes sprinkled around campus; there is an energy of change and activism among students; there are still plenty of geniuses among the faculty.

Harvesting the potential will be a challenge, while listing the obstacles here would be indiscreet.

And we see some things about Chancellor Gora that promise potential: her willingness to actually talk to students; her willingness to embrace change; Gora’s intelligence and judgment will surely be assets-and, while we may have quibbles with some things, listing them here, at this moment, would be indiscreet.

Potential, challenges, intelligence, obstacles, willingness, change. All of these ingredients add up to an exciting ride ahead, as far as we can see-Good luck! And fasten your seatbelt!