Dr. Jean F. MacCormack was named Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on February 7, 2001.
Dr. MacCormack has led the campus through a decade of major transition, marked by a fast-growing student body, transformation to a full-fledged residential campus, a three-fold increase in research, a turnover of a third of the faculty, and the addition of the Commonwealth’s first public law school. She has more than 30 years of experience in educational administration at the secondary and higher education levels, and is highly regarded as an innovative and strategic manager.
Since her arrival on the campus, the number of students has grown from 6,900 to 9,300 and is poised to grow to 10,000. The campus has added 2,200 student housing beds, bringing the total to 4,500. Research funding has grown from $7 million to more than $20 million. More than 150 new faculty members have been hired, replacing those lost to retirement. Annual private support has grown from $3.9 million to $6.8 million and the campus recently completed a $6 million Claire T. Carney Library campaign. These accomplishments have been achieved through the creative collaboration of administration, staff, faculty and students as state support for the campus has dropped from 45 percent of the operating budget to 20 percent.
Embedding the University in economic and social development of the region and Commonwealth has been at the center of Dr. MacCormack's leadership agenda. The University earned Carnegie classification as a civic engagement campus in 2009 and for the past two years has been named to the President’s Community Service Honor Roll.
Over the past decade, the University has spread its resources into surrounding communities with the opening of the Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center in Fall River, the College of Visual and Performing Arts center in downtown New Bedford, and continuing education centers in both cities. The University is also in the process of expanding its marine science presence in New Bedford, and is a partner in the downtown New Bedford Ocean Explorium, which is designed to excite K-12 students about the wonders of science. Among the University’s major research and economic development initiatives is a Fall River-based bio-manufacturing center which will partner faculty and staff with private industry to accelerate the development of the bio-technology industry in the region.
On February 2, 2010, the University was granted authority to offer the Commonwealth’s first public law degree. The program, made possible by a $23 million gift of assets from the nearby Southern New England School of Law, will provide an accessible and high quality law education linked to the University’s distinctive community service ethic.
Chancellor MacCormack as been a key supporter of the University-based SouthCoast Development Partnership and SouthCoast Education Compact, which are developing sustainable regional approaches to economic development and educational attainment challenges.
Dr. MacCormack has been an active member of the national Campus Compact, which advocates and supports university public service. Dr. MacCormack was named 2005 SouthCoast Woman of the Year by the New Bedford Standard-Times newspaper.
Dr. MacCormack earned a bachelor's degree in literature and fine arts from Emmanuel College, and a master's and doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
