Becker president chosen as new UMass Dartmouth head

Robert Johnson, former Becker College president and outgoing UMass Dartmouth chancellor.

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By Grant Welker

Becker College president Robert Johnson has been chosen as the new chancellor for UMass Dartmouth after leading the small Worcester college for more than six years.

Johnson was chosen unanimously by the UMass Board of Trustees Tuesday and had been recommended by UMass President Marty Meehan.

At Becker, Johnson "elevated the reputation of that university" and became "deeply ingrained in the Worcester region's business and civic community," Meehan said.

Board Chairman Robert Manning said UMass Dartmouth is "the campus that has not had resources invested" and said once Johnson is in place and the campus has a strategic plan, the board will be asked to invest in the Dartmouth campus.

"Part of the problem is an enrollment issue," Manning said. "It's hard to attract students when you're competing and your physical plant is not in the condition we need it to be in."

UMass Dartmouth's enrollment has stayed below 9,000 while the rest of the UMass system has grown sharply.

Johnson became emotional when addressing trustees after their vote.

"This is an honor for me for a number of reasons, but most importantly for my dad," he said. "When I was a young boy, he used to talk about the University of Massachusetts. The greatest joy was when I called him last night and told him I was coming here."

Johnson, a Detroit native, was named Becker president in 2010. He is a member of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and is the chairman of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.

"Robert Johnson is a dynamic leader who, through hard work and collaboration, has transformed Becker College into a national leader on several fronts," the chamber's president and chief executive officer, Timothy Murray, said in a statement.

"Robert’s brand of can do leadership has had a profound and positive impact on Worcester and Central Massachusetts – including as chair of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce board of directors. While he will be missed, I know he will be an incredible asset for UMass Dartmouth, its students and faculty, and the entire South Coast," Murray said.

Michael Angelini, the chairman of the Worcester law firm Bowditch & Dewey, called UMass' choice "a superb selection."

"The board has chosen a smart, proven leader who is extremely able and who is passionately committed to educational excellence," he said. "Dr. Johnson's impact at Becker College has been transformational and his engagement as a leader of the Worcester community reflects a broad commitment to improvement at every level."

He has a doctorate in higher education administration from Touro University International, a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Cincinnati, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Morehouse College. Before joining Becker, he held multiple executive positions at colleges in Michigan and Ohio.

State House News Service contributed to this report.