Gov. Healey Lauds 'Historic' Appointment Of Reyes As UMass Chancellor

AMHERST, MA — The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Thursday to approve Dr. Javier Reyes as the next chancellor of UMass Amherst.

The board was acting on the recommendation of Marty Meehan, the president of the University of Massachusetts system.

Reyes, currently the interim chancellor at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), will take over when current Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy steps down in June.

Born and raised in Mexico, Reyes is the first Hispanic to serve as chancellor of Massachusetts' flagship university.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey called Reyes' appointment "historic."

"Javier Reyes is an innovative and dynamic leader who will harness the full potential of UMass Amherst," Healey said. "I'm confident that he will inspire students and faculty alike to continue growing the school's excellence in education and research. I congratulate Dr. Reyes, President Meehan and the UMass Board of Trustees on this historic appointment. I am grateful to Chancellor Subbaswamy for his many years of service to the university and for taking it to new heights. I wish him the very best in his future endeavors."

Reyes, 48, in an economist who has been the interim chancellor at UIC since July 1, 2022, after previously serving as the school's provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

UIC is Chicago's largest university campus with 33,000 students and $440 million in research awards. The school also is classified as a a Minority Serving Institution, a Hispanic Serving Institution, and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution.

"Dr. Javier Reyes brings a keen appreciation of the value of the humanities and arts at a leading research university and in the wider community" said Dr. Barbara Krauthamer, dean of the UMass Amherst College of Humanities and Fine Arts and a member of the UMass Amherst Chancellor Search Committee.

Krauthamer added: "(Reyes) has the leadership experience to continue elevating research and teaching across our campus and to advance the university's commitment to diversity and inclusion. I look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead."

Before UIC, Reyes served as the dean of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University and as a vice president for that state's economic development program Startup West Virginia.

Reyes began his career in higher education in 2003 as a member of the University of Arkansas economics faculty. He later became the vice provost for distance education and associate dean for undergraduate studies and executive education at the Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business.

Reyes attended Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico City, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics. He later earned a Ph.D in economics from Texas A&M University. Reyes is considered an expert in distance education and global economic affairs.

"I am honored by the opportunity to lead UMass Amherst, a world class university that is on the rise, and humbled by the trust that President Meehan and the Board of Trustees are placing in me," Reyes said. "My wife, Maritza, and I are excited about making Massachusetts our home and doing our part to elevate UMass Amherst toward the top 20 public universities in the United States."