Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The town of Amherst and the University of Massachusetts recently announced the creation of a new group, University/Town of Amherst Collaborative, which will act as an advisory council to the town and university chancellor for future projects.
The new group was announced on Sept. 1 by Amherst’s late Town Manager John Musante and UMass Amherst chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. The UTAC will include students, town residents, and town and university officials.
The UTAC will provide leadership and ideas and building support for future endeavors, according to a statement released by the town. These include identifying sites for undergraduate mixed-use development, jointly pursuing public-private partnerships, and “helping to create an anchor strategy for the university that embraces the town and fosters enduring economic success.”
The UTAC will have a Steering Committee and three subcommittees focused on economic development, housing, and culture, arts and living.
The UTAC is another step in a growing town-gown connection and is a direct result of the Town-Gown Steering Committee, formed in 2013. The town and university each committed $30,000 for a consultant to help create a shared housing and economic development vision.
Musante, a UMass Amherst alumnus, is widely credited for improving the relationship between the town and university, which has created opportunities for groups like UTAC to exist. Musante died on Sept. 20.