UMass Lowell (UML) is a public institution of higher education, part of a five campus UMass public university system, and subject to the authority of a system President’s Office, a Board of Trustees, (BOT), and in limited cases, a State Board of Higher Education (BHE).
The Board of Trustees establishes the general policies governing the University and has a wide variety of fiduciary and academic policy responsibilities.
The University of Massachusetts System Office (UMSO), which includes the Office of the President and Central Administrative Services, provides overall leadership to the University, coordinates with the campuses on various academic and financial initiatives, and provides shared services in the areas of information technology, treasury, and procurement, among others.
The Provost is the Chief Academic Officer. The provost is assisted by the senior vice provost for academic affairs as well as by the deans of the academic colleges and other academic administrators. He is advised by a Deans’ Council that meets regularly to review and develop policies and monitor progress related to student retention, student success, and the development of new academic initiatives.
The basic unit of campus organization is the academic department. Each academic department has departmental chair with wide ranging responsibilities. Academic departments are organized into colleges. The university has six colleges/schools, each with its own dean and associate and/or assistant dean: College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Francis College of Engineering; Manning School of Business; Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences; Kennedy College of Sciences; and Honors College.
Academic deans report directly to the Provost. The division of Graduate, Online and Professional Studies closely coordinates with the chairs of the departments that offer the corresponding programs in the day school.
Opportunities for faculty and students to influence governance are provided through the following units:
- Faculty Senate
- Faculty Union
- Student Government Association
- Graduate Student Association
- Graduate Employee Organization
In addition, faculty are involved in the UMass Lowell 2028 strategic planning process and students also serve as members on a number of university committees.