With funding under fire from Trump administration, UMass president says climate research is key
As he celebrates his tenth year running the University of Massachusetts system, President Marty Meehan has survival on his mind and is looking at climate research.
"I think that we've seen the federal government kind of letting up on our climate goals that we have set out as a country. And I think you're seeing across the country that states are stepping up," says Meehan in an interview on WBZ's "Keller At Large."
Higher education struggling
With university research funding under fire from the White House and higher education in general struggling through a period of economic decline, Meehan is betting that UMass can survive and prosper by aligning its focus with the legislature's recent funding commitment to climate tech research and development.
In a recent "State of the University" speech, Meehan pointed to research already underway at campuses including UMass Dartmouth (on sustainable fishers), UMass Amherst (water treatment technologies) and UMass Boston (protecting coastlines from damage) as examples of how the university can leverage state and private-sector investment into good jobs for students and an academic future safe from budgetary erosion at the federal level.
Marty Meehan on climate research
"There is a significant business that has developed as a result of [climate change], UMass educates the workforce of Massachusetts. We need to train people to get them the skills they need to work in this sector," he says.
Meehan also discussed diversity on campus, the safety of foreign students, and dealing with anti-Semitic and anti-Palestinian behaviors.
You can watch the entire interview on-demand right here, and join us for interviews with top local newsmakers every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on the weekend edition of "Keller At Large."
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San Francisco Chronicle
38 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bulgaria is close to joining the euro currency but faces disinformation and fear
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria is close to realizing its decades-old goal of joining the euro currency union and deepening ties with the more prosperous countries of Western Europe. But the government faces a populist backlash against the shared currency on the eve of a key decision by European Union authorities. Fears of inflation, poverty and the unknown are mingling with disinformation spread on social media that aims to turn people against the euro. The discontent tracks with increased support for populist and anti-EU parties across Europe, which is exploited by nationalist and pro-Russian politicians in a country that remains one of Europe's poorest and most afflicted with corruption. 'Adopting the euro will make us feel the threshold of poverty. After all, prices will be in euros,' said 78-year-old retiree Tanya Ignatova. 'Bulgaria is not ready for the euro. Someday we may be ready, but not now," said another retiree, Mario Georgiev. Several thousand people rallied against the euro in the capital on Saturday, urging a referendum on whether to transition from the lev currency to the euro. The head of the pro-Russian Varazhdane party, Kostadin Kostadinov, told the crowd that 'Bulgaria has risen and declared: Freedom, we choose the Bulgarian lev!' Many do support the euro Others in Bulgaria say the country already benefits from EU membership and it does not matter what the currency is. "We have inflation now and we will have it in the future,' said 26-year-old Konstantin Bozhinov. Aiming at deepening European integration amid growing geopolitical tensions, the government is pressing ahead. It has asked for a review of whether it meets the requirements of low inflation, sound government finances and legal conformity to EU institutions. On Wednesday, the European Commission will announce the results. If the commission gives a green light, other member states will decide on Bulgaria's candidacy in the coming weeks. At the last review in 2022, Bulgaria failed on the inflation requirement. Inflation has since fallen. President Rumen Radev has encouraged the anti-euro voices by proposing a referendum on the currency, citing public concerns over inflation and purchasing power. That followed a protest in February that saw the offices of the EU's executive commission in Sofia spattered with red paint and its entrance set on fire. The president's proposal was turned down by the pro-European majority in parliament, which accused Radev of acting in favor of Russia with his last-minute attempt to sabotage the euro adoption. According to the EU's multi-country Eurobarometer survey released last week, 50% of Bulgarians are against the adoption of the euro, while 43% are in favor. In contrast, trust in the euro continues to grow across the rest of the EU. Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007. It has been plagued by political instability and corruption that have fueled euroscepticism among its 6.4 million citizens. Analysts say disinformation campaigns from abroad have fed fears of economic changes that could bring more poverty. Scores of false claims by opponents of the eurozone have been published on social networks. One claim says the EU plans to take away people's savings if they fail to spend them within a certain period. Another claims that plans to introduce a digital version of the euro are part of a plan to control everyone. 'There is a powerful brainwashing of the average Bulgarian. Illusory fears are being spread, lies are being told wholesale, unscrupulously and brazenly," said Ognyan Minchev, director of the Institute for Regional and International Studies in Sofia. Risks and rewards Economists say joining the euro will not bring massive change to Bulgaria's economy in the short run. That's because the government has pegged the currency to the euro by law, at a fixed rate of 1 lev for every 51 euro cents. Joining the euro can bring lower borrowing costs, greater ease in comparing domestic and foreign prices and no need to exchange money when vacationing in another euro country. More than that, it's a sign of integration into the EU and its large economy. Members get a seat on the European Central Bank's interest rate-setting committee. Countries agree to join the euro when they join the EU, but so far 20 of 27 members have taken the step. Croatia was the last to join in 2023. Bulgaria's government has very little debt, at 24.1% of GDP — the second lowest in the EU and well below the 60% level in euro membership criteria. That's a sharp contrast to its neighbor, Greece, which entered the euro in 1999 with high debt that was concealed through complex financial transactions. Greece's broken finances eventually triggered a eurozone-wide crisis. Bulgaria's government has been 'fiscally super conservative ... the risk of Bulgaria becoming a fiscal risk to the eurozone is essentially zero,' said Zsolt Darvas, senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank in Brussels.
Yahoo
an hour ago
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Bulgaria is close to joining the euro currency but faces disinformation and fear
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria is close to realizing its decades-old goal of joining the euro currency union and deepening ties with the more prosperous countries of Western Europe. But the government faces a populist backlash against the shared currency on the eve of a key decision by European Union authorities. Fears of inflation, poverty and the unknown are mingling with disinformation spread on social media that aims to turn people against the euro. The discontent tracks with increased support for populist and anti-EU parties across Europe, which is exploited by nationalist and pro-Russian politicians in a country that remains one of Europe's poorest and most afflicted with corruption. 'Adopting the euro will make us feel the threshold of poverty. After all, prices will be in euros,' said 78-year-old retiree Tanya Ignatova. 'Bulgaria is not ready for the euro. Someday we may be ready, but not now," said another retiree, Mario Georgiev. Several thousand people rallied against the euro in the capital on Saturday, urging a referendum on whether to transition from the lev currency to the euro. The head of the pro-Russian Varazhdane party, Kostadin Kostadinov, told the crowd that 'Bulgaria has risen and declared: Freedom, we choose the Bulgarian lev!' Many do support the euro Others in Bulgaria say the country already benefits from EU membership and it does not matter what the currency is. "We have inflation now and we will have it in the future,' said 26-year-old Konstantin Bozhinov. Aiming at deepening European integration amid growing geopolitical tensions, the government is pressing ahead. It has asked for a review of whether it meets the requirements of low inflation, sound government finances and legal conformity to EU institutions. On Wednesday, the European Commission will announce the results. If the commission gives a green light, other member states will decide on Bulgaria's candidacy in the coming weeks. At the last review in 2022, Bulgaria failed on the inflation requirement. Inflation has since fallen. President Rumen Radev has encouraged the anti-euro voices by proposing a referendum on the currency, citing public concerns over inflation and purchasing power. That followed a protest in February that saw the offices of the EU's executive commission in Sofia spattered with red paint and its entrance set on fire. The president's proposal was turned down by the pro-European majority in parliament, which accused Radev of acting in favor of Russia with his last-minute attempt to sabotage the euro adoption. According to the EU's multi-country Eurobarometer survey released last week, 50% of Bulgarians are against the adoption of the euro, while 43% are in favor. In contrast, trust in the euro continues to grow across the rest of the EU. Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007. It has been plagued by political instability and corruption that have fueled euroscepticism among its 6.4 million citizens. Analysts say disinformation campaigns from abroad have fed fears of economic changes that could bring more poverty. Scores of false claims by opponents of the eurozone have been published on social networks. One claim says the EU plans to take away people's savings if they fail to spend them within a certain period. Another claims that plans to introduce a digital version of the euro are part of a plan to control everyone. 'There is a powerful brainwashing of the average Bulgarian. Illusory fears are being spread, lies are being told wholesale, unscrupulously and brazenly," said Ognyan Minchev, director of the Institute for Regional and International Studies in Sofia. Risks and rewards Economists say joining the euro will not bring massive change to Bulgaria's economy in the short run. That's because the government has pegged the currency to the euro by law, at a fixed rate of 1 lev for every 51 euro cents. Joining the euro can bring lower borrowing costs, greater ease in comparing domestic and foreign prices and no need to exchange money when vacationing in another euro country. More than that, it's a sign of integration into the EU and its large economy. Members get a seat on the European Central Bank's interest rate-setting committee. Countries agree to join the euro when they join the EU, but so far 20 of 27 members have taken the step. Croatia was the last to join in 2023. Bulgaria's government has very little debt, at 24.1% of GDP — the second lowest in the EU and well below the 60% level in euro membership criteria. That's a sharp contrast to its neighbor, Greece, which entered the euro in 1999 with high debt that was concealed through complex financial transactions. Greece's broken finances eventually triggered a eurozone-wide crisis. Bulgaria's government has been 'fiscally super conservative ... the risk of Bulgaria becoming a fiscal risk to the eurozone is essentially zero,' said Zsolt Darvas, senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank in Brussels. Fears of inflation are not entirely without basis. Experience in other countries shows that 'whenever there is a changeover from national currency to the euro, there is often a minor inflation effect, but it's typically less than 1%,' said Darvas Economists say a one-time increase occurs as service providers such as restaurants, which don't adjust prices as often as other sectors, take advantage of re-doing menus and price lists to implement hikes. Veselin Toshkov And David Mchugh, The Associated Press
Yahoo
an hour ago
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University of Denver student arrested for political vandalism on campus: DU
DENVER (KDVR) — A student was arrested for spray painting political messages on campus on Friday night, according to an email from University of Denver Chancellor Jeremy Haefner. The messages were reported to have expressed 'political views, including pro-Palestine and anti-Trump rhetoric' and were found in several locations, but the locations were not named. The messages were allegedly sprayed days before an attack on a pro-Israel group in Boulder by a man who yelled, 'Free Palestine,' and is now being called a terror attack by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Total injured in Boulder attack increases to 12 'The act of defacing our shared spaces is unacceptable and contrary to our community standards,' Haefner wrote to the DU campus in his email. 'Vandalism is not a form of free expression. It is not protected speech. It is a violation of our shared values and disrespectful to the living and learning environment we share as a community.' Haefner added that DU 'supports the right to express diverse perspectives—but that must happen through lawful means.' According to a probable cause statement obtained by FOX31, the student, identified as 23-year-old Marshall Ray, spray painted 'Free Gaza and 'Free Palestine' on campus property. The statement said that Ray was spray painting a traffic sign when contacted and was painting 'Gaza' at that point. Officers also said a can of spray paint and two paint markers were in his pocket. Ray is being held for investigation of criminal mischief and disturbing the peace. The final determination of charges will be made by the Denver District Attorney's Office. Haefner said that facilities crews were 'working diligently' Monday morning to clean up the graffiti, and said the administration is committed to ensuring campus community members feel safe, respected and heard. The chancellor said that the DU student was arrested by the Denver Police Department. The investigation is ongoing and evidence is being reviewed, Haefner wrote, because there could be others involved. Anyone with information that may assist in the investigation is asked to contact Campus Safety at 303-871-2334. DU said the incident has also been reported to Equal Opportunity and Title IX (EOIX) for review. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
