Boston

UMass Boston Students Protest Decision of Mount Ida College Purchase

Students and faculty at the University of Massachusetts Boston held a walkout Tuesday afternoon to protest the school system's purchase of Mount Ida College.

UMass Amherst is purchasing the Newton campus when the college closes at the end of the semester. School officials said they plan to use the campus for "career preparation programs" in science and technology fields.

UMass Boston feels like the move would make their campus take more of a backseat as their school faces construction problems, possible educational cuts, and an expected $30-million dollar budget shortfall.

"Students have been forgotten, students have been taken advantage of, and they have been let down by grownups," said UMass Boston undergrad student president Katelyn Mitrano last month.

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education doesn't have jurisdiction over the deal, but Chairman Chris Gabrieli said last month it was working to find solutions.

"We could only start when this hot mess was handed to us," said Gabrieli. "I think we're doing everything we can, but there are real limits."

Tuesday's walkout began at noon on the UMass Boston campus plaza.

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