From the Boston Globe

The University of Massachusetts at Lowell has tapped Northeastern University provost Ahmed Abdelal, who is credited with helping raise the college's quality and reputation over the last five-plus years, as its next provost.

UMass-Lowell plans to announce the move today. The appointment of Abdelal, a fairly prominent figure in academic circles, is somewhat of a coup for a midsized public university.

Abdelal, who will begin work in early June, joins the 11,000-student university as it embarks on an ambitious expansion effort that will include new dormitories and an $80 million science center that will build on the school's high-profile nanomanufacturing program.

UMass-Lowell Chancellor Martin Meehan praised Abdelal's experience in strengthening academic and research programs, boosting graduation rates, and raising the public profile of two universities.

"He's had a proven track record of success," he said. "He's really demonstrated that he's a first-rate administrator and scholar."

Abdelal, whose annual salary will be approximately $250,000, will oversee research, curriculum and instruction, and long-term planning, Meehan said. Faculty, administrators, and community leaders strongly supported his selection, he added.

"I've spent a lot of time convincing him that UMass-Lowell is poised for greatness," he said. "We're at a very important time in the university's history."

In October, Meehan, a UMass-Lowell graduate who took over as chancellor last July after 15 years in Congress, unveiled plans for new academic buildings and additional student dorms that would double the amount of campus housing.

At Northeastern, Abdelal helped lead a broad campaign to improve student retention, hire more tenure-track faculty, and upgrade research facilities. The effort helped move the university into the top 100 in the US News & World Report rankings and attract higher-caliber students and faculty.

Abdelal, 67, said he is excited at the chance to return to an urban, public campus with strong research potential. Before coming to Northeastern, he served for a decade as dean of arts and sciences at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

"I see it as a great opportunity and a challenge," he said. "There is a renewed emphasis on investing in public education in Massachusetts, and I think this is a natural step for me."

Abdelal said he believes UMass-Lowell can become an "economic engine" and cultural center for the community and region through faculty research and well-prepared graduates.

He resigned from Northeastern in the fall, stirring some concerns among faculty members. Abdelal said he decided to leave Northeastern because he felt he had achieved many of his original goals and was ready for a new challenge.

Abdelal received his bachelor's degree in food science at Cairo University and his doctorate in microbiology from the University of California, Davis.