So far, UMass Lowell's REACH, or Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals, policy has been a big success. The policy implements elements of the European Union's chemical regulations policies, and for the last two years the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production has been using the policy to educate business on how to work with chemicals in a way that makes it more sustainable for the environment. The policy took effect June 1st as part of the University's Chemicals Policy initiative. Last month, Joel Tickner of the Lowell Center presented training workshops, “Turning REACH into an Opportunity: Implementing the European Union’s New REACH Legislation,” in Michigan and New York to more than 150 companies and government organizations. The Center held four similar workshops last year.
Last Wednesday, Chancellor Marty Meehan announced to the public plans to build a 97,00 square foot Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, which will be devoted to researching manufacturing processes for nanotechnology and biotechnology. Construction is projected to be completed by the year 2010. Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council Director Bob Halpin said the project would help existing companies, while attracting new ones to the area. Most nanomanufacturing companies in the area are looking forward to continue their work with UMass Lowell and the Emerging Technology center.
The public plans that Meehan announced Wednesday also include much more plans for University expansion, including two new academic buildings, a 500-space parking garage, additional student housing, and a doubling of the number of undergraduate students living on campus. The University currently has 8,500 undergraduate students, which Meehan believes the new residence halls will be able to accomodate much better, as well as the newer students Meehan hopes to pull in. The new parking garage is projected to cost 15 million dollars. On top of that, there are also plans to move the art department closer to downtown Lowell to take advantage of the creative economy in the area, as well as plans to renovate an existing building to esablish an Innovations Center for Life Sciences, which will house the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center, a collaboration with the UMass Medical School in Worcester that helps companies turn ideas into products.
Lastly, as a part of the Hunger-Homeless Awareness Week, students at UMass Lowell unveiled their annual Cardboard City Project. The event was sponsored by Kappa Sigma, and challenged students to spend the night ina cardboard box on the front lawn of Smith Hall in order to raise awareness for the homeless. The event generated a lot of donations, and donations will continue to be accepted by the Hunger Homeless Commission of Lowell.
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