i L i n d . n e t

Whaaat?! Could it be true? The Boston Globe reported this week that former UH President Evan Dobelle is among those being eyed as interim chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

According to the Globe:

Dobelle, president of the New England Board of Higher Education, said he had not been formally approached about the job but would consider an offer.

“I would have to understand what they want and for what duration,” he said, adding that he would not want to be a candidate for the permanent chancellorship. A Pittsfield resident and UMass-Amherst graduate, he expressed loyalty to the school and said he was not deterred by recent controversy over restructuring of the university system .

“I’ve never gone to a college that didn’t have trouble,” he said.

A decision is expected within a week or two.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is asking the American Bar Association to reject a series of proposals that would drastically close off access to records of criminal cases and “roll back 40 years of First Amendment jurisprudence creating a presumption of openness in criminal proceedings.” The organization’s press release asks local media to cover the issue so that the public is aware of returning to an era of closed courts.

The resolutions reflect concern over discrimination against ex-offenders, but the Reporters Committee says it would be more effective to prohibit use of information about prior charges by employers than to close off all public access to this segment of court records.

And we had a couple of visitors when we got home late yesterday who could help model Ms. Kitten. Click for more photos, and you’ll see that she’s a little cutie, as are her two friends here. Remember: Ms. Kitten is looking for a good home!