Skip to main content
UMass Collegiate M The University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Visit
  • Apply
  • Give
  • Search UMass.edu
Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences

Main navigation

  • Academics

    Programs

    Undergraduate Programs Master's Programs Doctoral Program Graduate Certificate Programs

    Academic Support

    Advising Career Development Academic Policies Courses Scholarships and Fellowships
  • Research

    Research

    Research Areas Research Centers & Labs Undergraduate Research Opportunities

    Faculty & Researchers

    Faculty Directory Faculty Achievements

    Engage

    Research News Distinguished Lecturer Series Rising Stars in Computer Science Lecture Series
  • Community

    On-Campus

    Diversity and Inclusion Student Organizations Massenberg Summer STEM Program Awards Programs Senior Celebration

    External

    Alumni Support CICS
  • People
    Full A-Z Directory Faculty Staff
  • About

    Overview

    College Overview Leadership Our New Building

    News & Events

    News & Stories Events Calendar

    Connect

    Visiting CICS Contact Us Employment Offices & Services
  • Info For
    Current Undergraduate Students Current Graduate Students Faculty and Staff Newly Accepted Undergraduate Students

Dean Laura Haas Appointed Vice Chair of UMass Amherst Chancellor Search Committee

Content

August 17, 2022
Academics
Image
Laura Haas
Laura Haas, Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Dean

Laura Haas, dean of the UMass Amherst Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS), will serve as vice chair on the committee to search for the successor to Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy, who will retire at the end of the 2022–2023 academic year after a decade of service to the university. 

The committee, chaired by University of Massachusetts Trustee Victor Woolridge, comprises 20 other distinguished and diverse members and will seek input from a wide range of stakeholders, including community leaders, students, faculty, staff, and alumni in the coming months. 

“This is a stellar team of people who care deeply about the university mission and recognize the importance of that mission to the Commonwealth and nation,” said UMass Board of Trustees Chairman Robert Manning. “At this pivotal moment for the university and for higher education in America, it is imperative that we find the best possible person to lead UMass Amherst forward. I want to thank each member who has answered our call to serve.”

Over his decade of service, Chancellor Subbaswamy has led UMass Amherst through a period of unprecedented growth in enrollment, rankings, and graduation rates. As chancellor, he was instrumental in the founding of the College of Information and Computer Sciences in 2015. Recent substantial investments in the college secured under his leadership include an $18 million naming gift from Robert and Donna Manning, and a $75 million commitment from the Baker-Polito administration that will enhance and expand the college’s facilities, enabling accelerated enrollment growth to meet growing student demand.

“Chancellor Subbaswamy’s service to the university cannot be overstated,” says Dean Haas. “At CICS, we know him as a consistent advocate for expanding our college’s leading role in information and computer sciences research, and a champion of our goal of computing for the common good. I thank him for all the work he has done, and am honored to have been selected to help lead efforts in finding a successor to oversee UMass’ next decade of growth.” 

Prior to joining UMass Amherst in 2017, Haas spent 36 years at IBM, where she founded the Accelerated Discovery Lab, a unique environment dedicated to enabling research in and improvements to the tools and systems that facilitate analysis of data. following her positions as the Director of Computer Science at IBM's Almaden research center, and her international responsibility for IBM Research's exploratory science program. She is a recipient of the Anita Borg Institute Technical Leadership Award, and the ACM SIGMOD Codd Innovation Award. She has served as chair of the the National Academies Computer Science and Telecommunications Board since 2019, and has served on the board since 2013. She is an ACM Fellow, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Article posted in Academics

Site footer

Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences
  • Find us on Facebook
  • Find us on YouTube
  • Find us on LinkedIn
  • Find us on Instagram
  • Find us on Flickr
  • Find us on Bluesky Social
Address

140 Governors Dr
Amherst, MA 01003
United States

  • Visit CICS
  • Give
  • Contact Us
  • Employment
  • Events Calendar
  • Offices & Services

Info For

  • Current Undergraduate Students
  • Current Graduate Students
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Newly Accepted Undergraduate Students

Global footer

  • ©2025 University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Site policies
  • Privacy
  • Non-discrimination notice
  • Accessibility
  • Terms of use