Former Senate President Bulger Reflects on UMass Leadership and Massachusetts Political Life

BOSTON — July 7, 2026 — Former Massachusetts Senate President William Bulger discussed his transition to the University of Massachusetts presidency and raised alarms about declining electoral competition on the public-access program Dorchester Connection. Bulger, who spent 35 years in the legislature before taking the UMass helm after predecessor Michael Hooker's abrupt departure, told host Alex Smith the system's roughly 58,000 students across five campuses include a Boston campus where the median student age is approximately 26, with most students attending between jobs and family obligations. He said the system has about 300,000 alumni, with roughly 80 percent remaining in Massachusetts. On electoral participation, Bulger noted that 22 of 24 Boston-area state legislators recently ran without major-party opposition, saying fear of media scrutiny and the cost of campaigns keep qualified people off the ballot: "When you do it, your reputation is in jeopardy — you can be attacked fairly or unfairly."