New Chair Of Higher Ed Board

Published Aug 15 2007, 07:45 PM by David S. Bernstein

Gov. Patrick has sent out a release naming Fred W. Clark, a one-time aide to Congressman Joe Moakley and, more recently, former executive officer of the Council of Presidents of Massachusetts State Colleges, to replace Stephen Tocco on the state Board of Higher Education, and take the role of chairman.

Clark has been touted as a collaborator, a guy who can get the legislature, the schools, and the business community to work together, and a guy who wants enhanced cooperation among UMass, the colleges, and the community colleges in the state system.

Hand it to Deval -- he gets people to come work for the state. Clark just left his Council of Presidents job less than a year ago, leaving the thankless public sector to take a real-estate gig. Now he's jumping back into the fray.