UMass Rescinds Award To Corrupt Puerto Rico Governor Rossello

For a still mysterious reason, UMass-Boston was about to award the Chancellor’s Medal to Puerto Rico former Gov. Pedro Rosselló, whose administration is considered by historians and political observers as the most corrupt in the island’s history. Dozens of his administrators and Cabinet secretaries were imprisoned for stealing millions of dollars from the departments of health, education, public works and others. More than 1,400 academics from UMass, many of them Puerto Rican, denounced the award. Under pressure by its own community and in social media, UMass-Boston rescinded the award. But they haven’t answered why Rosselló was considered in the first place — and for a second award.