Gov. Maura Healey highlights $2.5 billion BRIGHT Act, $84 million UMass Dartmouth renovation and local jobs

Governor Maura Healey visited the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on Wednesday to highlight a state-funded renovation of the campus’s Arts and Science building and to promote two proposed state investments: the BRIGHT Act, a $2.5 billion package for higher‑education facilities, and the DRIVE initiative, a $400 million research investment.

Healey said the Arts and Science project — which the administration and university officials described as receiving more than $84,000,000 in state investment through the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) — is already supporting local work. “This project alone represents 500 jobs, 500 private sector jobs across 40 different firms and companies in Massachusetts,” Governor Maura Healey said.

The governor framed the proposals as measures to preserve campus buildings, lower energy costs and create jobs. “I am a passionate advocate for public higher education. I’m also a passionate advocate for jobs, and I’m a passionate advocate for driving down energy costs,” Healey said. She and university leaders said the renovation includes new geothermal systems, triple‑pane windows and modernized classrooms, and that the upgrades are estimated to reduce energy costs at the building by about 56 percent.

Chancellor Fuller described the Arts and Science building as an original Paul Rudolph design and said the project addresses both preservation and modern needs. “There is no air conditioning in this building, so that’s a big renovation in addition to the geothermal, the triple pane windows, the modernized classrooms,” Chancellor Fuller said during tour remarks.

UMass President Marty Meehan emphasized the scale of deferred maintenance across the UMass system and urged legislative approval of the BRIGHT Act. “The BRIGHT Act represents the most significant investment in public higher education infrastructure in the history of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” Meehan said. He noted the University has about $4,800,000,000 in deferred maintenance that the system says would be addressed by sustained capital investment.

Frank Callahan, head of the Massachusetts building trades, praised the project for workforce development, noting on‑site apprentices gaining hands‑on experience. “They’re earning while they are learning. They’re making good wages, good benefits,” Callahan said, and he credited project labor agreements and a recent executive order for helping expand opportunities.

University and state officials also tied the BRIGHT Act to broader workforce and economic goals. Healey said the BRIGHT Act and DRIVE initiative together aim to keep students and researchers in Massachusetts, expand construction employment statewide and increase energy efficiency across campuses; she said statewide projections include about 20,000 new construction jobs tied to BRIGHT Act projects.

Officials repeatedly described the proposals as pending legislative priorities. No formal vote or ordinance was taken during the campus event; speakers said they would continue to press the legislature for approval. Chancellor Fuller, President Meehan and Governor Healey all urged lawmakers to move the BRIGHT Act and DRIVE initiative through the legislative process so planned projects can proceed.

The event included university trustees and state officials: DCAM Commissioner Adam Bakke, Secretary of Administration and Finance Matt Gorkowitz, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones, Representative Chris Markey and Dartmouth town administrator Cody Haddad were all acknowledged by speakers as participants or guests.

Officials said the renovation aims to preserve a notable example of brutalist architecture while updating classrooms, accessibility and building systems. They also emphasized that the projects are intended to reduce campuses’ carbon footprints and attract students, researchers and businesses to Massachusetts.