Black Leaders Join UMass Boston Students to Protest Chancellor's Resignation

BOSTON (CBS) -- A number of the city's African-American leaders gathered at the State House with UMass Boston students to protest the ousting of UMass Boston Chancellor Keith Motley Saturday.

Keith Motley tendered his resignation effective this summer after a $30 million deficit came to light.

But the city's urban leaders, including the NAACP, say UMass President Marty Meehan and Gov. Charlie Baker are in part scapegoating Motley.

"The people who did the construction at UMass are the folks who should be held accountable for any overruns for the construction, not the chancellor," said State Rep. Russell Holmes. "There are other chancellors that have had similar overruns across the Commonwealth, and are not being fired."

Other community leaders like the Rev. Liz Walker wonder if Motley, who is black, is being unfairly targeted.

"So, University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan, we'd like to have a word with you," she shouted through a bullhorn on Beacon Hill Saturday morning. "So, to the Board of Trustees at UMass Boston, we'd like to have a word with you."

The argument is not that Motley avoids any responsibility, but that Meehan and the Board of Trustees should take some, too.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karyn Regal reports