Talk about mission creep — or whatever you want to call it. But has UMass Lowell suddenly become an economic-development agency charged with attracting private-sector companies and jobs to Lowell, building a new hotel and a second ice rink to “accommodate tourists and business people coming to Lowell,” and generally striving to become the next Kendall Square? 

The BBJ reports on Chancellor Julie Chen’s grand live/work/play vision that will make Lowell a “place where employees of a company want to be.” The Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce couldn’t have said it better! … No mention of a gazebo, btw. … And certainly no mention of how all this will lead to lower tuition prices for students and parents.