The University of Massachusetts is about to establish a long-awaited physical presence in the city of Springfield.
Gov. Deval Patrick is scheduled to join UMass President Robert Caret and several other officials to announce the location of a satellite center that will open next fall in the state's third-largest city.
The facility will house academic programs affiliated with the university's flagship campus in Amherst, as well as other UMass campuses.
More details are expected to be released at a late morning news conference.
While the university has participated in various programs in the city for many years, state and city officials have been pushing for a more permanent presence in Springfield in the form of a satellite campus.
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