He served as the second Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 1969 in the cabinet of Lyndon Baines Johnson and was president of the University of Massachusetts from 1970 to 1977.
He served as the second Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 1969 in the cabinet of Lyndon Baines Johnson, having been promoted from Undersecretary following the resignation of Robert Weaver. He later served as president of the University of Massachusetts from 1970 to 1977.