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Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA)

Website:

mcla.edu
Type:

Public University
Location:

North Adams, MA
President:

James F. Birge
Endowment:

$22.1 Million

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Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) is a public liberal arts college located in North Adams, Massachusetts. As part of the Massachusetts state university system, it is the Commonwealth’s designated public liberal arts institution. The college is characterized by small class sizes and a curriculum that integrates practical skills with a traditional liberal arts foundation. 1  2

Background

Founded in 1894 as North Adams Normal School, MCLA originally focused on teacher training. It evolved into North Adams State College in 1960 and was renamed Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 1997. Situated in the Berkshire Mountains, the campus is a cultural and economic driver for the region, maintaining close partnerships with institutions like the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. 3  4

MCLA is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), an association of public institutions dedicated to providing liberal arts education. The college offers over 80 academic programs, with emphases in English, business, psychology, and the arts. Governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts, the college underwent a leadership transition following the retirement of university president James F. Birge in 2026. 5  6  7

Financials

The MCLA Foundation, Inc. is the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ primary philanthropic arm, managing an endowment of approximately $20 million. The Foundation funds over 100 scholarships annually and supports campus infrastructure, such as the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation. Significant private support has historically come from the Feigenbaum Foundation, which contributed over $5 million to bolster science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and innovation programs. Other major donors include the Fitzpatrick Family and various alumni who focus on “High-Impact Practices” (HIPs), ensuring that 95 percent of students receive some form of financial aid. 8  9  10

MCLA faces a structural deficit similar to other small public institutions. The 2025-2026 budget saw a shift in federal funding due to the Trump administration’s January 2025 Executive Order on DEI, prompting the college to rely more heavily on state tax revenue to bridge gaps. 11  12

Controversies

Pro-Palestinian Protests

In May 2024, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students and Williams College allies occupied Bowman Hall. Protesters demanded the college sever ties with defense contractor General Dynamics due to its role in the Gaza conflict. While the administration initially allowed a “Day of Dialogue,” the building occupation sparked local debate. An MCLA alumnus published a plea in the Berkshire Eagle questioning the necessity of “rioting” and disruptive tactics. 13  14

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Prior to 2025, MCLA was a leader in “anti-racist leadership,” embedding DEI into its core curriculum. However, following the Trump administration’s January 2025 Executive Order targeting federal DEI funding, the college pivoted. Instead of dismantling DEI related departments and programs, the administration restructured its “Division of Equity and Belonging” into a Civil Rights Compliance office to protect federal student aid. While the state-level administration of Gov. Maura Healey (D) continues to support DEI programming, MCLA has been forced to “neutralize” official language. 15  16  11

Campus Surveillance

Concerns regarding campus surveillance rose in 2025, with student activists raising alarms about the use of AI and facial recognition technology to monitor demonstrations. MCLA did not officially confirm the use of biometric tracking, however the broader Massachusetts state university system faced scrutiny for data-sharing practices that could “dox” protesters via third-party groups. 17  18

Leadership

MCLA is governed by an 11-member Board of Trustees appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts. The Board, which includes one student trustee and one alumni representative, oversees the college’s fiscal health, academic mission, and strategic planning. Key members include chair John Barrett III and vice chair Karen Kowalczyk, both of whom have focused on regional economic integration and the “Goal 2” equity initiatives outlined in the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. 19  20

President James F. Birge, who has led the institution since 2016, announced his retirement effective June 2026. Birge’s tenure was marked by the expansion of the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation and the college’s rise in national social mobility rankings. A Presidential Search Committee, composed of trustees, faculty, and community leaders, was formed in late 2025 to identify a successor capable of navigating the post-2025 federal funding landscape and declining regional demographics. Other key leaders include provost Richard Glejzer, who manages the academic portfolio and faculty relations. 21  22

References

  1. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025, “Mission & Values,” https://mcla.edu/about-mcla/mission-values/. 
  2. “About MCLA,” Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, accessed March 20, 2026, https://mcla.edu/about-mcla/. 
  3. “The College and Its History,” MCLA Academic Catalog, accessed March 20, 2026, https://catalog.mcla.edu/undergraduate/college-history/. 
  4. Terrell McCoy and Ryan McDonald, “Name change to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts,” Historic North Adams, last updated April 22, 2025, https://historicnorthadams.com/items/show/174. 
  5. “Member Institutions,” Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), accessed March 20, 2026, https://www.coplac.org/about. 
  6. “Presidential Search,” Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, accessed March 20, 2026, https://mcla.edu/about-mcla/president/presidential-search.php. 
  7. Josh Landes, “Birge to step down as MCLA president next spring, closing out 10-year run,” WAMC, September 3, 2025, https://www.wamc.org/news/2025-09-03/birge-to-step-down-as-mcla-president-next-spring-closing-out-10-year-run. 
  8. “Massachusetts College Of Liberal Arts Foundation Inc,” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42613803. 
  9. “MCLA President’s Report 2025,” Issuu, August 18, 2025, https://issuu.com/mclawebmaster/docs/president_s_report_2025. 
  10. “Feigenbaum Foundation Inc – Grant Information,” Hinchilla, https://www.hinchilla.com/funders-us/043000345-feigenbaum-foundation-inc. 
  11. Executive Order 14173, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” 90 Fed. Reg. 8633 (January 21, 2025), https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/. 
  12. “2024–2025 MCLA Factbook,” Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, https://www.mcla.edu/_pdfs/administration/administration-offices/institutional-research/2025-spring/2024-2025MCLA-Factbook.pdf. 
  13. Francesca Parisi, “Williams College, MCLA students protest colleges’ ties to General Dynamics as pro-Palestine demonstrations come to North County,” The Berkshire Eagle, May 1, 2024, https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/northern_berkshires/article_98311e82-07ed-11ef-b120-5fafb6f1b9de.html. 
  14. “Letter: My plea to protesting students at Williams, MCLA,” The Berkshire Eagle, May 2, 2024, https://www.berkshireeagle.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/article_7754bce8-089f-11ef-b0f5-0333551ba283.html. 
  15. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, “MCLA Strategic Plan: 2022-2027,” https://www.mcla.edu/Assets/uploads/MCLA/import/www.mcla.edu/About_MCLA/uploads/textWidget/633.00008/documents/strategic_plan-2.pdf. 
  16. “Governor Healey and Attorney General Campbell Issue Joint Guidance Affirming Commitment to Equal Access to Education,” Mass.gov, September 23, 2025, https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-and-attorney-general-campbell-issue-joint-guidance-affirming-commitment-to-equal-access-to-education. 
  17. “Students call for ban on face surveillance in Massachusetts schools,” ACLU of Massachusetts, https://www.aclum.org/press-releases/students-call-ban-face-surveillance-massachusetts-schools/. 
  18. “SD2424 | Massachusetts 2025-2026 | An Act to promote transparency of facial recognition and driver’s license photos,” PolicyEngage, December 4, 2025, https://trackbill.com/bill/massachusetts-senate-docket-2424-an-act-to-promote-transparency-of-facial-recognition-and-drivers-license-photos/2616945/. 
  19. “Board of Trustees, 2025-2026,” MCLA Academic Catalog, https://catalog.mcla.edu/undergraduate/college-history/boardoftrustees/. 
  20. “Strategic Plan 2025-30,” Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, https://mcla.edu/about-mcla/mission-values/strategic-plan-2025-30.php. 
  21. “Presidential Search,” Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, https://mcla.edu/about-mcla/president/presidential-search.php. 
  22. Josh Landes, “Birge to step down as MCLA president next spring,” WAMC, September 3, 2025, https://www.wamc.org/news/2025-09-03/birge-to-step-down-as-mcla-president-next-spring-closing-out-10-year-run.
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