Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Encyclopedia
The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) is a public, residential, liberal arts college
that offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Located in North Adams, Massachusetts
, it is part of the state university system of Massachusetts. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
. Originally established as part of the state's normal school
system for training teachers, it now offers a wide variety of programs leading to Bachelor of Science
and Arts
degrees, as well as a Master
of Education
track.
In 2004, President Mary Grant initiated collaborations with other institutions to strengthen MCLA's leadership position. The college launched the Berkshire Compact for Higher Education and MCLA Gallery 51. MCLA also is the lead partner in the Berkshire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Pipeline Network.
In 2008, Governor Deval Patrick signed the Higher Education Bond Bill that includes $54.5 million for a new Center for Science and Innovation at MCLA.
, about one hour from Albany, New York
, and two hours from Hartford, Connecticut
. It is located 50 miles from Albany, 180 miles from New York City, and 135 miles from Boston.
From the 1960s, the college's athletic teams were known as the Mohawks after the Mohawk trail which runs along Rt 2. The name was changed due to an overreaction by the faculty, even though the Mohawk Nation repeatedly stated that they were not offended by the name.
M.C.L.A. Hockey was the most successful team in the college’s history until it was cut in 2003 due to title 9. The players were not informed until the school year started which made it too late for transfers. This cost the players a year of eligibility.
The college Honors Program includes ten percent of the student body for whom it offers special interdisciplinary courses in such topics as "The Mathematics of Fairness," "Ethics and Animals" or "The Romantic Movement." The college is authorized by the state to grant the distinction "Commonwealth Scholar" to students who complete the honors program with a capstone thesis.
MCLA also has one faculty publication: The Mind's Eye, and one alumni publication, Beacons & Seeds, which comes out twice a year.
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
that offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Located in North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
, it is part of the state university system of Massachusetts. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges or COPLAC is a consortium of 26 public colleges and universities in 24 states and one Canadian province...
. Originally established as part of the state's normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
system for training teachers, it now offers a wide variety of programs leading to Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degrees, as well as a Master
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
of Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
track.
History
MCLA was founded in 1894 as North Adams Normal School, and it offered first instruction at post-secondary level three years later. In 1932, North Adams Normal School became State Teachers College of North Adams. Along with the name change, it added an upper-division curriculum and awarded the first degree (baccalaureate). Four years later, the school instituted an upper-graduate program. In 1960, the college changed its name to North Adams State College and, later in 1997, to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the latter name reflecting its position as the public liberal arts college within the Massachusetts state university system.In 2004, President Mary Grant initiated collaborations with other institutions to strengthen MCLA's leadership position. The college launched the Berkshire Compact for Higher Education and MCLA Gallery 51. MCLA also is the lead partner in the Berkshire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Pipeline Network.
In 2008, Governor Deval Patrick signed the Higher Education Bond Bill that includes $54.5 million for a new Center for Science and Innovation at MCLA.
Location
MCLA is located one mile from the center of North Adams, Massachusetts, a city of 13,708 people, in the northwestern corner of the state that borders both Vermont and New York. Travel time from Boston, Massachusetts is around three hours, three and a half hours from New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, about one hour from Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, and two hours from Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. It is located 50 miles from Albany, 180 miles from New York City, and 135 miles from Boston.
Degrees
MCLA awards the bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science on the undergraduate level and also confers master's degrees in both education and business administration, as well as a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS). MCLA offers 19 major programs of study and 35 minors. On average, MCLA offers 300 academic courses each semester.Athletics
MCLA has more than 40 student clubs and 11 competitive NCAA Division III teams: active intercollegiate female teams are Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Cross-Country, Soccer,and Softball while active intercollegiate male teams are Baseball, Basketball, Golf, Cross-Country, and Soccer. MCLA competes in the MASCAC league.From the 1960s, the college's athletic teams were known as the Mohawks after the Mohawk trail which runs along Rt 2. The name was changed due to an overreaction by the faculty, even though the Mohawk Nation repeatedly stated that they were not offended by the name.
M.C.L.A. Hockey was the most successful team in the college’s history until it was cut in 2003 due to title 9. The players were not informed until the school year started which made it too late for transfers. This cost the players a year of eligibility.
Institutional structure
MCLA is governed by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. Beyond that, MCLA has extra-institutional representation of 11 voting members and the Board of Trustees, whose members are appointed by the governor which has 11 voting members. A student representative to the board of trustees is elected every spring by the student body to sit for one academic year. Administration positions include 12 men and 24 women. Academic affairs is headed by the vice president for academic affairs. Business and finances is headed by the vice president for administration and finance. Student affairs is headed by the dean of students. The full-time instructional faculty has 52 men and 36 women, and there are 100 students, which leads to a faculty/student ratio of 1 to 1. The academic governance body, All College Committee, meets an average of nine times each year.Admission
MCLA has a rolling-admissions plan but requires graduation from an accredited secondary school or a GED. MCLA uses SAT or ACT composite scores for entrance consideration. MCLA accepts transfer students with grade-point average requirements or with an associate degree.Degree requirements
Graduation from MCLA requires completing 120 credits of academic work. From these 120 credits, about 40 should be college-wide core curriculum credits. Another 40 credits are required to complete a major. Like many higher education programs, 40 upper-division credits are also required. MCLA has a college residence requirement saying at least 45 credits must be earned in residence at the college. Students must earn at least a 2.0 grade point average overall and a 2.0 in their major.Distinctive educational programs
MCLA offers internships for undergraduates through the Berkshire Hills Internship Program. It also offers undergraduates coursework in other countries through its travel abroad program. MCLA belongs to the Massachusetts Council for International Education (MaCIE), College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS), and the National Student Exchange (NSE). Through these associations and connections, students are sent on semester- or year-long programs to colleges around the world.The college Honors Program includes ten percent of the student body for whom it offers special interdisciplinary courses in such topics as "The Mathematics of Fairness," "Ethics and Animals" or "The Romantic Movement." The college is authorized by the state to grant the distinction "Commonwealth Scholar" to students who complete the honors program with a capstone thesis.
Publications
The school has two student publications: The Beacon, a weekly newspaper, and Spires, a literary magazine published each year. Radio Station WJJW broadcasts for 140 hours each week.MCLA also has one faculty publication: The Mind's Eye, and one alumni publication, Beacons & Seeds, which comes out twice a year.
Notable alumni
- Daniel E. BosleyDaniel E. BosleyDaniel E. Bosley is a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the current president of the North Adams SteepleCats of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. -Education:...
- member of the Mass. House of RepresentativesMassachusetts House of RepresentativesThe Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
(served 1986 - 2011) - Thomas CalterThomas CalterThomas J. Calter III is the Massachusetts State Representative for the 12th Plymouth District, which includes the towns of Kingston and Plympton and parts of Plymouth, Duxbury, Halifax, and Middleborough. He is a Democrat....
- member of the Mass. House of RepresentativesMassachusetts House of RepresentativesThe Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
(served 2007 - present) - Jane Swift - former lieutenant governor under Governor Paul CellucciPaul CellucciArgeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
(1999–2001), and served as acting governor (April 2001 to January 2003). - Mary Grant - current president of MCLA and the first alumna to serve as president.
- Anton StroutAnton StroutAnton Strout is an American urban fantasy author. He is under contract for four books in his "Simon Canderous" series, the first of which, Dead to Me, was published by Ace Books in 2008...
- urban fantasy novelist.