NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts hopes to have a new president by July 1 this year. 

 

The college's search firm WittKieffer has already received 14 completed applications with another 15 expressing interest, said Trustees President Buffy Lord, and had more than 80 responses in the five days since the posting went up. 

 

"The farthest application so far is from California, so obviously it has great interest," she said. "I think we have a lot to offer, not least of all because of where we are in Massachusetts."

 

The deadline for candidate materials is March 13, Lord said, and "we anticipate that we will work properly to narrow the candidate bill and remain on track to have finals on campus for interviews in early April."

 

The update came at the opening breakfast Tuesday for the spring semester, with President James Birge summing up his tenure as he prepares for retirement at the end of the semester.

 

"This is my 20th and final opening breakfast address," he said. "In my first address, in fall of 2016, I offered my thoughts on expanding the institution's commitment to DEI and I'm grateful that we've embraced that work to the degree that I would say, has grown to be a defining characteristic of MCLA."

 

That first breakfast saw the announcement of a $2.2 million U.S. Department of Education Strengthening Institution Grant to support student academic achievement. 

 

"This grant became the foundation for subsequent grants that support academic success, including gifts from an anonymous donor to the state Success funding and a principled element of the Pathways campaign," Birge continued. 

 

Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are key elements to the college's recently approved five-year strategic plan, and the search has begun for a new chief diversity officer who will work out of the president's office. 

 

The implementation of the strategic plan is still early but the college has seen "measurable progress" in recruitment, enrollment and strategic budgeting. The new president will be expected to continue the goals laid about in the plan over the next five years. 

 

"Although external pressures such as enrollment trends and cost escalation persist, the institution has shown the capacity to respond to proactive planning, expenditure, discipline and resource allocation," said Birge. "Overall, the college's financial health is adequate to support its mission and strategic objectives while maintaining resilience and changing higher education market."

 

A bright spot is the Pathways campaign, which had raised $27.1 million in commitments and gifts by the end of last year and is on track to reach $30 million. These funds will support endowed scholarships, programming and staff. This includes the Trailblazer Center and the new Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts, which is expected to go out to bid in early February. 

 

Birge also pointed to the most recent grant — $684,096 in state Success funding to support student retention and degree completion efforts.

 

Kerri Nicoll, president of the MCLA Faculty Association, reiterated her call from last fall for faculty and staff to collaborative in building an inclusive college environment, and thanked those who had made the commitment.

 

"What we have to offer, if we together choose to do so, is a model for living in a complex and uncertain world, for connecting with others across differences of identity and ideology, and for using those connections and those differences to solve the problems we face with creativity and curiosity and care," she said. 

 

Student Government Association President Paige Dufur bid farewell as she and other association members will be graduating in May. Dufur will entering the Master of Public Policy Program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

 

Birge also read a list of notable achievements by faculty in their fields of endeavor, introduced new staff and made his final "bowtie" presentations. 

 

The bowtie pins, based on Birge's favorite neckwear and suggested by Lord, have been given to members of the college community for their "extraordinary efforts." Lord was among the first to receive one.

 

On Tuesday, they were given to food service employees Renee Royal, Arlene Noel and Jerel Dydowucz, Director of Athletics Laura Mooney and Shela Levante, executive director of institutional advancement.

 

"You all work tirelessly to provide our students with a fantastic education and a home away from home," said Lord at the beginning of the breakfast. "I want to thank the on behalf of all of the Board of Trustees for your dedication, your determination and your hard work."