Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
Encyclopedia
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. Established in 1987, COPLAC advances the aims of its member institutions and drives awareness of the value of public liberal arts education in a student-centered, residential environment.
COPLAC campuses are small-to-medium sized (800-7000 students) and the focus is primarily on undergraduate education. As public institutions, COPLAC colleges and universities combine an egalitarian concern for access with academic rigor. Member institutions work to provide a transformative liberal arts education commensurate with that offered by North America’s finest private colleges. Essential features this goal are extensive, integrated arts and sciences core curricula.
The majority of campuses are located in small towns and cities, while others are located in attractive rural areas. Some COPLAC campuses have received official designation from their state legislatures or public university systems as the state’s public liberal arts college or the public honors college for the liberal arts.
Mission
COPLAC serves both external and internal constituencies. It communicates to state and federal policy makers the importance and benefits of providing students with comprehensive public higher education in the liberal arts and sciences. It collaborates with major national higher education organizations like the Association of American Colleges and Universities
to advance the aims of liberal learning in a global society. Through its public liberal arts newsletter, the PLAN, campus leaders offer insight into major issues facing public higher education in the new global century.
COPLAC organizes and administers a number of member collaborations, including faculty and student exchanges, professional development opportunities for staff, faculty summer institutes, shared study-abroad programs, and enhanced information sharing. COPLAC also hosts regional undergraduate research conferences, where students present the results of senior-year scholarly and creative projects. A web-based undergraduate research journal, Metamorphosis, showcases exceptional student work at all 26 member institutions.
Governance
The Governing Board of COPLAC consists of the 26 presidents/chancellors or their designees. The Board elects a president of the organization for a two-year term and the full board meets on a semi-annual basis. The Board also elects a five-person Executive Committee whose members oversee the administrative work of the Executive Director of COPLAC. The COPLAC central office and staff are located on the campus of the University of North Carolina, Asheville.
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Midwest
Southwest
Northwest
Canada
COPLAC campuses are small-to-medium sized (800-7000 students) and the focus is primarily on undergraduate education. As public institutions, COPLAC colleges and universities combine an egalitarian concern for access with academic rigor. Member institutions work to provide a transformative liberal arts education commensurate with that offered by North America’s finest private colleges. Essential features this goal are extensive, integrated arts and sciences core curricula.
The majority of campuses are located in small towns and cities, while others are located in attractive rural areas. Some COPLAC campuses have received official designation from their state legislatures or public university systems as the state’s public liberal arts college or the public honors college for the liberal arts.
Mission
COPLAC serves both external and internal constituencies. It communicates to state and federal policy makers the importance and benefits of providing students with comprehensive public higher education in the liberal arts and sciences. It collaborates with major national higher education organizations like the Association of American Colleges and Universities
Association of American Colleges and Universities
The Association of American Colleges and Universities is a national association that is committed to improving undergraduate education and advancing liberal education as the preferred philosophy of education for all students...
to advance the aims of liberal learning in a global society. Through its public liberal arts newsletter, the PLAN, campus leaders offer insight into major issues facing public higher education in the new global century.
COPLAC organizes and administers a number of member collaborations, including faculty and student exchanges, professional development opportunities for staff, faculty summer institutes, shared study-abroad programs, and enhanced information sharing. COPLAC also hosts regional undergraduate research conferences, where students present the results of senior-year scholarly and creative projects. A web-based undergraduate research journal, Metamorphosis, showcases exceptional student work at all 26 member institutions.
Governance
The Governing Board of COPLAC consists of the 26 presidents/chancellors or their designees. The Board elects a president of the organization for a two-year term and the full board meets on a semi-annual basis. The Board also elects a five-person Executive Committee whose members oversee the administrative work of the Executive Director of COPLAC. The COPLAC central office and staff are located on the campus of the University of North Carolina, Asheville.
Members
NortheastNortheastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
- Eastern Connecticut State UniversityEastern Connecticut State UniversityEastern Connecticut State University is a public, coeducational liberal arts university and is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Eastern is located in Willimantic, Connecticut on . Founded in 1889, it is the second-oldest campus in the Connecticut State University System...
- Connecticut - Keene State CollegeKeene State CollegeKeene State College is a liberal arts college in Keene, New Hampshire. It is a member of the University System of New Hampshire and of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges....
- New Hampshire - Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsMassachusetts College of Liberal ArtsThe Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 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...
- Massachusetts - St. Mary's College of MarylandSt. Mary's College of MarylandSt. Mary's College of Maryland, established in 1840, is a public, secular liberal arts college located in St. Mary's City, Maryland. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and designated as a Public Honors College . St. Mary's College is a small college, with about 2,000...
- Maryland - Ramapo College of New Jersey - New Jersey
- State University of New York at GeneseoState University of New York at GeneseoThe State University of New York at Geneseo—also known as SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo State, or, colloquially, Geneseo—is located in Geneseo, Livingston County, New York, United States. It is a University College of the State University of New York...
- New York - University of Maine at FarmingtonUniversity of Maine at FarmingtonThe University of Maine at Farmington, established in 1864 as Maine’s first public institution of higher education, is a public liberal arts college, and a founding member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges offering programs in teacher education, human services and arts and sciences as...
- Maine
South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
- Shepherd UniversityShepherd UniversityShepherd University, formerly Shepherd College, is a state-funded university in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, United States. The University currently serves more than 4,200 students.- Accreditation :...
- West Virginia - Georgia College & State UniversityGeorgia College & State UniversityGeorgia College & State University is a public liberal arts university in Milledgeville, Georgia, United States, with approximately 7,000 students...
- Georgia - Henderson State UniversityHenderson State UniversityHenderson State University, founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College, is a four-year public liberal arts university located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, United States. It is Arkansas's only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges...
- Arkansas - New College of FloridaNew College of FloridaNew College of Florida is a public liberal arts college located in Sarasota, Florida. It was founded originally as a private institution and is now an autonomous honors college of the State University System of Florida.-History:...
- Florida - University of Mary WashingtonUniversity of Mary WashingtonThe University of Mary Washington is a public, coeducational liberal arts college located in the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA. Founded in 1908 by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a normal school, during much of the twentieth century it was part of the University of Virginia, until...
- Virginia - University of MontevalloUniversity of MontevalloThe University of Montevallo is a four-year public university located in Montevallo, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1896, it is Alabama's only public liberal arts college and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Programs are offered through the Michael E...
- Alabama - University of North Carolina at AshevilleUniversity of North Carolina at AshevilleThe University of North Carolina at Asheville is a co-educational, four year, public liberal arts university. The university is also known as UNC Asheville. Located in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina, UNCA is the only designated liberal arts institution in the University of North...
- North Carolina - University of Virginia's College at WiseUniversity of Virginia's College at WiseThe University of Virginia's College at Wise is the liberal arts college of the University of Virginia, and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, located in Wise, Virginia...
- Virginia
Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
- University of Minnesota Morris - Minnesota
- Truman State UniversityTruman State UniversityTruman State University is a public liberal arts and sciences university in Missouri, United States and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. About 6,000 students attend Truman, pursuing degrees in 43 undergraduate and 9 Graduate programs. It is located in Kirksville in...
- Missouri - University of Wisconsin–SuperiorUniversity of Wisconsin–SuperiorThe University of Wisconsin–Superior is a public university located in Superior, Wisconsin. UW–Superior grants bachelor's, master's, and specialist's degrees...
- Wisconsin - University of Illinois at SpringfieldUniversity of Illinois at SpringfieldThe University of Illinois at Springfield is a public university in Springfield, Illinois. The University was established in 1969 as Sangamon State University by the Illinois General Assembly and became a part of the University of Illinois system on July 1, 1995.The University of Illinois at...
- Illinois
Southwest
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
- Fort Lewis CollegeFort Lewis CollegeFort Lewis College is a public liberal arts college in Durango, Colorado.-History:Military FortThe original site of Fort Lewis College began southwest of its present location back in 1880. Set up originally as a Military Fort for the 22nd Regimental Infantry which occupied the land from...
- Colorado - Midwestern State UniversityMidwestern State UniversityMidwestern State University is a public liberal arts college in Wichita Falls, Texas, and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges...
- Texas - University of Science and Arts of OklahomaUniversity of Science and Arts of OklahomaThe University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, or USAO, is a public liberal arts college located in Chickasha, Oklahoma. It is the only public college with a strictly liberal arts-focused curriculum in Oklahoma. It provides Bachelor's Degrees and many students move on to graduate schools across...
- Oklahoma
Northwest
Northwestern United States
The Northwestern United States comprise the northwestern states up to the western Great Plains regions of the United States, and consistently include the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, to which part of southeast Alaska is also sometimes included...
- The Evergreen State CollegeThe Evergreen State CollegeThe Evergreen State College is an accredited public liberal arts college and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. It is located in Olympia, Washington, USA. Founded in 1967, Evergreen was formed to be an experimental and non-traditional college...
- Washington - Sonoma State UniversitySonoma State UniversitySonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
- California - Southern Oregon UniversitySouthern Oregon Universityis a public liberal arts college located in Ashland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1926, it was formerly known as Southern Oregon College and Southern Oregon State College . SOU offers criminology, natural sciences, including environmental science, Shakespearean studies and theatre arts programs...
- Oregon
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- University of Alberta, Augustana Campus - Alberta, Canada