The state Board of Higher Education approved the appointment of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ 12th president during a special meeting Tuesday.A graduate of Lee High School and Westfield State University, Jaimie Birge previously served as president of Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire.
“When all of us come to work in the morning our thought should be ‘What are we doing today to help students succeed?’” said Birge.
MCLA’s search has been ongoing since August 2014 when Mary Grant announced she was leaving for the University of North Carolina at Asheville. In March 2015, MCLA’s previous pick withdrew because of family health concerns. Birge is expected to start his work at MCLA in March.
