MCLA Board of Trustees Selects Diana Rogers-Adkinson as Next President

NORTH ADAMS — The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) board of trustees voted on Thursday to select Diana Rogers-Adkinson as the institution’s 13th president, pending approval by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.

Rogers-Adkinson will succeed President James Birge, who announced his retirement after more than a decade of leadership at MCLA.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Rogers-Adkinson to the MCLA community,” said Buffy Lord, chair of the MCLA board of trustees. “This was a rigorous and far-reaching search, and it was clear throughout the process that Dr. Rogers-Adkinson brings exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to public liberal arts education that will serve our students and this institution well. We are grateful to everyone in our community who participated, and we look forward to this next chapter for MCLA.”

The selection follows a national search conducted in partnership with WittKieffer, a leading executive search firm in higher education. The process included campus visits by four finalists, each of whom participated in open community sessions that welcomed input from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. The search was designed to be thorough, transparent, and reflective of the values and aspirations of the MCLA community.

Rogers-Adkinson currently serves as senior vice chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and chief academic officer for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), where she provides system-level leadership for 10 universities serving approximately 80,000 students. A tenured professor and published scholar, she holds a PhD from Kent State University and brings a distinguished record in academic leadership, fiscal stewardship, and a deep commitment to equity and access in public higher education.