MCLA Changes Leaders; Brown's Name in Presidential Pool

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Cynthia F. Brown is stepping down as interim president of MCLA to allow her name to be put forward as a candidate for the post. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The leadership at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will switch this month to allow Cynthia F. Brown, the current interim president, to become a candidate for the college's 12th president.

The board of trustees on Thursday morning named Trustee James C. Clemmer, a 1986 graduate, as interim beginning on Aug. 14. Brown will resume her duties as vice president of academic affairs. She joined the college in that post in 2009.

"The board is responsible for hiring MCLA's next president so we must ensure that the best possible pool of candidates is cultivated and put forth for consideration," said Chairman Tyler Faribank in a statement. "This leadership transition will maintain the integrity of the search process and allow Dr. Brown to compete for the position."

Brown has been leading the college since the departure of Mary Grant last year to become chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Asheville. The prime candidate from an initial search earlier this year declined the post.

Guidelines by the Board of Higher Education state interim presidents "shall not be eligible to be considered for the permanent presidency."

Brown earned her master's degrees history and political science from Bryn Mawr (Pa.) College and received her doctorate in American civilization from Brandeis University in Waltham. She was a member of the faculty and administration at Lesley University beginning in 1992, holding various positions. She was assistant vice president of national programs before coming to MCLA in 2009 to replace retiring Vice President Steve Green.

Clemmer, the alumni representative to the board, recently retired as president of the medical supplies segment of Covidien PLC, a medical device manufacturer. He also managed global manufacturing, research and development, operational excellence, business development and all other functions associated with the medical supplies business during his 15 years with the company. He began his career in the medical device industry with Sage Products and joined Covidien as part of the Sage Products acquisition in 1999.


"Jim Clemmer is a veteran executive with more than 25 years of varied business experience, and will be a tremendous asset to the College in his new role of interim president," Fairbank said. "We are grateful to Jim for his most generous offer to help lead MCLA during this transition."

Clemmer has been a trustee and member of the board's Fiscal Affairs Committee since 2007, and was chairman of Fiscal Affairs from 2011 to 2014.
 
"As a member of the board of trustees and alumnus, I have witnessed the commitment of the extraordinarily talented faculty and staff to our students," Clemmer said. "Through my work on the Fiscal Affairs Committee I am acutely aware of the fiscal challenges of the college.

"Given my knowledge and expertise of running complex organizations, along with my unwavering faith in this community, I have full confidence that I can steward the institution through this transition. Our mission and promise to provide a top-notch liberal arts education to our students at the level of excellence that has come to be expected from an MCLA education will not be disrupted during this period."

The trustees last month determined on an "aggressive" schedule for replacing Grant, who led the college for more than a decade. Korn Ferry, an executive search firm headquartered in Los Angeles, has been retained to assist with the presidential search. Trustees Mohan Boodram and Susan Gold are again leading the search, with Trustees JD Chesloff and Shirley Edgerton participating.

The college hopes to name a new president early in the new year.


Tags: board of trustees,   college president,   MCLA,   search committee,   

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Clarksburg Sees Race for Select Board Seat

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town will see a three-way race for a seat on the Select Board in May. 
 
Colton Andrews, Seth Alexander and Bryana Malloy returned papers by Wednesday's deadline to run for the three-year term vacated by Jeffrey Levanos. 
 
Andrews ran unsuccessfully for School Committee and is former chairman of the North Adams Housing Authority, on which he was a union representative. He is also president of the Pioneer Valley Building Trades Council.
 
Malloy and Alexander are both newcomers to campaigning. Malloy is manager of industrial relations for the Berkshire Workforce Board and Alexander is a resident of Gates Avenue. 
 
Alexander also returned papers for several other offices, including School Committee, moderator, library trustee and the five-year seat on the Planning Board. He took out papers for War Memorial trustee and tree warden but did not return them and withdrew a run for Board of Health. 
 
He will face off in the three-year School Committee seat against incumbent Cynthia Brule, who is running for her third term, and fellow newcomer Bonnie Cunningham for library trustee. 
 
Incumbent Ronald Boucher took out papers for a one-year term as moderator but did not return them. He was appointed by affirmation in 2021 when no won ran and accepted the post again last year as a write-in.
 
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