Become a COPLAC Member

The Council on Public Liberal Arts Colleges establishes membership through a set of criteria and a review process. Prospective member universities should be committed to the mission and values of COPLAC and to collaborative work that supports the public sector of higher education, representing access, affordability, and community engagement, while providing students with a holistic and integrative liberal arts and sciences undergraduate experience that prepares students for lifelong learning and civic engagement in a democratic society.

COPLAC institutions have typically been small to medium-sized, but there are no size criteria. In the past, the full-time equivalency students (FTES) for COPLAC institutions has ranged from 900 to 8500. More important than a specified student enrollment as a membership criterion is the candidate institution’s demonstrated commitment to a student-centered liberal education such as that offered by the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ LEAP initiative with its Essential Learning Outcomes.

Institutions with provisional membership are working toward satisfying the criteria for full membership, as stated above. Provisional members may attend COPLAC board meetings and conferences but are not eligible to vote on board decisions and should not be present when the vote on membership is taken. Provisional membership status may be continued for five years and does not guarantee full membership. After five years, institutions must reapply for provisional status.

The Council on Public Liberal Arts Colleges establishes membership through a set of criteria and a review process. Prospective member universities should be committed to the mission and values of COPLAC and to collaborative work that supports the public sector of higher education, representing access, affordability, and community engagement, while providing students with a holistic and integrative liberal arts and sciences undergraduate experience that prepares students for lifelong learning and civic engagement in a democratic society.

COPLAC institutions have typically been small to medium-sized, but there are no size criteria. In the past, the full-time equivalency students (FTES) for COPLAC institutions has ranged from 900 to 8500. More important than a specified student enrollment as a membership criterion is the candidate institution’s demonstrated commitment to a student-centered liberal education such as that offered by the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ LEAP initiative with its Essential Learning Outcomes.

Institutions with provisional membership are working toward satisfying the criteria for full membership, as stated above. Provisional members may attend COPLAC board meetings and conferences but are not eligible to vote on board decisions and should not be present when the vote on membership is taken. Provisional membership status may be continued for five years and does not guarantee full membership. After five years, institutions must reapply for provisional status.