Governor Patrick Breaks Ground on Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Center for Science and Innovation

Governor Deval Patrick recently joined state and local officials for a groundbreaking ceremony at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) Center for Science and Innovation in North Adams. The ceremony celebrated the start of construction for the new center, as well as renovations to MCLA’s existing Bowman Hall.

The project was made possible due to $54.5 million in capital funds provided by Governor Patrick’s 2008 Higher Education Bond Bill, as well as $1.7 million in additional funds from MCLA. The Center for Science and Innovation will be the first new, publicly-funded building on the campus in 40 years and is expected to be completed in 2013.

“Investing in education, innovation and infrastructure is investing in our future,” commented Governor Patrick. “MCLA’s Center for Science and Innovation represents a powerful commitment to our students, our economy and the region.”

“Massachusetts has a rich history in innovation, which continues to be represented in the many growing companies as well as higher education institutions across the state,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “With this new Science and Innovation Center, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will boast state-of-the-art technology that will help advance student learning and workforce development in the Commonwealth.”

“We have been so fortunate to have had great support from our legislators and advocacy from countless friends and supporters in helping to realize the vision of the Center for Science and Innovation,” stated MCLA President Mary K. Grant. “Governor Patrick has been a tireless champion of this project and of MCLA and our students. With this investment from the Commonwealth, students will have new opportunities to work with faculty in the classrooms, on research projects and explore careers in high demand science fields. The center will also serve as a valuable resource for the community and our education and innovation partners across the region and beyond.”

The Center for Science and Innovation will allow MCLA to support innovation and entrepreneurial programs in Berkshire County and across the Commonwealth. The Center will be a resource for students, faculty, K-12 educators and employers in the region, and will connect MCLA more closely to the research and innovation pipeline in biotechnology, nanotechnology, engineering, health care and other fields.

“Today we are celebrating the advocacy and vision of President Mary Grant, past and present North Adams officials and the Patrick-Murray Administration – all of whom collaborated to make the Center for Science and Innovation a reality for MCLA,” commented Senator Benjamin B. Downing, who served as the vice-chairman of the Committee on Higher Education when the bond appropriation used to fund this project was enacted (and who still serves on the Committee). “This groundbreaking represents our commitment to ensure Berkshire County’s students and workforce are well-trained to excel in the advancing fields of science and technology.”

“To have a state-of-the-art center like this means more jobs for the state of Massachusetts,” said Representative Tom Sanniccandro, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Higher Education. “The Massachusetts economy is based on innovation in science and medical technology. This center means our workforce will remain competitive in these critical areas.”

The Center will serve as a high-tech laboratory for college’s science programs as well as a community resource. It will be a unified, interdisciplinary facility for promoting research-intensive, discovery-based learning. The 65,000-square-foot Center will house nine flexible laboratories and research space for biology, environmental science, chemistry, physics, psychology and the Berkshire Environmental Resource Center.

The Patrick-Murray Administration has made significant capital investments in the Commonwealth’s higher education infrastructure. In 2008, the Governor increased funding for higher education capital projects through his first five-year capital plan, and shortly after obtained passage of the $2.2 billion, 10-year higher education bond bill that designated $54.5 million in capital funds for MCLA’s Center for Science and Innovation. By 2013, higher education investments will represent more than 10 percent of the Commonwealth’s entire bond cap, up from three percent in 2007.

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