Established in 1987, COPLAC advances the aims of its member institutions and drives awareness of the value of public liberal arts education in a student-centered, residential environment.
Member institutions work to provide a transformative liberal arts education commensurate with that offered by North America's finest private colleges.
It communicates to state and federal policy makers the importance and benefits of providing students with comprehensive public higher education in the liberal arts and sciences.
It collaborates with major national higher education organizations like the Association of American Colleges and Universities to advance the aims of liberal learning in a global society.
COPLAC also hosts regional undergraduate research conferences, where students present the results of senior-year scholarly and creative projects.