As of October 14, 2008, the Massachusetts General Laws were amended to designate the 15 community colleges in Massachusetts collectively as the Governor Foster Furcolo Community Colleges. The passage of this amendment fell 50 years—nearly to the day—after Governor Furcolo signed into law his bill, Chapter 605: An Act Establishing a Massachusetts Board of Regional Community Colleges and Providing for the Establishment of Regional Community Colleges, which established a system of community colleges for Massachusetts.
This designation is made in recognition of Governor Furcolo's passionate advocacy for the expansion of the public higher education system to serve students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, all over the state. As a Massachusetts House of Representatives Resolution commending Governor Furcolo stated:
The Horace Mann of the twentieth century, he was the prime sponsor of expanded public and private loan and scholarship programs for needy students; father of an expanded University of Massachusetts; creator of the Community College System, Southeastern Massachusetts University (now UMass Dartmouth), Lowell University, (now UMass Lowell) and the improved State College System.
Governor Furcolo also served as a member of the Massachusetts Board of Regents of Higher Education (now the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education).
>> Text of Legislative Act
A Man on a Mission: Foster Furcolo and the Creation of the Massachusetts Community College System" (Research paper by Kim Burns and Dr. Tara Parker of Middlesex Community College)
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