Sentence:  For while the past needs of the Church in this country may have been adequately met by collegiate institutions , which in temper and tone closely resembled junior colleges and finishing schools , it would seem that today 's need <WSD>is</WSD> for the college which more closely resembles the university in its `` pursuit of excellence '' . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)