note on campus closures and mergers.
Quick note here.
We have all heard a lot in the news recently about colleges and universities merging or closing. This is not a new phenomenon, and higher education certainly is not “going away”. Does it need to be constantly evolving, and traditionally move at a glacial pace? Absolutely, to both.
But looking over the list, none of colleges and universities who have merged or shuttered have really been a shock, at least not to date. Struggling, niche religious schools and for-profit schools dominate these lists.
It can actually sometimes be a good thing for all involved parties when schools get purchased or merge with another. And in some cases too, like the one in the link below between two midwest Catholic universities, the athletic offerings may not only be retained, they could even become expanded.
Here is a link to the news article from St. Ambrose (Davenport, IA):
If you do not want to read the full article, here's the pertinent section:
St. Ambrose will continue to operate Mount Mercy as a separate university maintaining its own degree authorization, accreditation and federal student financial aid participation. At the end of the transition period, which is expected to last until mid-2026, the two universities will be fully combined under St. Ambrose with distinct campuses, educational offerings and intercollegiate athletic programs in both Davenport and Cedar Rapids. The Mount Mercy name will also be retained in the strategic combination, with that institution becoming the Mount Mercy Campus of St. Ambrose University.
One of the most overlooked and important aspects of attending a college or university is in the sense of connection and collective identity that students and alums share. So the added news of St. Ambrose retaining the Mount Mercy name and history is very welcomed and is important for several reasons. Give them props for this, because unfortunately it is not always the case in the instance of a merger or an acquisition.
(Villanova / Cabrini still sticks in the craw a little, but that’s a story for another time!)
BestColleges has done a good job keeping the running list of closures up to date if you would also like to keep an eye on it.
https://www.bestcolleges.com/research/closed-colleges-list-statistics-major-closures/
End of the day, when you hear the noise that "schools are closing all over the place", just take it with a grain of salt.
