Gannon College and Ursuline Faculty announce official merger deal

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Dive Transient:

• Gannon College and Ursuline Faculty have inked a definitive settlement to merge by Dec. 15, 2026, the universities introduced Thursday.
• Each establishments’ boards of trustees permitted the deal final month after signing a letter of intent within the fall. The merger of the 2 Catholic schools might be topic to regulatory sign-offs, and the events anticipate to obtain accreditor approval in June. 
• After an 18-month transition interval, Ursuline might be renamed the “Ursuline Faculty Campus of Gannon College.” The smaller establishment will function underneath Gannon however preserve its personal distinct tutorial applications, athletics and amenities. 

Dive Perception:

The Pennsylvania-based Gannon and Ohio-based Ursuline — positioned about 95 miles aside — mentioned their mixture would create “the most important Catholic system of upper schooling alongside Lake Erie.”

The 2 have been in merger talks since final spring. In September, they introduced their letter of intent to mix underneath the Gannon title. On the time, they mentioned the ensuing greater schooling system would have 6,000 college students and 1,300 staff.

By then, the due diligence course of to vet the mixture had began. In response to the Jan. 2 announcement, a “important quantity” of due diligence has since been accomplished — sufficient that “each establishments are assured within the path ahead.”

Merging with Ursuline, a liberal arts-focused faculty, would broaden Gannon’s tutorial portfolio, which incorporates engineering, enterprise, well being professions and schooling, officers mentioned in September.

Workers from Gannon and Ursuline have established 13 integration groups and are working to “decide the very best methods to mix the strengths of each establishments.” Their focus consists of collaborating round areas reminiscent of know-how and teachers, in line with institutional management. 

“We imagine it is very important retain the college’s identification at the same time as we transfer — collectively — in a brand new route,” Gannon President Walter Iwanenko mentioned Tuesday in an announcement. “Ursuline’s legacy will proceed, simply as Gannon’s legacy will proceed. The aim is to protect and strengthen our establishments to construct a greater future for each.” 

Gannon is by far the bigger establishment, with 4,548 college students in fall 2023 — up 6% from 5 years in the past — in comparison with Ursuline’s 923, in line with federal information. 

Ursuline President David King, who joined final summer time from Jap College, mentioned within the Jan. 2 launch that his establishment had choices for its future path due to its strengths. Whereas its enrollment has declined in recent times, Ursuline nonetheless managed to e book a small finances surplus within the fiscal yr ending June 2023 — in contrast to many different establishments which have sought working companions. 

“We selected this pathway as a result of it preserves our mission and can supply new and expanded alternatives for our college students,” King mentioned. “There’s a deep reservoir of alignment between our two establishments that’s exceptional.” 

The announcement famous that Ursuline college students wouldn’t see any change in tuition, monetary help and scholarships or in tutorial and athletic applications.