Dive Temporary:
- Gannon College and Ursuline School 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 School Campus of Gannon College.” The smaller establishment will function beneath Gannon however preserve its personal distinct educational applications, athletics and amenities.
Dive Perception:
The Pennsylvania-based Gannon and Ohio-based Ursuline — positioned about 95 miles aside — stated their mixture would create “the most important Catholic system of upper training alongside Lake Erie.”
The 2 have been in merger talks since final spring. In September, they introduced their letter of intent to mix beneath the Gannon title. On the time, they stated the ensuing increased training 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 accordance with the Jan. 2 announcement, a “vital 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 school, would increase Gannon’s educational portfolio, which incorporates engineering, enterprise, well being professions and training, officers stated in September.
Staff from Gannon and Ursuline have established 13 integration groups and are working to “decide the perfect methods to mix the strengths of each establishments.” Their focus contains collaborating round areas reminiscent of expertise and teachers, in line with institutional management.
“We imagine you will need to retain the varsity’s id whilst we transfer — collectively — in a brand new course,” Gannon President Walter Iwanenko stated Tuesday in a press release. “Ursuline’s legacy will proceed, simply as Gannon’s legacy will proceed. The purpose 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 knowledge.
Ursuline President David King, who joined final summer time from Jap College, stated within the Jan. 2 launch that his establishment had choices for its future path because of its strengths. Whereas its enrollment has declined in recent times, Ursuline nonetheless managed to ebook a small price range 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 stated. “There’s a deep reservoir of alignment between our two establishments that’s outstanding.”
The announcement famous that Ursuline college students wouldn’t see any change in tuition, monetary assist and scholarships or in educational and athletic applications.
