A Midwest Merger: How Two Ohio Colleges Are Coming Together

Mergers aren’t easy. They demand careful analysis, difficult decisions, and tricky stakeholder management. But they are becoming increasingly necessary as dropping enrollments make going it alone less viable for more and more institutions. So, Michael and Jeff sat down with the presidents of two colleges in Ohio that are in the process of merging and the consultant that helped guide them through it to learn more about how to do so successfully. They discuss how to find the right partner, navigate federal approval processes, and manage the emotional elements. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group and The Gates Foundation.

Links We Mention

Strategic Mergers in Higher Education by Ricardo Azziz et al.

Chapters

0:00 - Introduction

01:32 - Future U’s Coverage of M&A

03:26 - A Merger in Northwest Ohio

04:44 - Pursuing a Partnership

08:29 - Finding the Right Fit

10:45 - The Challenging Federal Approval Process

16:21 - Managing Stakeholder Communications

22:09 - Lessons Learned

27:04 - The Leadership Characteristics Required

30:46 - The Timeline of Mergers

39:03 - Managing the Emotional Element

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