By Paula Pyzik Scott

FINDLAY__Leadership from Bluffton University and the University of Findlay appeared together on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 20 to announce an operations merger. Dr. Katherine Fell, University of Findlay president, and Dr. Jane Wood, Bluffton University president, told reporters that the two institutions would become one higher education entity with two campuses.

Announcements were also made earlier in the day for the two campus communities.

The merger has been approved by the two boards of trustees and a memorandum of understanding has been signed. Regulatory approval is pending and should take 12-15 months. The merger is expected to be finalized by Fall 2025. Chris Ostrander appeared on behalf of the University of Findlay board and Cheryl Hacker represented the Bluffton University board.

The announcement comes at a time of exceptional economic pressure in higher education. The merger is described as an opportunity to innovate “while honoring individual campus traditions.” The new entity is expected to maintain separate athletic identities as Beavers and Oilers, and to continue affiliations with Mennonite Church USA and The Churches of God, General Conference.

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In her opening remarks, Fell said “These times call upon us to be innovative and forward thinking. We have no choice. Higher education in general has no choice.” She then emphasized what the two universities have in common including strong roots in Christian faith and being welcoming to all.

Wood answered the question “How did we get here?” She explained that a risks and benefits analysis was conducted including a third-party due diligence report by Higher Ed Consulting Services. She emphasized the importance of providing higher education at multiple stages in students' lives, as their goals change: “The merger of our institutions would allow us to broaden academic experiences for our current and future students.”

Bluffton University has an average annual enrollment of 700 students and is situated on a 65-acre residential campus. Bluffton currently offers over 90 majors, minors and interdisciplinary programs. The University of Findlay has an average annual enrollment of 3,500 students with a 403-acre campus. Findlay currently offers over 88 bachelor's degree, 11 master’s degree and five doctoral degree programs. Both universities were founded before 1900.

Across the nation, the traditional college age population is shrinking and a so-called “demographic cliff” is looming. The number of children born in the United States fell during the Great Recession, between 2008-2011. As a result, a 15% drop in the college-age population is forecast for 2025.

Ostrander spoke about market dynamics including the growing number of colleges and universities using mergers to strengthen their operations as well the fact that 14 non-profit higher education entities closed in 2023.

Hacker assured listeners that “Bluffton University is not closing and our campus is not going away” and said that the board of trustees would continue to support and serve Bluffton heading into a “new and stronger future.”

Specifics of how the merger will impact students and university employees is yet to be determined.

The public is invited to town hall meetings on both Bluffton and Findlay campuses next week. At 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 25, a public meeting will be held in the Winebrenner building, 950 N Main St, Findlay. At 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, a public meeting will be held at Yoder Recital Hall, Bluffton.

Additional information at www.FindlayBlufftonFuture.com/ A Frequently Asked Questions section is included as well as an opportunity to submit questions.