Strategic Mergers in Higher Education

One of the very few certainties for America's colleges and universities is that many of their core historical assumptions are open to reexamination. One of these involves governance and management, exploring the possibility of combining institutions in a variety of configurations. For those seeking a new volume that will test their beliefs in this arena, and even legitimately claim to be both a 'how to' and a 'should we,' this is the one.

The decision to consolidate or merge higher education institutions to address financial sustainability concerns is never easy. This book is an invaluable resource to help ensure that decisions are strategic, well informed, well communicated, and implemented with excellence. A must-read for thoughtful leaders seeking innovative solutions.

Mergers and acquisitions aren't part of a distant higher ed future—they are a present-day reality. This book provides a roadmap to understanding mergers not as a measure of last resort but as a proactive and credible option that should be considered. It is a must-read for any leader considering a merger.

Mergers in higher education are a central reality of contemporary academe, in the United States and globally. This unique book provides a multifaceted discussion of mergers based both on a thorough survey of available research and on practical experience. It is a valuable addition to our knowledge and comes at the right time.

Academic mergers are usually harder than business mergers because of heightened branding, location, and political considerations, including faculty concerns. However, finances, technology, student demographics, and other factors sometimes require looking at options that include a merger. This book is written by people who have lived through the issues and provides an intelligent look at the changing landscape.

Our colleges and universities are reimagining their future existence in order to educate the new majority and be vital to society. One of the options available to campuses is mergers. This book will provide boards of trustees, presidents, and policymakers the necessary information to have on hand as a merger is being considered. It is indispensable.

Strategic Mergers in Higher Education offers practical benchmarks against which education executives, trustees, and major donors can measure colleges and universities to determine their optimal scale of operations. This deep dive into what works best under what circumstances recognizes that mergers involve not just institutions, but also cultures.

Mirroring the trends in many industries, mergers of higher education institutions are increasingly frequent. While much has been written about this growing trend in business, this book uniquely addresses the special considerations for colleges and universities and provides critical advice to leaders responsible for designing and implementing strategies to effectively position their institutions in this new reality.

Strategic Mergers in Higher Education presents a significant compendium of transformative options that recognize a massive postsecondary infrastructure that we as a nation can no longer afford. More importantly, it is a handbook for the future. A very succinct example of the power of systemness.

Are mergers a shotgun marriage or a marriage made in heaven—or both? The authors walk us through the ins and outs of an increasingly important topic in higher education with rich examples and a paucity of jargon. Thoughtful. Compelling.

This timely and important book is a must-read for institutional leaders as they seek to navigate the choppy waters of higher education. Going beyond buzzwords and simplistic formulations, the authors provide easy-to-access, stage-by-stage, research-based advice to institutions considering a strategic merger. Anyone considering a merger who does NOT read this book does so at their own risk.

In 2011, the University System of Georgia announced a systematic plan to consolidate some of our thirty-five public universities. This book addresses many of the complexities of mergers and is a must-read for governing boards considering a merger. It is both an overview of the rationale for merger and a realistic look at the details of merger, written by presidents who provide a unique, experienced view of the complexities of mergers. In Georgia's case, the results are worth the effort.

Strategic Mergers in Higher Education provides a practical guide to help institutions find and form meaningful partnerships to help them thrive well into the future. It's a must-read for presidents, boards, and anyone interested in what's next for the nation's colleges and universities.

This book provides a comprehensive guide to issues that a college or university should keep in mind if it is contemplating a merger. Trustees and campus leaders would do well to read this book before becoming immersed in the details of their own discussions of merger.

A timely guide for when and how to merge colleges and universities, this book examines successful mergers like that of the University of Toledo and the Medical University of Ohio, which happened on my watch. It will inspire and inform higher education leaders everywhere.