How proactive mergers can stabilize and enhance colleges and
universities--and ensure their future.
With the pool of high school graduates decreasing, national and global
competition increasing, and the need to invest in new technologies and
approaches growing, many universities and small colleges alike are
struggling--not just to thrive, but to survive. In this challenging
environment, mergers and consolidations are often viewed as options of
last resort. Strategic Mergers in Higher Education, however, argues
that college and university mergers are a legitimate and proactive
strategic option to help ensure success, maximize quality and service,
and yield the best return for faculty and students.
In this thoughtful book, Ricardo Azziz and his coauthors--including
higher education leaders who have led successful consolidations--address
the many questions surrounding institutional mergers. When, they
ask--and why--should a merger be considered? How can leaders deal
effectively with the many challenges and opposition that a merger will
inevitably face? What are the predictors of merger failure and success?
And how do we successfully address the postmerger cultural divide?
This thorough text demonstrates how mergers can dramatically accelerate
the goals of postsecondary institutions. The book is informed by an
extensive review of published reports, interviews with over thirty
higher education leaders, individual case studies, and the experiences
of the authors themselves. Addressing numerous critical questions, this
practical guide is aimed at higher education leaders and their boards,
the campus leaders charged with executing transformative mergers, and
any policy makers interested in change management or the future of
higher education.
