Bloomfield College to Merge With Montclair State University

Bloomfield, a 154-year-old private college, needed a partner in order to stay open. It found one in the public research university located 7 miles up the Garden State Parkway.
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Published on October 27, 2022
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  • New Jersey's Bloomfield College is a small private school recognized as a predominantly Black institution, Hispanic-serving institution, and minority-serving institution.
  • In October 2021, Bloomfield announced that it would need a partner or philanthropic benefactors in order to stay open.
  • Montclair State University is a public research university in New Jersey serving more than 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
  • The merger will create Bloomfield College of Montclair State University.

New Jersey's Bloomfield College says it has found a partner that will enable it to continue its mission of creating educational pathways for minority, low-income, and first-generation students.

Bloomfield and Montclair State University on Wednesday announced a merger authorization

that will establish Bloomfield College of Montclair State University.

Bloomfield will continue to operate independently through this year with a goal of completing the merger by June 30, 2023, according to the announcement. Enrolled students won’t have any interruptions or any additional costs.

Both institutions' presidents said that Bloomfield students would benefit from access to the resources a public research university such as Montclair State brings to the table.

"Bloomfield College of Montclair State University will support and serve our current and future students by providing a transformative educational experience with access to the University’s abundant resources," Bloomfield President Marcheta P. Evans said in a statement.

"This partnership could serve as a new national model for how institutions with similar missions can innovate through integration, and become partners in ensuring student success instead of competitors," Montclair State University President Jonathan GS Koppell added.

“Bloomfield will continue to operate independently through this year with a goal of completing the merger by June 30, 2023, according to the announcement.”
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The merger brings together two northern New Jersey institutions separated by about 7 miles of the Garden State Parkway.

Bloomfield, a 154-year-old private liberal arts college in Bloomfield, New Jersey, is the only four-year college in the state recognized as a predominantly Black institution (PBI), Hispanic-serving institution (HSI), and minority-serving institution (MSI).

Montclair State is a 114-year-old public research university with 10 degree-granting schools and colleges that serve more than 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

The merger comes almost exactly one year after Bloomfield announced its school would need to find higher-education partners or philanthropic benefactors in order to stay open. It is the latest move to calm tumult in higher education caused by long-term enrollment declines that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 50 colleges have merged or closed in the past five years, BestColleges previously reported.