Bluffton University and the University of Findlay on March 20 announced plans to merge the two institutions.

Findlay President Katherine Fell and Bluffton President Jane Wood announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding declaring the intention to become one higher education community on two campuses roughly 20 miles apart. The decision was made by votes of each institution’s Board of Trustees. The merger is anticipated to be completed by fall 2025.

A joint news release stated the University of Findlay intends to remain affiliated with the Churches of God, General Conference, and Bluffton University intends to remain affiliated with Mennonite Church USA.

“We’re all aware that higher education is facing significant changes and challenges,” said Findlay President Katherine Fell at the announcement. “These times call upon us to be innovative and forward-thinking. From a vantage point in the future, we will look back at this moment in the history of higher education as one that required new approaches and bold actions. I believe this merger will prove to be both.”

Robin Bowlus, Bluffton vice president of advancement and enrollment management, compared the situation to that of Conrad Grebel University College as a “big school and small school two-campus approach” in response to questions from Anabaptist World. Conrad Grebel is part of the much larger University of Waterloo system in Ontario and affiliated with Mennonite Church Canada.

Findlay sits on a 403-acre campus and enrolls about 3,500 students, including nearly 400 international students. Bluffton has an average annual enrollment of 700 students on its 65-acre campus.

“After the merger, a few current Bluffton trustees will join the University of Findlay Board,” Bowlus said. “An advisory Board will exist at Bluffton, with that structure and function to be confirmed as part of the alignment process of the merger.”

The merger plans intend for athletics to continue operating separately at each institution. Pending NCAA approval, Findlay will continue to participate in NCAA Division II as the Oilers, while Bluffton will continue in Division III as the Beavers.

No decisions have been made about the future of the name “Bluffton University.” An FAQ at findlayblufftonfuture.com does not state what school name will appear on diplomas of students graduating after the fall 2025 semester.

“The intent is to keep Bluffton as the name, but we need to get guidance from the various regulators if they require that “University of Findlay” needs to be part of a more formal legal name, or not,” Bowlus said.

She pointed to a similar merger model in which Bloomfield College, a Presbyterian school with about 1,600 students in New Jersey, became Bloomfield College of Montclair State University on July 1, 2023.

Bluffton President Jane Wood said during the announcement that interactions with Findlay have made clear both institutions share a commitment to preparing students to find and live out their callings.

“By combining the best of pre-professional and liberal arts programs, our institutions will become even better at equipping future students to discover and to research what will ultimately bring meaning and purpose to their lives,” she said. “We are stronger together.”

Bowlus elaborated on combined strengths through offering students on each campus more academic programs and greater specialization in services like human resources, counseling and Title IX staff. She cited greater buying power and efficiencies through shared resources in combined fiscal affairs management, information technology services and software and vendor contracts for food service and insurance.

“Currently, Findlay and Bluffton have combined, approximately 50 open positions on their campuses,” she said in response to a question about the possibility of eliminating staff or faculty redundancies. “Filling positions for higher education professionals is hard in northwest Ohio, and this merger would allow for many collaborations between employees.”