A proposed merger of Bluffton University with the University of Findlay will not proceed. The Findlay Board of Trustees voted Feb. 26 to halt the process on the same day Bluffton President Jane Wood announced her resignation, effective immediately.

Findlay, an institution affiliated with the Churches of God, General Conference, and located about 20 miles from Bluffton with about five times as many students, made the decision not to proceed with a joint application to the Higher Learning Commission for merger approval and to terminate a memorandum of understanding the schools signed March 19, 2024. Bluffton is affiliated with Mennonite Church USA.

Findlay stated in a release that the length of time to merge and merger expenses were deterrents. Findlay President Katherine Fell said the process demonstrated that “partnering in key ways is a better solution.”

The merger plan called for maintaining sports teams in two different NCAA divisions. But regulations necessitate separate athletic financial aid distribution processes and prohibit sharing of resources and sports facilities, resulting in fewer synergies than originally anticipated.

Bluffton’s announcement stated the merger work resulted in “an invaluable reflective process for both campuses as we have examined our strengths, areas for growth and capacity to change. The due diligence of the past year will help each university move forward in important ways.”

“While the outcome of this vote was not within Bluffton University’s control, we remain confident, optimistic and steadfast in our commitment to the future of our institution,” said Bluffton Board of Trustees chair Cheryl Hacker in a Feb. 27 release. “Bluffton University continues to be financially stable, strategically independent, and well-prepared for the future. This decision does not diminish our core mission ‘to prepare students for life as well as vocation … and ultimately for the purposes of God’s universal kingdom.’ ”

Hacker said Bluffton stands as a unified institution ready to capitalize on new opportunities.

“Though we had a moment of disappointment, our commitment to academic excellence and community impact remains our driving force,” she said in the release. “We have proven our willingness to make bold moves and remain excited for what the future holds as we look forward for our current and future students.”

Bluffton announced a day earlier that faculty member J. Alexander Sider had been appointed acting president, effective immediately.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to express our gratitude to Dr. Wood for her service to Bluffton University. Her leadership has been integral to the university’s growth and development,” Hacker stated.

“We are confident that Dr. Sider’s deep commitment to our mission ‘to prepare students for life as well as vocation . . . and ultimately for the purposes of God’s universal kingdom,’ combined with his extensive experience at Bluffton, will ensure a smooth and successful transition as we continue to build a bright future for the university.”

In response to questions from Anabaptist World, Bluffton interim vice president of advancement and enrollment management Claire Kleman acknowledged Wood’s decision to step down from her role and expressed gratitude for her dedication but did not address why Wood resigned.

Wood served as Bluffton president since July 1, 2018, and Bluffton’s Board of Trustees reappointed her to a five-year term in 2021. At that point, the board noted her areas of strength as mission and planning, administrative management, budget and finance, enrollment management, student life and representing the institution.

Sider has served in various roles since joining Bluffton in 2006, including as professor of religion, The Harry and Jean Yoder Scholar in Bible and Theology, director of peace and conflict studies, director of university assessment programs and, most recently, as vice president of academic affairs and academic dean. He holds a doctorate and master’s degrees in religion from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in religion from Messiah University.

“I am honored to serve as acting president of Bluffton University,” he said in Bluffton’s release. “Bluffton’s commitment to academic excellence, community and preparing students to thrive in an ever-changing world remains strong, and I am excited to work alongside our dedicated faculty, staff, and students as we continue to build upon this solid foundation.”

The new developments came less than three weeks after Bluffton University announced the creation of the Bluffton College Foundation, with a goal to raise an initial $12.5 million to ensure Bluffton’s legacy is maintained on the Bluffton campus. The institutions announced in October that Bluffton’s campus would be renamed “Bluffton College” after completing the merger, which had been anticipated to be completed this fall.