New Jersey Colleges Find New Means

The lens that young Americans use to view universities has changed in recent years due to rapid price increases, more accessibility, and instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. New Jersey universities are not exempt from having to adapt to the change, as demonstrated by the merger between Bloomfield college, and Montclair university on July 1st, 2023.

Recognizing a need for a solution tor their financial troubles, Bloomfield college, has attempted to finalize this merger for over two years and has finally completed it.

Keeping their campus and 90% of the staff, Bloomfield should have no major issues amalgamating with the much larger Montclair University, which added Bloomfield’s 1,200 students to their pre-existing 21,000. Montclair is the second largest college by enrollment in New Jersey, after Rutgers.

Why does it matter?

Though it may seem like there is no cause for alarm (big school absorbs small school, both schools improve slightly, end of story); things went smoothly for these two schools, but the same happily ever after story is unlikely for others.

Let's take a look at The College of New Jersey. Formed in 1855 under its original name the New Jersey State Normal School, the university has been a success for almost two centuries. TCNJ is home to some of the states strongest higher education majors including teaching and business, and has a decorated history to back its name. From a bird's eye view, the idea that a school of this nature could be struggling seems foolish. Yet with a closer look at its finances, one can easily forecast that the future of the university is certainly uncertain.

Is The College of New Jersey Safe?

With expenses rising as students have returned to campus post pandemic, TCNJ has suffered its first economic loss ($6.5 million) in over a decade. After a turbulent few years, changes have been made at all levels of the campus including accepting more students (at the cost of prestige) and announcing an entire overhaul of underclassmen housing by closing down the iconic freshman dorms buildings, known as the towers.

One bad year may not mark the end of a university, but two bad years are concerning, and three could be dire. Small schools around the state continue to struggle and Bloomfield’s merger may mark the beginning of a new era in the state where the market will determine if the state's higher education is over-saturated or not.