Breaking NewsWomen's Colleges

Mills College’s Proposed Merger With Northeastern University Hits a Roadblock

In March 2021, Mills College, a liberal arts educational institution for women in Oakland, California, that was founded in 1852, announced plans to end degree programs and transition to an academic institute. (See WIAReport post.) The college has faced financial difficulties for several years, had cut several academic programs, and deferred faculty salary increases. In 2018, the college cut tuition in half.

This past June, Northeastern Univerity in Boston stepped in with a new proposal that would maintain Mills College as a degree-granting institution under the global umbrella of Northeastern University. Under the proposal, the granting of degrees on the Mills campus under the name Mills College at Northeastern University would be maintained. Under the proposal, all students currently enrolled at Mills College would have the option to continue and graduate from Mills or apply to transfer to Northeastern at no additional cost. All existing financial aid commitments made to current Mills’ students would be honored by Northeastern. Northeastern also stated that it would establish the Mills Institute, a hub for research and advocacy that would advance women’s leadership, equity, inclusion, and social justice. The undergraduate college would admit both men and women.

Tara Singh, a former member of the school’s board of trustees, and Viji Nakka-Cammauf, a current trustee and president of the Alumnae Association of Mills College, filed a motion in Alameda County Superior Court, seeking access to information regarding the true financial situation at the college. Nakka-Cammauf, alleges that she had not been given a full financial disclosure that would have enabled her to make an informed decision about the merger. A judge has now issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting any action on the merger until a hearing can be held on August 16.

The Save Mills College Coalition, a group of students, faculty, alumnae, and other friends of the college contends that the college has the resources to continue operations without the merger.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

Latest News

Stacy Leeds Will Be the Next President of the University of Tulsa

0
Throughout her career, Leeds has gained more than 25 years of experience as a professor and university administrator. Currently, she serves as dean of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

Chantae Recasner Is the Sole Finalist for the Presidency of Olympic College in Washington

0
Dr. Recasner has over two decades of experience as a tenured faculty member and senior administration in higher education. She has been serving as the interim president of Seattle Central University.

Vanya Quiñones Appointed President of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

0
Dr. Quiñones, who has been serving as president of California State University, Monterey Bay, is slated to become the first Latina president of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona on July 1.

Shawna Cooper Whitehead Named the First Woman President of Regis University in Colorado

0
Dr. Cooper Whitehead brings extensive experience in student affairs and academic leadership to her new role. She comes to Regis university from Boston College, where she has served as vice president of student affairs since 2021.

New Provost Appointments for Three Women in Higher Education

0
The new provosts are Alicia Alvero at the City University of New York, Gwen Cash-James at North Idaho College, and Julie Gorlewski at the State University of New York Fredonia.

Latest Job Listings

Assistant Professor, Clinician Educator track, in the Division of Genomic Diagnostics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

0
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania seek candidates for an Assistant Professor position in the non-tenure clinician educator track.

Communications Publications Editorial Manager (Website Content Manager)

0
The Website Content Manager serves as the primary website lead for the College, collaborating with team members across design, marketing, multimedia, public relations, and government affairs.

Assistant Senior Instructional Professor in the Social Sciences Core (Social Science Inquiry)

0
The Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for a full-time Assistant Senior Instructional Professor who will teach in and contribute to the management and administration of the Social Science Inquiry sequence in the Social Sciences Core.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Media Studies

0
The Department of Cinema & Media Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia invites applications for a one-year Visiting Assistant Professor position in the field of media studies.

Instructional Professor in Law, Letters, and Society (Open Rank)

0
The Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for a full-time Instructional Professor who will teach in the program in Law, Letters, and Society.