"It Wasn't What I Expected": Students' Perspectives and Experiences on a Higher Education Merger

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Seven
  In Roundtable Session: The Complexities of Change in Higher Education (Table 6)

Abstract

The changing landscape of higher education in the past decade has resulted in an increase in the number of colleges that have closed or merged with another academic institution. Although college mergers are complex, their destabilizing impact is undoubtedly felt among key stakeholders. This study, using semi-structured interviews, examined the experiences and perspectives of 20 undergraduate students who experienced an academic merger. Guided by Strange and Banning’s (2015) campus environments framework, qualitative analyses revealed that factors such as physical size, loss of community, learning new academic systems and approaches, and managing emotions in response to perceived negative reception were particularly impactful for students. Findings have implications for the provision of optimal student support during a college merger experience.

Authors

• Tina M. Durand, Boston University
  Presenting Author

• Ellen Faszewski, Boston University
  Presenting Author

• Karen L. Murphy, Boston University
  Presenting Author

• Eleonora Villegas-Reimers, Boston University
  Presenting Author