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New Jersey City University‘s (NJCU) board of trustees March 5 accepted a proposal to pursue a strategic merger with Kean University.

As NJBIZ has reported, NJCU has been digging out of a budget mess that led to the appointment of a state monitor – Henry Amoroso. In a report last year, Amoroso recommended that the Jersey City-based institution join forces with another school.

“One of the most pivotal recommendations is for NJCU to reconstitute as Jersey City College, a campus of a larger mission-aligned system with its own chancellor and attendant support, but one integrated into a larger system or institution,” Amoroso wrote in his Executive Summary. “Although there is a narrow pathway for NJCU to become an independent city university, it is one that would require far greater investment from the state than is presently appropriated, and such a path would remain fraught with numerous, significant challenges.”

NJCU’s recovery has been led by interim President Andres Acebo. He has spearheaded a number of partnerships, initiatives and efforts to help the school navigate the storm, meanwhile facing tough cuts and choices to right the fiscal ship. For his efforts, Acebo was awarded an 18-month contract extension this past December.

‘A bridge to our second century’

In a message to the NJCU community Wednesday, Acebo explained the decision to explore this path with Kean.

“I am writing to share an important update regarding our collective future. After an extensive and deliberative process, the Board of Trustees has chosen to pursue a strategic merger with Kean University as called for under the April 2024 OSHE (Office of the Secretary of Higher Education) Transition Plan. This decision — reached after careful and mission-focused review — meets a critical benchmark outlined in the plan and underscores a commitment to ensuring NJCU’s enduring role as an indispensable model for accessible urban public higher education,” said Acebo.

“This next phase is more than an administrative step — it is the deliberate construction of a bridge to our second century. By aligning our strengths with those of Kean University, we are setting the stage for a collaborative journey that will expand our academic horizons and deepen our community impact.”

“The University’s Board of Trustees voted today to pursue a strategic merger with Kean University,” the NJCU board of trustees said in a statement. “The Board’s decision follows a deliberate and thorough evaluation of strategic options aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the University’s mission and strengthening our commitment to students, faculty and staff, alumni and the Jersey City and Hudson County communities we serve.

“We recognize and credit the efforts of President Acebo and his leadership team over the past two years to address challenges that some believed were insurmountable. Our success in doing so is evident in that multiple institutions viewed NJCU as a potential valued partner with much to offer.”

Next steps

Kean University said it submitted the proposal for a merger with NJCU earlier this year.

“I am proud and delighted to announce that New Jersey City University‘s (NJCU) Board of Trustees this afternoon voted to accept Kean University’s merger proposal,” Kean President Lamont Repollet wrote in an online message to the university community. “Over the next several weeks, we will negotiate a letter of intent with NJCU that begins a thoughtful and hopefully successful process of bringing the long-serving institution into the Kean University system as Kean Jersey City.”

Repollet noted that NJCU has served as an anchor institution for Jersey City for nearly a century, providing an accessible and community-centered education to a diverse student body. Additionally, he highlighted how the two institutions share many traits and a similar mission.

“That is one of several reasons why this collaboration will present significant benefits and advantages to both institutions and the students we serve,” said Repollet. “This merger is rooted in shared missions to enhance educational access and opportunities.”

“In the coming weeks, we will begin a formal due diligence process with the signing of a Letter of Intent between our universities,” said Acebo. “Throughout this journey, transparency and active community involvement will remain at the core of our efforts. Your insights and contributions are essential as we navigate this transformative period and shape the best path forward.”

‘Encouraged’ by progress

Gov. Phil Murphy and Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges issued a joint statement on the decision, saying, “The Murphy Administration is encouraged by the forward-moving progress at NJCU.

“The State Monitor, NJCU Administration, and Board of Trustees have been collaborating diligently toward a future that sustains a strong public four-year option in Jersey City and Hudson County,” the statement continued. “Maintaining access to high-quality post-secondary education for students and the community, who have long benefitted from NJCU’s local presence, forms the basis of our shared commitment to the institution’s future.

“The NJCU Board’s intent to pursue a strategic merger with Kean University continues this commitment and marks the beginning of a thorough and deliberative process to unify these mission-aligned institutions. We look forward to working with state and institutional leaders on the path to a successful transition that empowers student success and long-term resilience.”

Please stay with NJBIZ for the very latest on this developing story.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 10:46 a.m. ET March 6, 2025, to include a statement from Gov. Phil Murphy and Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges.