TRENTON – Bloomfield College will merge into Montclair State University by next summer.

The schools in Essex County announced Thursday that their boards of trustees had authorized their presidents to sign an agreement detailing the plan for the merger, which will create what will be called Bloomfield College of Montclair State University.

The financially struggling Bloomfield, a private four-year college with around 1,300 students, has been operating in close collaboration with Montclair State, a public research university with more than 20,000 students, after announcing in October 2021 that it was seeking partnerships and philanthropic support to avoid closing.

Bloomfield received $12.5 million from the state so it could continue operating this year.

Bloomfield students will be able to continue their education without interruption or additional costs. Montclair State said it “will make every effort” to provide jobs to Bloomfield’s current employees.

“Bloomfield College of Montclair State University will support and serve our current and future students by providing a transformative educational experience with access to the University’s abundant resources,” said Bloomfield President Marcheta Evans.

“This partnership could serve as a new national model for how institutions with similar missions can innovate through integration, and become partners in ensuring student success instead of competitors,” said Montclair State University President Jonathan Koppell.

The merger agreement will need approvals from the state Legislature, the state Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and others.

The schools said their goal is to complete the merger no later than June 30, 2023.

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Michael Symons is the Statehouse bureau chief for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at michael.symons@townsquaremedia.com

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