New England College and the New Hampshire Institute of Art announced today that the two institutions plan to merge later this year.
Tom Horgan is a spokesman for New England College. He says the idea is to provide students at both institutions with more academic options. Horgan says there are also opportunities to cut costs and reduce expenses.
"You know, the demographic shifts that are occurring in New England, the pipeline of students is not as strong as we would like to see," Horgan says.
Horgan says this merger is part of a larger trend across the country of colleges working together more closely.
“The merger of our institutions will make us more attractive to students from across the country and internationally,” NHIA President Kent Devereaux said in a statement.
School officials say the goal is to complete the joining of forces by October, 2018.
