ELY - Five northern Minnesota colleges, including Vermilion Community College here, will open next fall under one new name: Minnesota North College.
The merger of the five schools that make up the NHED, Hibbing, Itasca, VCC, and Rainy River community colleges, along with Mesabi Range College, was approved last week by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities’ board of trustees.
The six campuses that serve the five schools will remain open under the consolidation plan, and are considered a single accredited institution.
The merged institution will operate under the name “Minnesota North College” starting May 23. The merger was also recently approved by the Higher Learning Commission, Minnesota North College’s regional accrediting body.
“Operationally merging our institutions leverages the resources, talents, and marketability that come with a larger, regional college yet maintains the long-cherished individual campus identities and community connections,” said Michael Raich, president of Minnesota North College.
“Students will benefit from a seamless educational experience along with expanded access to courses, programs, support services, and the team of experts that serve our six campuses,” he continued. “Working regionally, Minnesota North College will be able to provide a comprehensive response to our business and industry partners, which aligns with our new vision of being a catalyst for regional prosperity. The credit for our progress in this merger goes to the faculty, staff, students, and community members that have been engaged in our planning process. I can’t thank them enough for their commitment and guidance.”
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities has been working toward the merger for two years. The schools saw enrollment fall 35 percent in the past decade and have some of the smallest student populations among the three dozen Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Enrollment at the five schools last fall was about 3,500.
The merger provides several key benefits, the most important of which is improving services to students and stakeholders. Under a one-college model, students will have access to a larger selection of courses and career programs, which will be accessible across six campuses with a single application and one transcript.
Essential student services, such as registration and financial aid, will be simplified while still providing local, on-campus support.  A single college will lead to more consistent collaborative efforts with regional K-12 and industry partners as well. The single-college model will lead to improved operational efficiency allowing resources to be better focused on mission-centric functions and improving long-term financial sustainability.
Prospective students can apply with a single transcript and application, simplifying the process for those who take classes at more than one institution, officials say.
“This has been an extraordinary lift for the entire Minnesota North College community,” said Devinder Malhotra, chancellor of Minnesota State, “and I commend President Raich and his team for all the hard work that was put into making this vision a reality. Visiting the six campuses of Minnesota North College is a wonderful experience because, while each one of them has a distinct personality and is unique geographically and programmatically, they all share a passionate commitment to students and their success.”
The state Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRR) offered an $820,000 grant to make the consolidation happen.