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Potsdam's Clarkson University and Union Graduate College merger approved

Posted 12/4/15

 POTSDAM -- The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which provides accreditation for Clarkson University and Union Graduate College, has approved the plans for the merger of Union …

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Potsdam's Clarkson University and Union Graduate College merger approved

Posted

 POTSDAM -- The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which provides accreditation for Clarkson University and Union Graduate College, has approved the plans for the merger of Union Graduate College into Clarkson University.

This means that when the final merger steps are taken in early 2016, all of the offerings in Clarkson University’s Capital Region Campus in Schenectady (formerly part of Union Graduate College), will continue to be recognized with full accreditation by the Middle States Commission.

Universities voluntarily pursue accreditation through a self-regulatory, peer review process that assures students and alumni that standards for education and fiduciary oversight are being met. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education and its evaluators use information provided by colleges and on-site interviews and data gathering to determine whether an institution meets the requirements of affiliation and standards for accreditation.

"We were pleased to receive word from Middle States supporting the merger and Clarkson’s new role in New York’s Capital Region," said Clarkson University President Tony Collins. “Our roots run deep in upstate New York. As an anchor institution in the greater Potsdam community, Clarkson’s education and research reach has already been global. We are very much looking forward to bringing new educational opportunities and innovative partnerships to Schenectady and the Capital Region community where we already have strong corporate and alumni support.”

Setting a course for future growth, the merger adds value to the education of all current and future students at both institutions by bringing together more academic resources, expanded access to research facilities, robust career services, and an expanded corporate and alumni network. PayScale, Inc. ranked Clarkson in its top 12 list of Best Master’s Degree programs by salary potential in its 2015 College Salary Report. Brookings Institution put Clarkson among its top 10 list of universities that will increase career earnings, alongside institutions like MIT and Stanford.

The merger, which was approved by the New York State Education Department Board of Regents in July, brings together two internationally recognized faculties and creates a global alumni network that is more than 40,000 strong.

With the NYS and Middle States approvals, the U.S. Department of Education is now being officially notified of the intent to merge.

In addition to offering graduate and professional degree programs, Clarkson’s Capital Region Campus in Schenectady will serve as an integrated hub for graduate student recruitment and admissions for graduate programs.