Navigating a Merger as a College Trustee

When Marymount Manhattan College’s board of trustees decided last year to merge with Northeastern University, becoming a part of that Boston-based university’s global system, the vote was unanimous. As Jeff and Michael continue their ongoing exploration (some might say obsession) with mergers and acquisitions in higher ed, they talk to one of Marymount Manhattan’s trustees, Abby Fiorella, on this episode to get a board member’s perspective on how mergers can be strategic wins for smaller institutions, as well as key to protecting their core missions. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group. Relevant Links “ God and Man at Yale, ” by William F. Buckley. " The Abundant University: Remaking Higher Education for a Digital World, " by Michael Smith, Mission statement of Arizona State University Mission statement of Southern New Hampshire University “ Why a University Proactively Sought a Merger," our other episode this season about M&A in higher ed. Chapters 0:00 - Why Do We Keep Talking About Mergers? 3:50 - Introducing Our Guest, Abby Fiorella 5:17 - How to Prepare a Board for a Merger 9:19 - Deciding on Institutional Priorities 12:44 - What Is Marymount Manhattan College Doing to Preserve Its Identity? 17:17 - How Can a Board Come to Peace With a Merger? 21:40 - How Can Boards Make Mergers Less Taboo? 24:29 - Reframing Merging As an Opportunity 27:01 - Closing Thoughts From a Trustee 28:54 - Sponsor Break 29:38 - What It Means for a Board to Be Responsible to a Mission 36:21 - How Can Universities Put Mission Statements Into Practice? 38:52 - Why College Mergers Require ‘Courage’ 39:21 - Making Time in Board Meetings for Strategic Planning 44:56 - The Role of Communication Between Presidents and Boards in Considering Mergers 47:59 - Why Most Boards Should Set Up Systems to Prepare for an Uncertain Future 48:37 - Lightning Round With Abby Fiorella Connect with Michael Horn: Sign Up for the The Future of Education Newsletter Website LinkedIn X (Twitter) Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo: Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You Sign Up for the Next Newsletter Website X (Twitter) Threads LinkedIn Connect with Future U: Twitter YouTube Threads Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag! Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

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Navigating a Merger as a College Trustee is an episode from Future U Podcast by Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn.

This episode is 00:52:40 long.

This episode was published on Nov 18, 2025.

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