Pacific Northwest College of Art will merge with Willamette University after boards of the two institutions approved the deal last week. The Oregonian reported in "Willamette University to merge with struggling Pacific Northwest College of Art" on September 17, 2020 that conversations between the schools dated back at least five years and became more serious in the last 18 months. PNCA will become part of Salem-based Willamette but will retain its name, faculty and current campus.
PNCA opened in 1909 as the School of the Portland Art Association. It soon became known as the Museum Art School. The first BFA awarded in 1969 and the name changed to Pacific Northwest College of Art in 1981.
PNCA also was involved in merger conversations in 2018 with the Oregon College of Art and Craft that ultimately ended unsuccessfully.
If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.
Press release from Willamette University on June 30, 2021 announces "Willamette University celebrates completion of merger with Pacific Northwest College of Art. PNCA becomes an independent college within the university."
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