Pacific Northwest College of Art and Willamette University Set to Merge

 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.

Inside Higher Ed posted "Willamette Announces Another Merger Deal" on September 18, 2020 with reporting by Lindsay McKenzie. McKenzie notes that Willamette is presently awaiting approvals for an announced acquisition of Claremont School of Theology. 

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.

Canby Bible College Announces Closure in Oregon

Canby Bible College in Canby, Oregon announced that it will be closing. The institution was founded in 1998. You can visit the institutional website for a statement by CBC President and Canby Foursquare Senior Pastor Ron Swor or read "Canby Bible College Closing Permanently after 22 Years," on the Canby Now website with reporting by Tyer Francke.

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.

Northwest Christian University will become Bushnell University

Northwest Christian University in Eugene, Oregon will change its name to become Bushnell University.

The institution was founded in 1895 as Eugene Divinity School and is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The name changed to Eugene Bible University in 1908 and then to Eugene Bible College in 1930. Following a merger with Spokane University in 1933, it then adopted name of Northwest Christian College and later changed to Northwest Christian University in July 2008. Enrollment is 800 students.

You can read more in an article for The Register-Guard of Eugene by Jordyn Brown, "Northwest Christian University in Eugene to change its name."


The institutional website also offers a short video and extentensive FAQ section with additional information.

Linfield College will become Linfield University

The Board of Trustees of Linfield College voted this past weekend to change the name of the institution to Linfield University. You can read more about the decision and plans for implementing the name change by the start of the next academic year in a post on the college website, "Linfield Board of Trustees votes to change from college to university."

Linfield College was founded as the Baptist College at McMinnville, Oregon in 1858. The name was shortened to McMinnville College in 1883 and it became Linfield College in 1922.

New and used copies of Inspired Pragmatism: An Illustrated History of Linfield College written by Marvin Henberg and published in 1970 are available through AbeBooks.

Oregon College of Art and Craft Announces Closure

The Board of Trustees for the Oregon College of Art and Craft (OCAC) in Portland, OR announced this last week that they approved a resolution to terminate all degree programs at the end of this academic term. May 19, 2019.

OCAC was founded as the Arts and Crafts Society in 1907.  The name change to Oregon School of Arts and Crafts in 1978.  It became a degree-granting college when the Bachelor of Fine Arts program was added in 1994 and in 1996 the name changed to Oregon College of Art and Craft.

The Oregonian published "Higher education hits low ebb as arts school announces shutdown," with reporting by Jeff Manning that places the OCAC closure within the context of decisions facing other Oregon higher education institutions.

You can read more about the closure at Inside Higher Ed in Scott Jaschik's post, "A Small Art College Will Close," on February 8, 2019.  

Rick Seltzer also authored an interesting post the previous day that provides a broader view of the issues faced in this sector of higher education, "Art School Shakeout: The smallest art colleges are struggling in a fiercely competitive market. Why are they showing such signs of stress? And can larger liberal arts colleges learn from their successes and missteps?"

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.

Oregon College of Art and Craft and Pacific Northwest College of Art Agree to Merge

Update On December 14, 2018, The Oregonian reported, "No merger for Pacific Northwest College of Art, Oregon College of Art and Craft."  The article indicates that, "After three months of discussion, the boards of both schools voted Friday against the merger, calling it “not a feasible option” at this time..."

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Oregon Public Broadcasting posted an excellent article by April Baer on November 1, 2018, "Oregon Art Schools PNCA And OCAC Vote To Merge."  Baer reports that the "...governing boards for Oregon College of Art and Craft and Pacific Northwest College of Art will spend the next month working on a memorandum of understanding..." to guide a merger of the two institutions.

OCAC was founded as the Arts and Crafts Society in 1907. The name changed to the Oregon School of Arts and Crafts in 1978 and the BFA program was added in 1994.  The name changed to Oregon College of Art and Craft in 1996.  OCAC enrolls 143 students.

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's last enrollment reported to IPEDS was 512 students.

You can also read about the two institutions in an article by Douglas Perry of The Oregonian, "With merger, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Oregon College of Art and Craft try to buck trend," posted on November 2, 2018.  Perry's article includes a number of photographs.

      

Marylhurst University Announces Closure in 2018

The Board of Trustees for Marylhurst University announced this past week on May 17, 2018 that the institution will close.  The Marylhurst website includes links to additional information regarding the decision and a variety of resources for students, staff, or faculty.  

Marylhurst University was founded in 1859 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary as St. Mary's Academy in Portland, Oregon.  The institution became St. Mary's Academy and College in 1893.  The name changed to Marylhurst College in 1930 after move to Marylhurst, OR.  The name changed to Marylhurst Education Center in 1974, to Marylhurst College for Lifelong Learning in 1980, to Marylhurst College in 1992, and finally to Marylhurst University in 1998.

You can also read more about Marylhurst and the decision in an article by Sam Stites, reporter for the Lake Oswego Review, "Marylhurst University to Close."

Oregon Public Broadcasting also published an article, "Marylhurst University to Close Amid Shrinking Enrollment," with reporting by Rob Manning.

An interesting short video history of Marylhurst is available on YouTube.

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.

Oregon State University Celebrates 150th Anniversary

Oregon State University is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding in 1868 as Oregon State Agricultural College.  At the time, an existing private institution founded by Methodists ten years earlier, Corvallis College, was designated as Oregon's land grant institution.  

KLCC public radio's web site offers a short audio clip and corresponding transcript, "Oregon State University: 150 Years of Growth and Change," of an interview by Tiffany Eckert as she walks around the OSU campus with Larry Landis, archivist and author of A School for the People: A Photographic History of Oregon State University.

The Peoples School: A History of Oregon State University, written by William G. Robbins, was published in 2017 and is also available from Oregon State University Press.

Focus on Campus Architecture at Oregon State University

The Corvallis (OR) Gazette-Times published a feature article highlighting Oregon State University campus architecture, "John Bennes played key role in building design at OSU."  The article by James Day is accompanied by links that include a gallery with photos of building designed by Bennes and an article with details of a Bennes Walking Tour.

Bennes, who lived from 1867-1943, designed more than 35 campus buildings.  Twenty-four of these buildings are in the OSU National Historic District.  The web page for the historic district includes photographs and descriptions of buildings.

Warner Pacific College adopts new name, Warner Pacific University

Warner Pacific College in Portland, OR announced that it has become Warner Pacific University.  The institution was founded in 1937 in Spokane, WA as Pacific Bible College.  The school moved to Portland in 1940 and became Warner Pacific College in 1959.  It is affiliated with the Church of God (Anderson, IN). 

Visit the WPU web site for an historical sketch and timeline of key dates in the institution's history.

Le Cordon Bleu Colleges of Culinary Art will no longer enroll new students

Inside Higher Ed reports on December 17, 2015 that Le Cordon Bleu Colleges of Culinary Art will no longer accept new students and intends to close in 2017.  The for-profit operates sixteen locations around the country and is owned by Career Education Corporation.  The table below includes enrollment and accreditation information for each location from IPEDS.

Oregon Colleges that have Closed, Merged, or Changed Names

This table below includes institutions that have closed, merged, or changed their names.  If you note a need for changing or updating information, please notify ray01brown@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

An index with links to separate pages for other states and countries is available.

There is a College History Garden Facebook group or you can view and follow multiple College History Garden boards on Pinterest or there is a board specifically devoted to Oregon colleges.

Thanks for your interest and suggestions!

Columbia Christian College & Cascade College (OR) #2

Two very interesting histories of Columbia Christian College and Cascade College in Portland, OR are available on the web site of Oklahoma Christian University as .pdf files.

The first, Navigating the Mighty Columbia, Columbia Christian College: A Comprehensive History, A Collaborative Work of Love, was written by Bonnie Miller and covers the period from 1944 through the closure of the initial institution.  Dr. Gary Tandy authored the second, The Northwest Corner of Heaven, A History of Cascade College 1994-2009 and focuses on the period when Oklahoma Christian University supported Cascade College as a branch campus.

I enjoyed the writing of both authors and felt they successfully communicated the amazing stories of the many people who came together in various ways to do the improbable and create a college...twice.  While each attempt came up short, both Miller and Tandy certainly capture the shared sense of purpose and convey the emotional commitments that combined to change the lives of all involved.

An earlier College History Garden post includes links to a couple of newspaper articles that cover the institution's financial issues and the sale of the property after closure.

Portland (OR) Labor College

Gerhard Flood's History and Educational Program of the Portland Labor College provides extensive details relating to the founding and operation of the institution. The document also includes information on the courses offered and the faculty. Portland Labor College offered courses from 1921-1929.

Philomath College and the College of Philomath (Oregon)

The Benton County (Oregon) Historical Society and Museum offers information on two colleges that operated in the community, Philomath College and the College of Philomath. Philomath College was built in 1867 and now serves the Benton County Historical Society and Museum. In 1889, a second college, named the College of Philomath, opened and operated for 23 years, with a 3-year recess from 1906 to 1909.

C.G Springer's M.A. thesis, "A History of Philomath College," was presented in 1929 to the School of Education and the Graduate School at the University of Oregon.  Copies are available in a variety of formats through the Internet Archive.

Oregon Private Career Schools

The Oregon Department of Education provides contact information to request transcripts. Licensed private career schools are required to maintain student transcripts for a period of 25 years. If a school closes, it is required to forward student transcripts to the Department of Education.

Cascade College (OR)

Leaders of Cascade College recently announced their plans to close at the end of the 2008-09 spring semester. Formerly known as Columbia Christian College, the campus was founded in 1956 but closed in the early 1990s because of financial issues. Oklahoma Christian College took over operations and reopened it as Cascade College in August 1994 as a branch campus of the Oklahoma City university. Both Cascade and Oklahoma Christian are affiliated with Churches of Christ.

Update February 2012:

The Christian Chronicle reports on 2/24/12 that the campus of Cascade College was sold to Columbia Christian Schools of Portland, OR.

Oregon Office of Degree Authorization

The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization offers a list of closed institutions with addresses and contact information for academic records.