Willamette University in Salem and Pacific University in Forest Grove announced plans to combine operations and rebrand as the University of the Northwest, pending approval from state and federal regulators—a process expected to take at least two years.
The proposed merger reflects broader trends in higher education, where smaller liberal arts institutions face mounting pressure from declining enrollment, skepticism about tuition costs, and a shrinking applicant pool tied to falling birth rates since the 2008 recession.
"We are at a defining moment where we need to be thinking about doing things differently," said Dr. Jenny Coyle, Pacific's president since 2022. "Can we have this larger university system that can navigate change and be more fluid, with greater resources, with more people power and more brain trust?"
Coyle and Dr. Stephen Thorsett, Willamette's president since 2011, said the two institutions have discussed the possibility since last spring. Unlike many recent higher education mergers involving financially distressed institutions, both universities maintain balanced budgets and solid financial footing.
Both institutions offer traditional liberal arts and sciences programs for undergraduates but have minimal overlap in graduate and professional degree offerings.
Willamette, the oldest university in the western United States, operates a law school, graduate school of management, and oversees the Pacific Northwest College of Art in downtown Portland, which merged with Willamette in 2020.
Pacific maintains campuses in Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Portland, offering graduate programs in education, social work, optometry, occupational and physical therapy, and clinical psychology. The university graduates more healthcare providers than any other private institution in Oregon.
Under the merger plan, each campus would maintain its identity, including separate NCAA Division III athletics programs, admissions offices, financial aid departments, and academic requirements. A unified board of trustees would govern both universities.
The consolidation would allow students greater access to courses and graduate programs across campuses, expanding career pathway options. Faculty members would help design the cross-campus structure.
The potential merger comes as Oregon faces significant challenges in college enrollment. Just 53% of the state's class of 2022 enrolled in postsecondary education within a year of high school graduation, well below national averages, according to state data.
Annual tuition and fees total $77,542 at Pacific and $71,254 at Willamette, though many students receive financial aid.
