Close to two years after announcing plans for their strategic combination, two Iowa Catholic universities say they’re still waiting for final approvals from the U.S. Department of Education and its accrediting body, delaying a full merger and affecting the institutions’ financial picture.
St. Ambrose University in Davenport and Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids have nearly completed the process that will turn Mount Mercy from its own institution into a college of St. Ambrose, but maintaining its own campus and extracurricular activities. It has been just over one year since St. Ambrose was named as Mount Mercy’s corporate owner.
Amy Novak, president of St. Ambrose University, said the institutions have received “generally speaking, very strong affirmation” from the bodies that oversee their accreditation, including the Higher Learning Commission. However, final approval from the U.S. Department of Education and Higher Learning Commission are still required before some internal processes can come together…