BREAKING: Queens U. and Elon U. to merge
Merger of 2 N.C. universities
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Planned merger described as a ‘milestone moment’ for both institutions
by Tony Mecia
Queens University of Charlotte said on Tuesday that it plans to merge with Elon University.
At an announcement on Queens’ campus, acting Queens president Jesse Cureton praised the planned merger as a “bold vision for the future” that would allow Queens to “remain strong” and prepare students for the future. He said it is a “milestone moment.”
Boards of both institutions voted to approve the merger.
The merger combines two small North Carolina universities founded in the 1800s. Queens traces its roots in Charlotte to 1857. Elon started in 1889.
Elon, located 20 miles east of Greensboro, is much larger, in terms of students and financial resources. According to publicly filed tax documents, Elon had assets of $1.2B as of May 2024. Queens, on the other hand, had assets of $189M as of June 2023.
Elon has about 7,300 students. Queens, located in Charlotte’s Myers Park neighborhood, has just shy of 2,000.
By linking up with a larger university such as Elon, Queens could gain more financial security. And Elon could achieve a greater scale and presence in Charlotte.
Generally speaking, many small colleges face rising costs and heavy reliance on tuition revenue, which creates pressure on them to merge or reinvent themselves. Queens has been working to increase its national profile, taking steps such as moving to Division I college sports in 2022.
Many N.C. universities find having a presence in Charlotte desirable, often through satellite programs in business or law.
Elon University launched a part-time law school program in Charlotte in 2024. The inaugural class had 36 students.
The program is housed at Elon’s new Charlotte Center, at 330 W. Tremont Ave. in South End. It opened in September 2023 and is the university’s base in Charlotte for several graduate and undergraduate programs. —Lindsey Banks contributed to this article
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