Higher education leaders oversaw at least 15 campus closures and a dozen mergers or acquisitions in 2025 as smaller tuition‑dependent institutions confronted enrollment declines and financial pressure. The wave included public campus consolidations and private acquisitions aimed at stabilizing programs and aligning offerings with workforce demand. Notable moves cited by University Business include Augustana College’s planned acquisition of Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences to shore up nursing pipelines, and a provisional merger between Pacific University and Willamette University to create Oregon’s largest private university. Administrators present these transactions as strategic consolidations to preserve program access, clinical partnerships, and regional workforce training, but trustees and accrediting bodies must still approve many deals.