State demographic shifts that change the demand for certain higher education programs are often why public colleges consider mergers, according to new research from Ithaka S+R. Local and state politics also heavily influence consolidations, the research and consulting group found. Its new work delves into mergers in Wisconsin, Texas and Georgia, with separate case studies on mergers in each state. College administrators should plan for how mergers affect racial, ethnic and socioeconomic minorities on campus — populations often not central in these arrangements, the report's authors argue.
