Timeline and benefits
- When was the decision to enter this agreement made official?
The Boards of Willamette University and PNCA, respectively, approved the agreement on September 16, 2020.
- What is the timeline for this process and when might tangible changes take place?
Willamette and PNCA leadership engaged in a comprehensive conversation about this relationship over the past several months, and Willamette conducted an in-depth review of PNCA’s finances and operations. This agreement still requires a number of regulatory and accreditation approvals. The agreement is anticipated to be finalized in early 2021.
- How was this decision made, and why were these discussions kept private until now?
Joining with Willamette provides new opportunities for PNCA students while offering greater stability for PNCA’s future. Both communities will see expanded academic benefits as students and faculty explore new offerings and opportunities for learning. More broadly, this relationship is part of Willamette’s effort to identify areas where we can be a distinctive leader at the regional and national levels, to facilitate collaborations that add breadth and depth unobtainable in small colleges and stand-alone professional schools, and to build institutional scale that achieves efficiency and cost controls. As to the privacy question, Willamette and PNCA entered into an exclusive agreement to engage in a comprehensive review to determine the viability of joining together.
- How does this decision align to Willamette’s mission and benefit the community?
This relationship will help foster meaningful collaborations, enrich the educational experience and inspire new ways of thinking about the key issues of our time. Students will benefit from advanced interdisciplinary experiences and benefit from the hallmarks of place and the social capital of each institution. It builds on the distinguished histories of both schools, which were the first in Oregon to offer art instruction. Together, they will reimagine the future of arts education in the Pacific Northwest and strengthen the arts as an economic, cultural and creative driver for the region.
- How does PNCA benefit from this relationship?
Becoming part of a similarly minded academic community will allow PNCA to continue providing the arts education it is known for, while taking advantage of the financial benefits of being a part of a larger university. Joining with Willamette will provide new opportunities for PNCA students academically.