Montclair State University officials told the Senate Higher Education Committee that the university’s merger with Bloomfield College has reduced costs, preserved jobs and kept academic pathways open for students in Essex County.

Dr. Jonathan Capelli, president of Montclair State University, described the university’s involvement with Bloomfield as a mission‑driven intervention. He told senators Montclair entered a relationship with Bloomfield after Bloomfield’s leadership concluded the college “would not persist, along its existing trajectory.” Montclair signed an agreement in March 2022 to provide an institutional backstop, later working toward a formal merger and seeking legislative and federal approvals.

Capell said Montclair assumed Bloomfield’s assets and liabilities, rehired most staff and implemented operational changes that reduced the former college’s operating budget by 32% and achieved a 99% reduction in debt service cost after refinancing Bloomfield’s debt under Montclair’s stronger financial standing. He said non‑personnel costs were cut about 27% through consolidated purchasing and contract consolidation. “All of those things were not just cost cutting. They dramatically improved the level of service at Bloomfield College,” Capell said.

Montclair officials also kept academic continuity and accreditation in place, hired a dean and associate dean for the campus, and launched new offerings tailored to Bloomfield’s population, including an applied studies BA for learners with some college credit, expanded evening and weekend programs, and an ESL program planned for the fall. Capell said roughly 800–1,000 Bloomfield students were absorbed at the time of merger, with enrollment stabilized and plans to rebuild toward pre‑COVID levels.

Capell argued the Bloomfield example shows mergers can preserve local educational access, save jobs and allow programmatic growth when led by institutions that prioritize student success. He also warned mergers require significant implementation work, notably systems integration (student information, HR and payroll, scheduling) and realistic expectations about timelines and resources.

Committee members asked about labor, student enrollment and how Montclair intends to use the Bloomfield campus going forward. Capell said Montclair plans a chancellor model for the campus and intends to grow programs such as gaming design and recording arts by leveraging existing Bloomfield facilities.

Montclair’s testimony provided a practical case study for legislators weighing incentives or statutory guidance for future mergers across New Jersey’s public higher education system.