Integration of Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield Universities complete

LOCK HAVEN After more than 18 months of work by nearly 1,000 individuals, the integration of Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities under the banner of Commonwealth University officially took place on Friday, July 1.

"My sincere thanks go to the teams at each of our universities who have dedicated themselves tirelessly to the integration process and to creating opportunities for a new generation of students to follow their dreams and pursue lives of meaning and success," said Bashar W. Hanna, who will serve as president of Commonwealth University. "I'm confident that we have the right teams of people in place to proceed courageously and compassionately, grounded in the mission of supporting student success and changing lives through education. "

This spring, the integration process took several milestone steps to make the transition a reality. On March 15, initial approval by the institutional accrediting agency, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, confirmed the path to integration. Accreditation by Middle States is required by the U.S. Department of Education and assures students, families, and communities that the University has completed a rigorous review process and provides a highquality education.

"Together, Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield embody the power of three, which will create a higher education experience, the likes of which is not possible without integration," Hanna said.

In March, the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education voted to approve the name Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania to represent the integrated entity for Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities.

The final piece of the puzzle came in late April when the NCAA approved to proceed with the proposed plan to retain a full complement of NCAA athletic programs on the campuses that currently host them. Each campus will maintain its full complement of sports offerings and will continue to use its respective location name, existing logos, colors, mascots, and traditions.