NJCU, a smaller state school compared to other universities in New Jersey, has seen a decrease in enrollment over the years.

The proposed partnership between the two minority- and Hispanic-serving institutions comes on the heels of NJCU’s steep financial challenges and state scrutiny in recent years.

This next phase is more than an administrative step — it is the deliberate construction of a bridge to our second century," New Jersey City University interim President Andres Acebo said in a message to the university community.

The New Jersey City University Board of Trustees has chosen to pursue a strategic merger with Kean University.