In response to the November 18 Monitor article titled “A Shifting Campus Climate: How Northeastern – NYC Begins to Form,” I wish to clarify some important points.

First, the article claims in numerous places that following the merger Marymount Manhattan will become a first-year-only campus. This is not accurate. The 2026 entering class will be a mixture of performing arts students who will pursue their four-year degree programs in NYC, and New York City Scholars, who will spend their first year in NYC and then transition to Northeastern’s Boston campus to complete their degrees. MMC students admitted before 2026 will continue pursuing their degrees, with a clear plan for completing them at MMC, which would become Northeastern – New York City when the merger is finalized. In addition, Northeastern will continually assess student interest in other majors that may be introduced at the New York City campus. What all of this means is that Northeastern – New York City will continue to offer a vibrant array of courses across disciplines for a diverse group of students at various points in their educational journeys.

Second, it is very problematic that the article repeatedly uses details about Northeastern’s merger with Mills College to draw false conclusions about what may or may not happen in New York. There are very significant differences between Mills College and MMC, so any comparisons between what students may have experienced at Mills and what they can expect to experience as MMC becomes Northeastern – New York City are false.

Third, the article quotes a memo from the New York State Education Department Board of Regents, which says that if the final merger between MMC and Northeastern is not approved, MMC would effectively close its doors. This quote is taken out of context and does not take into account that in the very unlikely event that the final merger is not approved, the MMC Board, in collaboration with Northeastern’s leadership, would have a number of options for continuing operations in NYC.

Lastly, the article provides June 1 or December 31 as possible dates for completion of the merger. As President Peter Naccarato explained in his email from earlier this month, December 31, 2025 is no longer a possibility. He further stated that he would provide updates to the community as he gets additional information about possible merger dates.

I encourage individuals to visit the merger webpage often, as information in the FAQs is regularly updated.

Stephen Eichinger

Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications