a. Bloomfield College is an independent institution of higher education located in Bloomfield, New Jersey, originally established by an act of the Legislature in 1871 as the “German Theological School of Newark, New Jersey,” and which was later renamed through an act of the Legislature first as the “Bloomfield Theological Seminary” in 1913 and again in 1931 as “Bloomfield College and Seminary.”

b. Bloomfield College is one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the nation, with nearly 1,300 undergraduate students and it is the State‘s only four-year institution of higher education with the federal designations of being a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI).

c. Bloomfield College is unable to continue operations as an independent college due to significant financial challenges, which have been further exacerbated by declining enrollment.

d. Due to Bloomfield College’s status as the State’s only MSI, HSI and PBI, it is of great public importance to New Jersey’s system of higher education that Bloomfield College continue operations.

e. Montclair State University is a public institution of higher education with its main campus located in Montclair, Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey, and which has been designated by an act of the Legislature as a public research university in the State.

f. Montclair State University is comprised of 10 colleges and schools that serve over 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students in more than 300 doctoral, master’s, and baccalaureate-level programs.

g. Montclair State University has been granted broad powers as a public research university to undertake activities that are necessary or desirable for university purposes, including the ability to acquire property, enter into contracts, form entities, and make decisions regarding the development of the university.

h. Recognizing the public importance of Bloomfield College, and determining that it is both necessary and desirable for university purposes, Montclair State University has entered into an agreement with Bloomfield College for it to become a part of Montclair State University.

i. The preservation of Bloomfield College’s mission through an alignment with Montclair State University is within the public interest and has an important public purpose as it will preserve Bloomfield College’s mission.

L.2023, c.65, s.1.