Edna Kamara stands with Sister Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy. Photo Courtesy of Edna Kamara
Cedar Rapids resident and Mount Mercy student Edna Kamara is a social work major who says the merger is generating mixed feelings on her campus. She says she’s excited about opportunities, and even some Mount Mercy students are jokingly referring to SAU as “Big Daddy” due to curriculum, technology, and academic changes people are experiencing.
Kamara says she believes the merger could give students access to more programs at both institutions. She says MMU students could benefit from SAU programs such as physical therapy and occupational therapy, while SAU students could also benefit from Mount Mercy programs such as marriage and family therapy.
The universities announced the merger in August of 2024 and are awaiting approval from the U.S. Department of Education. The schools would operate as one institution with campuses in Davenport and Cedar Rapids, while Mount Mercy retains its name and campus. The transition has brought changes for students and faculty members on both campuses.
On the Road Again
For St. Ambrose Professor Brett Billman, who is the Department Chair of Communications, Marketing and Sales programs, the merger means spending two days each week traveling to Cedar Rapids.
Billman teaches communication theory at St. Ambrose and a new core communication class at Mount Mercy. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he picks up a St. Ambrose fleet vehicle in Davenport for the 80-mile drive, leaves around 9 a.m. for his 11 a.m. class, holds office hours after class, and usually returns later that afternoon.
“I have heard others suggest that a better carpooling system, or a shuttle to and from CR, would be helpful. This may work itself out in the future as faculty plan when they’ll be on the other campus and schedule classes around common days/times. I also personally think having some electric cars in our fleet could save money as gas is not cheap these days.
“Being on their campus two days a week is really helping to kind of unify the communication, marketing, and the sales department across two campuses,” Billman says. “We’ve got new faculty over there, and so this has given me time to meet with them and work with them and to help them whenever they need it.”
He says he also expects aligned curriculum to create more options, allowing students to take courses at either campus if a course is not offered at their home location.
Technology has been a challenge. Billman adds faculty members are still adjusting to systems that are not fully aligned between the campuses. For example, he noted that certain St. Ambrose library materials or movie clips he may use in class are not currently available to students at Mount Mercy.
“Our systems are not quite aligned yet.”
St. Ambrose University President Amy Novak and Mount Mercy University President Todd Olson. Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
Change Comes to Campuses
At SAU, Rubee Habiger, a first-year biology student, says she did not know about the merger before enrolling. She sees possible benefits in the programs available and the ability to enter a master’s program early after completing a bachelor’s degree, but she remains unsure about what the merger will mean moving forward.
“I haven’t really heard much about what it will mean in the future,” Habiger says. “I know there was a lot of issues with technology with the merger and found out from upperclassmen that Brightspace was completely new to everyone.” Habiger says she felt uncertain during the summer and frequently contacted the school because she did not want to miss important information.
“For the duration of the summer, I felt the need to always message the school because I had no idea what was going on and didn’t want to miss things,” she adds.
Identity Crisis at Mount Mercy?
At Mount Mercy, Kamara says she hopes the merger does not erase the university’s history, sense of community, or Mount Mercy’s connection to Sister Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy, whose values continue to guide the university’s mission.
She says she would like to see Mount Mercy continue its work around its critical concerns and its focus on serving others, two of the school’s main goals.
“I would not want Mount Mercy to lose its purpose and its story,” Kamara notes. “Catherine McAuley built the school on principles that Mount Mercy has been using, and I wouldn’t want to see that get lost.”
She also hopes the school keeps the community atmosphere students value.
“I just wouldn’t want it to lose its magic,” Kamara adds.
While Kamara sees possible benefits in shared programs, Rebecca Hein, a senior psychology and sociology major at Mount Mercy who also works as Admissions Assistant and is involved in a number of student organizations, says the merger has brought significant loss and disappointment.
“I feel that the identity of the university I chose to attend has been stripped away,” Hein explains. “Mount Mercy is a completely different Mount Mercy to the one I excitedly chose to attend.
“I have a professor at St. Ambrose. All my syllabi say ‘St. Ambrose’ on them. My classes are changing to align with St. Ambrose. Our rules and our organizations on campus are changing to align with St. Ambrose.
“The word ‘university’ is being taken away as we become assimilated with another institution. Things that I wanted to major and minor in that were previously an option at Mount Mercy have been completely eliminated. The opportunities and resources I was promised when I came here dwindle all the time.
“It feels like I am no longer a student at a beautiful and benevolent university, but an insignificant object in an unfeeling corporation.”
Dr Novak’s Response to Concerns
Dr. Novak says she recognizes the challenges of the merger but strengthening both institutions can ensure future growth. “We recognize that this transition has been difficult for some students, and we are listening carefully to those concerns. Our goal is to ensure that the Mount Mercy student experience is equal to or better than what students expected when they enrolled.
“We are meeting with student leaders, addressing challenges from the registration process, and continuing to invest directly in the campus. Those investments include air conditioning in residence halls, expanded access to graduate programs, increased student activities, stronger athletics and student ministries, the new Busse Football Complex, and planned upgrades in nursing simulation and business.
“Just as importantly, preserving the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy remains central to our work. We are committed to carrying that mission forward while creating new opportunities for students. I look forward to working with the MMU Student Government and other MMU leaders to ensure the experience is positive and that the legacy of Mount Mercy continues now and into the future.”
Waiting for Word
Brian Boesen, AVP of Marketing and Brand Strategy for St. Ambrose University and Mount Mercy University, says in a written statement that the institutions are still waiting on word from the Department of Education.
“Reduced staffing at the Department of Education has increased the time required to review and approve mergers. Once approval is received, the universities can continue expanding academic pathways, sharing expertise, and creating greater access to programs across both campuses.”
As the merger moves forward, students and faculty members at both St. Ambrose and Mount Mercy say they are still adjusting to new routines and unanswered questions. While some see potential for more programs, shared resources and connections between the Davenport and Cedar Rapids campuses, others are waiting to see how the changes will affect each school’s identity, student experience and future.
