Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts Announce Intent to Join Together

Dear Seattle University Community,

I am pleased to announce that Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to join together, with Cornish becoming Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University. Cornish will continue operating at its South Lake Union campus as part of Seattle University.

Seattle University shares with Cornish College alignment in many important areas, including our respective missions and values, our excellent arts programs and our location in a dynamic city that calls forth creativity and innovation. As we join together, students at both SU and Cornish will benefit from enhanced educational opportunities for interdisciplinary learning across fields such as STEM, business and the fine arts. Arts education has always been a critical component of the Jesuit educational tradition, and this transaction promises to dramatically expand the arts curriculum at Seattle University while bringing to students at Cornish the full curricular breadth of a comprehensive university.

Both institutions' boards of trustees have enthusiastically approved the LOI, marking the first step in our envisioned unification. In the coming months, Seattle University and Cornish College will conduct a thorough review of Cornish's finances, holdings, operations and compliance while engaging the respective campus communities through each institution’s shared governance process. Assuming the successful completion of this review and agreement of the parties, a definitive agreement is expected this spring. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and the U.S. Department of Education will then need to review and approve the proposed unification of the institutions with Cornish College becoming part of Seattle University. Following NWCCU approval, the two institutions will begin to combine operations, which will take some time to complete and will be subject to regulatory processes.

In The Newsroom: SU and Cornish Announce Intent to Join Institutions.

It is important to stress that today’s announcement represents just the beginning of a lengthy process as we work out the details of the combination of our two complex institutions. That process will involve students, faculty, staff and administrators – as well as shared governance bodies – at both institutions. We will update you on the process as it moves forward.

This is a time of great progress and possibility for Seattle University, and entering into this new era with Cornish College of the Arts will greatly enrich our institution and most importantly the holistic and inclusively excellent educational experience we provide for our students.

Respectfully,

Eduardo M. Peñalver
President