Dear CSB and SJU Community Members:

As you know, since late 2018, the CSB and SJU Boards of Trustees have been working toward stronger integration of the governance and leadership structures of the College of Saint Benedict (CSB) and Saint John’s University (SJU), to simplify processes and decision-making across our two institutions.

We are pleased to share that CSB and SJU will submit today an application to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), seeking approval of a change to our governance and leadership structure. We anticipate that HLC will provide their decision by late fall 2021. Once the change of structure is approved and executed, CSB and SJU will operate under boards with common members, a single president, and more integrated administrative leadership. We refer to this new governance and leadership structure as Strong Integration.

The long-standing Coordinate Relationship between CSB and SJU demonstrates a history of delivering excellent outcomes through an outstanding joint academic program. Strong Integration is a natural extension and strengthening of our current relationship. It is not a merger of the two institutions; the college and university will remain two separate institutions aligned with their respective sponsoring monastic communities. Strong Integration necessitates no changes to the joint academic program, the admission of students or the separate conferring of degrees.

Strong Integration will ensure that future students are educated by a thriving CSB and SJU. It will allow the college and university to continue delivering a superior liberal arts education with maximal effectiveness in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving higher education landscape.

The collaborative work of our two institutions and two founding monastic communities is a vital part of what makes the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University such beloved and special places. Our work has been guided throughout by the Benedictine Values, the institutions’ missions, and the needs of our students, and we are proud to take this historic step in our shared history.

Sincerely,

Barb Brandes
Chair, Board of Trustees
College of Saint Benedict

Dan McKeown
Chair, Board of Trustees
Saint John’s University