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Northwestern University has committed $100 million to support city services and programs in its hometown of Evanston, Ill., the university announced Monday. The proposed 10-year agreement, which still requires final approval, will focus primarily on “equity, affordable housing, education, economic development and community engagement.”
 

Notre Dame of Maryland University will acquire Maryland University of Integrative Health, adding a suite of new graduate-level health programs to its offerings, the two private institutions announced last week. The transaction is expected to be completed in early 2024, pending approval from regulators and accreditors. The merger process is expected to be finalized in late 2024 or early 2025.

The Nebraska Promise has covered the cost of tuition for thousands of students at the University of Nebraska, but a pair of private universities in Lincoln have also recently expanded their free-tuition programs.
Nebraska Wesleyan University and Union College — in moves administrators said were influenced by NU's lead — rolled out their own free tuition scholarship programs for students from median-income families during the coronavirus pandemic. The Access NWU scholarship and Bridge to Union scholarship are expected grow in the coming years as more students become aware of the opportunities and changes in how aid is calculated take effect.

At Bates College (ME), the active shooter alert on Wednesday night interrupted a birthday celebration in a dormitory room. The alarm, at about 8 p.m., prompted Mavy Le, 19, and 11 of her friends to take the elevator up to a higher floor. Instinct told them to get to higher ground and away from windows.

Lesley University is laying off faculty as the private Massachusetts institution phases out four academic programs. The university said this month it is axing degrees in political science, sociology, global studies and graduate-level photography as it confronts financial troubles — reportedly a $10 million budget deficit, as of early 2023. Officials said the university needed to reduce faculty numbers as part of the consolidation.