Midland, Dana end talks

Monthly talks to discuss limited partnerships between Midland Lutheran College and Dana College have ended.

The talks, sparked by budget cuts at both schools in recent years, had focused on ways the two private Lutheran colleges only 28 miles apart could work together to reduce expenses. But a consulting firm’s report concluded that Midland and Dana weren’t going to find many more ways to collaborate.

A handful of Midland and Dana professors already travel to the other campus to teach a class each semester. Four or five students at each college take a class at the other school that they can’t take on their own campus, Midland leaders say.

And the colleges have cooperatively bought supplies in the past, saving money by buying in bulk, said Stephen Fritz, Midland’s outgoing interim president.

The firm recommended that both colleges should move ahead independently, said Nikki Kinsey, Dana’s marketing director. It also emphasized that the colleges should continue to look for limited ways to collaborate, such as combining study-abroad trips and promoting the Lutheran focus of both colleges.

Leaders at both schools stressed that they’ll continue to look at ways to save money by working together. But Fritz said talk of any sort of closer partnership, such as a limited merger, has died.

“Any sharing is helpful,” Fritz said, “but it’s also going to be modest.”

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