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About

A university organized around the argument

Since 1891, Merinan has held that ideas improve when they are tested in the open — by students and faculty alike.

Mission

Rigorous inquiry, freely pursued

Merinan exists to create knowledge and to teach people how knowledge is made. We protect free expression because inquiry without disagreement is only repetition.

That commitment shapes everything from our seminar sizes to our open transfer pathways: serious study should be available to anyone prepared to do the work.

18,400

Students

1,780

Faculty

17

Average class size

112

Countries represented

History

A short timeline

  • 1891

    Chartered as Merinan College with a faculty of 26.

  • 1924

    First graduate research division established.

  • 1968

    Community college transfer compact signed with six districts.

  • 1997

    Institute for Computational Science opens.

  • 2019

    No-loan financial aid policy adopted.

  • 2026

    Chicago-scale research campaign expands global partnerships.

Leadership

University officers

O

Dr. Amara Osei

President

R

Dr. Daniel Reyes

Provost

L

Dr. Hannah Lindqvist

Vice President for Research

W

Marcus Whitfield

Dean of Students

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