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
Dr. Amara Osei
President
Dr. Daniel Reyes
Provost
Dr. Hannah Lindqvist
Vice President for Research
Marcus Whitfield
Dean of Students
