Elon University is now in control of Queens in Charlotte, accreditor says

Elon University now officially has full control of Queens University of Charlotte following a decision this month by the pair’s accrediting agency.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges signed off on their “substantive change” application this month. As part of that decision, Elon became the “sole member” of Queens.

It’s the official stamp of approval on the schools’ plan to merge and marks an “important milestone,” an Elon University spokesperson told The Charlotte Observer.

“The institutions expect to share a more complete public update later this summer,” the spokesperson said. “In the meantime, work continues on the next steps in the process, including additional integration planning and the federal review process with the U.S. Department of Education.”

Other signs of the merger have appeared in recent months. In May, Queens laid off some employees and told others they would be transitioned to Elon University employment by the end of June.

For universities, a “sole member” is a single person, organization or university that has ultimate legal and corporate control over an affiliated organization. While a board of trustees or directors may continue to manage operations, sole members typically can appoint or remove board members of the subsidiary entity and shape policies.

Though Elon is taking the reins, Queens’ current board of trustees will remain in-place for three more years. After that, the new combined board of trustees will consist of 10 members from Queens and 37 from Elon.

Queens is a private college of about 1,800 students in the Myers Park area. Elon is located between Greensboro and Burlington in a town by the same name. It’s also a private school and has a total enrollment of about 7,300 students.

The merger

The universities first announced plans to merge in September. Elon will operate Queens by the end of this August, university leaders said.

“This bold decision by our universities ensures that in 100 years, the founders’ missions can continue to thrive,” Elon President Connie Book told The Charlotte Observer. “This is a decision that creates strength and it’s built on educational opportunity as the necessary seed for a community’s future.”

Queens Acting President Jesse Cureton told the Observer that the departure of former Queens President Daniel Lugo, which was announced in 2024, prompted the school’s board to start looking at growth opportunities. Cureton was the board chair at the time.

In addition to merging their boards of trustees, the schools will also merge their combined $2 billion in assets.

Queens has faced enrollment challenges over the last decade, with a nearly 37% drop in enrollment between 2011 and 2024. It’s partially to do with the discontinuation of its associate’s degree in nursing program in 2014 and enrollment declines after the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a private university that relies heavily on enrollment revenue and had approximately $108.4 million in outstanding debt at the end of the 2024 fiscal year, according to S&P Global.

Meanwhile, Elon has sought to expand its foothold in Charlotte in recent years. It opened its part-time law program in Charlotte’s south end in August 2024. It plans to open the city’s only full-time law program in August 2027.

When the merger is complete, Queens may have a new name, though one hasn’t been chosen. Cureton and Book alike said the name will honor Queens University’s 169-year legacy in Charlotte.

Some Charlotte and North Carolina leaders applauded the merger. Meanwhile some alumni – of both Queens and Elon – have their reservations. But an expected drop in undergraduate enrollment nationwide over the next 10-15 years means mergers like this one may become more common, said Mark Heckler, a merger expert at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

“Let’s say you’re a trustee at either of these institutions. You have to think ‘Where will we be in 10-20 years if we make no changes?’” Heckler told the Observer in October. “You’re thinking, ‘What do we need in terms of academic programs to be well-prepared for the future? Do we have the money to build these programs on our own, or has someone else already built this up and can they be a partner?’”

Heckler said the move may be especially advantageous to private schools like Elon and Queens that depend heavily on tuition revenue.

This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 3:58 PM.