Chancellor proposes merging Oakland’s two largest colleges into ‘Oakland City College’ amid financial strain

Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson has proposed merging Laney and Merritt colleges into a single institution named Oakland City College, in response to mounting financial strain on the Peralta Community College District. With a $13.5 million shortfall and loss of state funding boosts, the consolidation aims to preserve services, streamline operations, and reshape higher education in Oakland.