SPH Consulting Group advised New Jersey City University on its acquisition by Kean

SPH Consulting Group, a Birmingham, AL-based higher education consulting firm, advised New Jersey City University (NJCU) on its eventual acquisition by Kean University, which officially completed on July 1, 2026.

Founded in 1927, NJCU was a public university in Jersey City that had grown to a student body of 6,800 undergraduates and 2,350 postgraduates prior to its absorption. The state-designated research university faced enrolment and financial challenges in the pandemic era, declaring a financial emergency in June 2022. In early 2025, Kean University submitted a proposal to acquire the beleaguered educational institution, which had been forced to cut as much as 37% of its academic offerings in the years prior.

SPH Consulting helped guide NJCU toward its eventual absorption and preservation as Kean’s newest campus, now officially Kean Jersey City.

After a request-for-proposals, NJCU enlisted SPH to deliver institution-wide due diligence, an evaluation of the university’s strategic and financial position, an examination of restructuring alternatives, and an assessment of prospective institutional partners.

“Our work focused first and foremost on identifying a sustainable path that would protect access to higher education and expand opportunities for NJCU’s students and the broader Jersey City community,” said Ricardo Azziz, principal of SPH Consulting Group. “We are proud that our analysis contributed to the decision-making process that ultimately helped make Kean Jersey City possible.”

SPH has two major service lines: “organizational restructuring and major institutional initiatives in higher education” and “health professions and academic health in higher education.” The former has offerings in strategic readiness, partner identification, due diligence, and restructuring execution, among other areas. The latter has offerings in strategic planning, developing and accrediting programming, negotiating with clinical partners, and organizational effectiveness.

SPH has 26 professionals listed on its website.