California, Clarion and Edinboro universities officially merged Friday, with each campus becoming a branch of a singular institution called Pennsylvania Western University, or PennWest for short.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which oversees 14 universities throughout the state, voted last July to consolidate the three universities in the western part of the state, and also merge Bloomsburg, Mansfield and Lock Haven universities into one entity in the east.

The PASSHE Board of Governors said the individual universities will retain their campus names and individual branding, but administrators are working on a uniform branding that the consolidated schools will use.

The combined universities will be overseen by a single president and council of trustees, and each campus will keep its individual athletic functions.

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