Public confidence in higher education has declined substantially in recent years. While the reasons are contested, some of the concerns Americans have expressed, including perceptions of political agendas and constraints on open debate, raise a more fundamental question: Have institutions of higher education undermined public trust by failing to consistently
Hundreds of colleges and universities have adopted free expression and institutional speech documents from the University of Chicago. In 1899, the University of Chicago faculty unanimously resolved that complete freedom of speech was fundamental to the institution’s mission to pursue knowledge and cultivate independent thinkers, a commitment President William Rainey
As a reaction to growing polarization and societal divisiveness, as well as concerns about intellectual bias and free speech, there has been a recent explosion of dialogue, debate, and civility efforts on our campuses. These efforts, tied to organizations such as the College Debates and Discourse Alliance, the Constructive Dialogue
Few institutions in the United States constitute as much aspiration and contestation as higher education. Our colleges and universities have long been the focus of significant public funding investment and have historically been viewed as a means of social mobility for aspiring students pursuing their version of the American dream.
Higher education has long faced calls to improve its commitments to free expression and intellectual pluralism. Now under more pressure than ever to do so, and cognizant of historically low public confidence in the sector, institutional leaders are trying to figure out how to respond. In a recent survey of
Universities increasingly adopt statements affirming commitments to academic and expressive freedoms. Yet translating those commitments into institutional practice can be challenging in the absence of a comprehensive guide identifying the full range of policies, procedures, and administrative practices that may warrant review. This inventory aims to help fill that gap
The day after the 2016 US presidential election, a dean asked me whether we should send a campuswide email reminding students that the counseling center could help them through distress. Within a year, alumni asked our college president to speak out about federal policy changes that did not affect our
US higher education institutions are currently facing a crisis of trust and unprecedented external attacks on shared governance. These attacks include large and volatile funding cuts from federal and state governments and in some cases infringements on academic freedoms in research and teaching. Academic leaders are right to defend their
Each spring, university campuses are spruced up: Lawns are mowed and stages assembled, and rows of chairs fill the arena. Graduation is a time-honored tradition, celebrating students’ hard work and
When I interviewed Olivia during the summer of 2024, I was collecting stories from higher education administrators about leadership and burnout. Olivia is a senior leader in academic affairs whose
Higher education leaders agree that recruiting, retaining, and engaging professional staff continues to be a top challenge at many colleges and universities. This article focuses on how leaders can develop
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