Does Higher Ed Need Defense, Improvement or Both? (column)

"The group quietly appeared on the scene early this year, vowing to "defend and improve the field as a foundational pillar of democracy." Few people who support higher education could disagree with that goal. Yet the group's emergence and the nature of its work are sowing confusion and consternation in some circles. The reasons why offer a window into some fundamental disagreements about what higher ed's problems are in this moment and how we might solve them."

"One-prominent among many faculty members, student activists, advocates for diversity and equity, quite a few journalists, and some college leaders-is that colleges and universities are under intense and unfair attack from authoritarian politicians who want to punish them for cultural and political reasons, to weaken institutions that are important to democracy and to building small-d democratic instincts in Americans."

"An alternative point of view-held even by some people who consider many of the current political attacks to be ill-conceived, illegal or both-is that higher education has brought at least some of its current problems on itself through arrogance, missteps and underperformance on key issues. Critics' lists of problems may vary, but they may include a perceived (and real) lack of affordability, being inaccessible to low-income and other disadvantaged groups of people, not responding quickly or sufficiently enough to changing societal and employ"

The Alliance for Higher Education and its president and CEO, Mike Gavin, have become prominent defenders of higher education alongside college presidents and association leaders. The group appeared early in the year, pledging to defend and improve higher education as a foundational pillar of democracy. Supporters broadly agree with the goal, but the group’s emergence and activities have caused confusion in some circles. Two main perspectives explain higher education’s current situation. One view holds that authoritarian politicians are unfairly attacking colleges and universities for cultural and political reasons, weakening democratic institutions. Another view holds that higher education has contributed to its problems through arrogance, missteps, and underperformance, including affordability and accessibility failures and insufficient responsiveness to changing societal and employment needs.

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