Panelists Ronald Rochon and Fred Lawrence, Courtesy of AAC&U
More than 1,000 higher education leaders, faculty, and staff convened last week in Washington, D.C. for the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Colleges & Universities.
Higher education has faced mounting challenges within the last several years: the politicization of higher ed, rising costs, growing distrust from the public, and a misconception that a college education is solely for gaining immediate employment, among others.
Indeed, it has been a trying time for higher education professionals across campus.
Despite some presenters and leaders feeling downtrodden, there was a rallying cry for higher education professionals to stand their ground, defend their purpose, and continue to push the needle. The conference’s theme was “Reaffirming Higher Education’s Public Purpose.”
At the open plenary, the four panelists stressed the importance of leaning into your mission statements and being proactive instead of reactive.
Frederick Lawrence, secretary and CEO of Phi Beta Kappa Society, drove this point home with a reference to Dwight D. Eisenhower’s strategy during World War II. He shared how Eisenhower kept a card on his desk during the war that clearly stated his mission: Win the war. “He got clarity on complicated questions by looking at them through the lens of that mission,” Lawrence said, reminding colleges and universities to do the same. He called on boards and leaders to remember their missions and make decisions based on that rather than reacting to all the “slings and arrows.”
He called reactively fighting an “endless game of whack-a-mole,” arguing that recommitting to our missions is what will keep us from losing our focus.
Lyndon B. Johnson — who signed the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make higher ed accessible to all Americans regardless of income or background — was referenced several times throughout the plenary, reminding attendees that higher education is a path to achievement and is a public purpose.
When he signed the act, he said, “I have the power, and I intend to use it,” said panelist Leslie Fenwick, who is dean emerita and professor at Howard University’s School of Education. She commended the higher ed community for making progress toward its mission statements and said higher ed professionals can borrow from this mentality. “We have the power and expertise and must intend to use it, individually and collectively,” she declared.
Ronald Rochon, president of California State University, Fullerton, spoke about the importance of expanding access.
“The best ideas and solutions rest in zip codes across this county that are underserved,” he said. “Our job is to get there, provide access, and open doors.”
The annual meeting’s sessions tackled topics such as the state of AI in higher education, how to engage students in civic and democratic learning, college completion strategies, how to write transparent financial aid offers, among many others.
The resounding message throughout the conference was this: Together, we have the power to shape the future of higher ed. Now is a time to remember why higher ed exists. Don’t let the criticism cause you to lose focus — lean into your mission and keep pushing the needle.
“Now is the time for us to stand in our courage,” said panelist Nikole Hannah-Jones, an investigative reporter for The New York Times Magazine.
