There is an endless war against universities and universities in this country, which is unprecedented in our lives. It is not only a verbal war, but also one of the deeds. First, starting with the efforts to ban “critical racial theory” and “schizophrenia” in university classrooms and campuses, it has developed into an obsessive-compulsive disorder of federal policy.
The extensive executive order attempts to use the leverage of withheld federal grants, banning concepts related to race, gender, and identity on campus. The university has been provided with sharp and unselective cuts. International students’ visas are revoked based on their political views. Attacks on non-partisan university accreditors have continued. And raise the industry into chaos by requiring elite private research to effectively put themselves in government takeover or lose billions of dollars in federal funds.
That’s why I’m honored to sign and help coordinate letters from over 600 universities, universities and academic society presidents last month to defend our country’s higher education institutions. The letter called for “improving constructive participation in our institutions and serving our republic”, also criticized “an unprecedented governmental over-division and political intervention that now endanger higher education institutions” and warned that “the cost of cutting down on our students and society’s established freedom will be paid by the definition of higher education in the United States.”
I’m still worried that the problems faced by universities are deeper than cutting funding and government threats. Indeed, our national debate on higher education has completely lost the plot. Critics of higher education present the entire sector as an elitist, tactile indoctrination plant for liberal orthodox ideas, which replaces the great Western classic books with political criticism. The allegation has been widely attracted to the public. However, it is not only unreal in its merits, but also fundamentally misunderstands the purpose and mission of higher education. It asks wrong questions and provides wrong answers.
If our department is to regain respect and appreciation for American society, we need to reposition national dialogue. We need to help people remember what colleges and universities actually do, and what is important.
The American College and University Association, which I have served as president since 2016, is the voice and power of what we call free education. Let me know: Teaching students to believe that liberal politics or conservative politics means the opposite of “free education.” Instead, the term predates modern political labels, which refers to the emancipation of ideas from various types of orthodox love.
I agree with Margaret Mead, and the leaders in the political field from Barack Obama to Ron DeSantis, should teach students how to think, not how to think. Successful college education is not measured by the beliefs that graduates believe, but by what they can imagine. It inspires students’ imagination, helps them explore different ideas and experiences from themselves, and trains them with thoughts and habits of thought, thus helping them create their own meaning from the world. It provides them with practical skills needed for future employment, as well as critical thinking tools that can help them acquire and succeed. This also helps strengthen our democracy by providing a forum and open approach to inquiries and intellectual freedom, and by exposing students and communities to new ideas and perspectives.
From the miscellaneous things of unrelated courses, this kind of education does not happen by chance. This is part of the plan. For decades, AAC&U has been a learning lab for a comprehensive undergraduate education that teaches students in a systematic way how to become effective thinkers and problem-solvers in a two- or four-year process. We pioneered the concept of high-impact practices, including excellence and innovation in general education outcomes and assessments, innovations adopted by hundreds of campuses nationwide, including nearly 900 of our member institutions.
Higher education should always try to do better in opening up students’ minds. In fact, this commitment is at the heart of my organization’s work. Taking criticism seriously is how universities innovate and improve. But this innovation would not happen if the government stepped in to ban or approve ideas it didn’t like, depriving teachers of academic freedom. If it deprives university leaders of autonomy to decide what ideas are allowed or advocated on campus; or, if it poses many threats or cuts, professors and students will be afraid to speak and think freely.
The prudent process of preparing students for democratic citizenship needs to help them understand the enormous diversity of people, cultures, and beliefs that make up the world we live in. Now it’s time for us to stop asking universities and universities whether they teach “right” ideas, but instead ask them if they teach students whether they need the skills they need to navigate our complex world. This approach will lift us out of cultural wars and strict government restrictions and engage constructively towards educational tasks at universities and universities so that they can work with government to improve the education of our students.
