Today’s political forces threatening academic freedom and institutional autonomy stem from declining trust in higher education, a new analysis contends.
Campus leaders must develop reforms and form new community partnerships to rebuild confidence in their institutions and demonstrate higher ed’s value, says “The Trust Agenda: A Framework for Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education,” newly released by the American Association of Colleges and Universities.
“Public trust in higher education cannot be restored without a renewed commitment to trustworthiness,” the association’s president, Lynn Pasquerella, said in a statement. “The Trust Agenda calls on colleges and universities to demonstrate that commitment through action, accountability, and meaningful engagement with the communities they serve.”
Leaders must also build stronger connections between institutions, within their campus and local communities and with society as a whole.
The report outlines five strategies for restoring trust in higher education:
- Accelerate innovation by breaking down barriers to institutional change and improvement
- Prioritize community engagement through mutually beneficial partnerships with local communities
- Recommit to inclusive excellence by ensuring all students feel welcomed and supported
- Tell a clearer story about higher education’s role in promoting opportunity, economic mobility, and the advancement of knowledge
- Coordinate a mission-centered defense of academic freedom and institutional autonomy
“Higher education is in crisis, and for too long, colleges and universities have been playing defense without a clear plan for the future,” said Jeremy C. Young, an author of the “Trust Agenda” and the AACU’s senior advisor for strategic initiatives. “’The Trust Agenda’ represents what higher education needs in this moment: a proactive, practical framework that will help campus leaders seize the initiative to improve our campuses and advance public trust.”
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