Lawrence M. Schall writes: Recently, I received a call from a higher education reporter I got to know while I served as a university president. He had written several features on my university’s financial turnaround during the 15 years I worked there. He was interested in my perspective on the state of higher education today, as I have transitioned into my new role as president of the New England Commission of Higher Education, the accrediting agency of more than 200 colleges and universities in six Northeastern states.