Presidential Opinion

Arthur Keiser, President, Keiser University writes: Florida college students’ choice of educational institutions may be severely limited next fall if certain members of the Florida House of Representatives have their way. House Bill 5601 would limit students’ ability to access state funding when they choose to attend one of 30 Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF) which are private, not-for-profit institutions.

Marvin Krislov, President, Pace University writes: There were nearly 1 million undergraduates enrolled in New York’s colleges and universities in the last academic year, according to statistics from the state Education Department. More students travel to New York for college than to any other state, according to data from the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York. And these students are the people who will help rebuild New York and drive our future.

Shirley M. Collado, President, Ithaca College and La Jerne Terry Cornish write: Our COVID crisis will end. But returning to business as usual once that occurs is a mistake that we, as president and provost of Ithaca, refuse to make. The time to activate needed change at Ithaca is now -- even in the face of resistance, as described in some detail in a recent Inside Higher Ed article. We’d like to offer some further context to our decision making and why we think significant strategic change is crucial now.

Laura Walker, President, Bennington College writes: As the president of a liberal arts college in New England, I was particularly dismayed to learn late last year about the University of Vermont's cuts to humanities programs on the heels of similar cuts at other institutions throughout the region.   

Tracy Fitzsimmons, President, Shenandoah University writes: We are ready and able to do 15,000 a week, but instead, our vaccinators and volunteers are sitting idle most days, waiting for doses that are sporadic and uncertain. This week, we had cause for celebration. At 4 p.m. Tuesday, we were notified that we would receive 2,500 doses; by Wednesday night, all of those shots were in arms.