Presidential Opinion

Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D., president, Loyola Marymount University (CA), writes: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has offered a consistent rationale for his attacks on higher education: Colleges and universities should not teach concepts like critical race theory or intersectionality, he says, because doing so pushes a political agenda and “impose[s] ideological conformity” onto impressionable young minds. Has DeSantis met the college students of the year 2023? If he has, he has somehow missed entirely their makeup and conviction. This generation of young people — Gen Z as they are commonly known, but whom I call the Solidarity Generation — requires no prodding by college professors to stand up for social justice or oppose systems of oppression.
One need only survey the global landscape of political activism to see this in action. 

Suzanne M. Rivera, president of Macalester University (MN), writes:  In the coming days or weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to prohibit — or at least significantly restrict — the practice of considering race and ethnicity as factors in college admissions. Facing this likelihood, higher education leaders across the state and country are considering steps we can take to increase access for students from historically excluded and currently underrepresented groups. As we prepare for whatever restrictions may be handed down by the court, it's important to remember that the academic preparation a high school student receives is what matters most in determining whether they will attend college.

Vincent D. Rougeau, president of the College of the Holy Cross (MA), writes: During the height of the civil rights movement, at a time when racial integration was sparking controversy on many campuses, College of the Holy Cross President the Rev. John Brooks drove around the country to personally recruit Black high school students to the college’s all-male, primarily white campus in Worcester. The 20 young men he recruited have become an illustrious group, including business leaders, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Super Bowl champion, and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, class of 1971.

Elizabeth Meade, president of Cedar Crest College (PA), writes:  The first women’s colleges in the United States were founded in the 18th century in the face of deep-seated opposition to educating women. These institutions opened the doors of opportunity for women’s education, changing the face of this nation and the world for the better. However, fewer than three dozen American women’s colleges remain — despite the fact that they continue to serve a purpose in educating women, especially those from underserved communities. A handful of women’s colleges have either closed or have begun admitting male students just in the past few years, including Mills College and Notre Dame of Maryland University. When women’s colleges close, go coed or merge with another institution, the reason is always economic. 

Twenty-eight Liberal Arts College Presidents write: Two cases before the Supreme Court have the potential to restrict long-standing recruitment and admissions practices at colleges and universities. The cases, brought by a special interest group called Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), allege that race-conscious admissions practices are unfair and violate the Constitution. As liberal arts college presidents, we strongly disagree. Holistic review of applicants is critical to recruiting a well-rounded class, and that includes consideration of the richness of students’ many attributes and interests–including their lived experiences and backgrounds.