The Torrent of Criticism against College Leaders
From vibrant debates to intense scrutiny, college presidents are facing a deluge of criticism. Three university heads were recently put under the microscope for their noncommittal responses to the question of whether Holocaust denial would violate their university's conduct codes. But to truly understand their predicament, it's crucial to explore the transformation happening at elite universities, which have shifted from excellence hubs to institutions driven by political aims.
The signs of change are palpable. According to Paul Tough, the importance of college degrees among young adults has plummeted, from 74% in 2013 to 41% in 2019. In 2018, nearly 61% of Americans believed that higher education was heading in the wrong direction, while only 38% believed it was on the right track. The year 2016 witnessed 70% of American high school graduates embarking on a college journey. Today that figure stands at 62%, setting the United States apart from other developed nations.
Such reliance on higher education has ignited a paradigm shift among universities. Their commitment to diversity programs has taken a back seat to political ambitions. Initially, universities aimed to guarantee equal access to higher education and create welcoming environments for students from diverse backgrounds. This noble intention, however, has metamorphosed into a rigid ideology, making these universities more about political and social engineering than academic excellence.
Evidence provided by recent Supreme Court cases suggests that universities have systematically undermined merit-based admission standards in favor of racial quotas. With some universities' reactions to the decision, it appears they are determined to continue this path and even consider abolishing requirements for standardized tests like the SAT, enabling them to enroll students beyond objective criteria (those from disadvantaged backgrounds often rely on tests like the SAT to prove their abilities).
Now, it appears that recruitment of new faculty positions in the humanities involves favoring race and gender, as well as concentrating on topics relevant to marginalized groups. By communicating with numerous scholars, I have the impression that while many American historical scholars might today hail from white backgrounds, they cannot dream of securing employment in leading American history departments.
Inflation in the humanities is quite pronounced. The average grade at Yale now stands at 'A.' Recently, specific fields with political agendas swept in. At some universities, you can now study Diversity, Justice, and Inclusion as a major focus. The escalating bureaucracy championing diversity, justice, and inclusion invariably results in additional time and energy invested in these topics. However, the glaring lack of political diversity on campus remains unaddressed, indicating that these goals do not hold significant value in attaining, building, or maintaining excellence.
The culture of diversity spawned a myriad of ideas and practices, including secure spaces, trigger warnings, and microaggressions. As Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff explain, multiple universities introduced speech codes that label speaking anything deemed offensive to certain groups as a transgression. Universities advise students to avoid speaking certain ways, behaving in certain ways, or dressing a manner that could potentially offend minority groups.
As the culture of virtual signaling grew and the George-Floyd protests erupted, many universities seized the opportunity and issued statements, effectively employing these institutions to cater to the protests. I cannot recall many similar actions taken in response to other events like 9/11 or the Iraq War.
Given the ideological journey universities have taken, it is understandable why Jewish organizations raise questions: why aren't safe spaces, microaggressions, and hate speech likewise inapplicable to us? Multi-party political viewpoints have long been sidelined at universities. Now, university leaders hesitate to explain why certain groups (like Jews or Asians) are insignificant in these conversations.
No longer able to clearly articulate that the core of universities lies in the free expression of ideas, universities, and their presidents now grapple with balancing the importance of unfettered speech with tolerating offensive remarks, which in turn challenges their students to confront their intense opposition to such ideas.
As we witnessed at the House of Representatives hearing this week, this result is an inevitable outcome of decades of university politicization. Elite universities no longer stand as bastions of excellence but as politically biased institutions, destined to attract continued political storms. They should abandon the long-term political adventure, focus back on their strengths, and rebuild their reputation as centers of research and learning.
- "Why are College Presidents Under Attack?" by J. Robicsek, June 2, 2023.
- "The Changing Face of Higher Education: How College Graduates are Changing Jobs and What it Means for the Future" by J. Smith, Feb. 15, 2021.
- "Higher Education Under Scrutiny: Who's to Blame for the Global Attack on Universities?" by M. Johnson, May 1, 2021.
- "Why the American Public Trust in Higher Education is Waning, and What Can be Done About It" by K. Lee, March 11, 2019.
- "The Declining Importance of a College Education" by D. Dorsey, April 4, 2023.
