Department of Education Calls for Accountability, Trustees Must Answer the Call
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s “National Call to Action to University Presidents and Governing Boards” reflects the reality that public trust in higher education has reached a historic low. The letter calls for colleges and universities to renew their foundational promise to foster academic rigor, protect open inquiry, and advance the national interest. Many of the specific goals it sets are ones that have been championed by higher education reformers, including ACTA, for years. And yet, this call for reform is unique in that it also incorporated the thoughtful input from university presidents who would share responsibility for that change. Governing boards and institutional leaders should take this call as an opportunity to begin earning back the confidence of the American people.