Sometimes the difference between success and failure is the ability to recognize opportunity. In recent years, issues of race and equity have taken hold in the national conversation, in part thanks to protests and demonstrations on college campuses. Unfortunately, many colleges and universities panicked when faced with vocal students demanding change. Instead of seeing these moments as opportunities for leadership and growth, they reacted with fear and evasion to try to shift attention from their campuses.
Such controversies, however, have the potential to create a more powerful way of broadening and engaging alumni, raising funds, facilitating civil discourse across ideological divides, attracting talented students, recruiting faculty and staff members, and advancing the institution’s mission.
After all, demands like those to rename buildings, change the curriculum, establish race-specific scholarships, and create mandatory anti-racist training are not only about the here and now. They may pave the way for an inclusive and stable institutional future.
Student unrest, as evidenced by campus boycotts and protests over the past academic year, presents a prime opportunity for campus leaders, alumni, students themselves, parents, faculty and staff members, and the broader community to learn and better prepare themselves to live in a deliberative democracy. It’s not about giving students everything they want. It’s about intentionally moving away from crisis mode and toward different approaches and ways of thinking.
Higher education must lead the way as it has done in the past, with even greater conviction. Here are six actions that colleges can take now:
It’s not about giving students everything they want. It’s about moving away from crisis mode.
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Communication begins with listening to students, understanding their concerns, and demonstrating compassion and empathy. In addition, campus leaders should use a variety of venues to talk with alumni and others about fears, vulnerabilities, mistakes, and uncertainties. Where possible, they should invite students with diverse opinions to speak with alumni and donors. Nothing is more inspiring than the stories of students. Letting them know that campus leaders hear and understand their concerns is the first chapter in that story.
Do what colleges do best. It’s called education. A campus climate of demands, protests, and unrest is a fabulous laboratory for learning from and engaging with people from different walks of life. Where better to learn about history, the economics of decision making, the give and take of politics, the sometimes frustrating inadequacy of the law, the ubiquity of the media, and the complexity of identity politics? College leadership should join with faculty and staff members to invite alumni, community residents, and others with different perspectives into these discussions. This will ensure that everyone has an opportunity to practice the skills of debate, critical thinking, and civil discourse. Additionally, political leaders who make decisions about funding and policies must be educated about the issues involved in continuing controversies, as well as the larger implications of leaving them unresolved.
Establish ties with foundations. On some campuses, student demands have brought about significant changes in the way the institutions do business. This creates opportunities to share novel programs with foundations and corporations that may be interested in providing funding, launching demonstration projects, or helping scale up pilot programs in ways that benefit underrepresented groups in the short term while positioning the college for long-term success.
Build bridges to estranged alumni. Campus controversies can be reminders that some alumni experienced pain and rejection on campus and may need a bridge to healing and empowerment. Colleges must meet them halfway by identifying leaders and planning culturally responsive events. It will take a genuine willingness to listen to potentially uncomfortable stories and feelings about mistreatment, as well as a commitment to work toward more equitable and inclusive campuses. Once those steps are taken, estranged alumni will not only return but will also bring others with them. Investing in this kind of engagement will strengthen student recruitment, enhance relationships with diverse communities, and increase the number of alumni giving back in time, talent, and treasure.
Provide opportunities to debate new ideas about power, race, gender, and equity. The themes looming over conversations about race are curriculum reform, inequity in hiring faculty of color, historical and current discrimination, and the lack of women in leadership. Many colleges are well positioned to promote discussions among students and the larger community about these issues, through speakers’ series and conversations with others of diverse experience and background. What better way to encourage a habit of lifelong complex learning?
Prepare for a new demographic. Colleges not only teach us about the past but also compel us to engage with the future. That future includes a dramatic shift in the racial and ethnic demographics of this country. The United States is getting more diverse every day, with Latino, African-American, and Asian-American children now making up the majority in the K-12 pipeline. We are also becoming increasingly interconnected globally. Academic efforts to engage with underrepresented students should be seen as opportunities to nurture and groom the future leaders of our society. This is a win-win proposition — for the students and for administrators who embrace the opportunity to nurture these emerging leaders as the future alumni.
Higher education has always been at the vanguard of societal change. Our students allow us to advance the critical leadership role our institutions play in the community, the nation, and the world. We must welcome the opportunities created by students who challenge the status quo. After all, it’s an essential aspect of the American culture.
Yvette M. Alex-Assensoh is vice president for equity and inclusion and a professor of political science at the University of Oregon.
