Crunch the Numbers: A Question of Leadership; First-gen Students Get Online; AI Worries on Student Privacy

Americans are experiencing a crisis of faith toward higher education leaders and do not fully trust them to prioritize their students, a new survey from U.S. News & World Report and The Harris Poll shows.  The results were revealed December 12 at an exclusive event, “The Evolution of Leadership: Education”. U.S. News – the global authority in education rankings and consumer advice – convened more than 125 education thought leaders, college presidents and government officials in New York for a discussion on crucial topics shaping the future of higher education.

Wendy Salomon, managing director of corporate strategy & reputation at The Harris Poll, presented the survey’s results. Among the key findings:

  • Fifty-eight percent of Americans believe that university leaders are failing students today, while 53% of current Gen Z and Millennials believe the same thing.
  • Only 43% of Americans and 45% of Gen Z and Millennials believe that universities are succeeding in developing leaders of tomorrow.
  • Fifty-six percent of Americans think that university leaders are not good examples of leaders for their students.
  • Only 45% of Americans trust university leaders to do the right thing for their students. However, 57% of Gen Z and Millenials trust university leaders to do the right thing for their students.
  • As for Americans’ trust in their university leaders to prioritize their students:
    • 59% of Americans trust public university leaders
    • 55% of Americans trust private university leaders
    • 51% of Americans trust ivy university leaders

“We know that important work has had to be undertaken in an increasingly difficult environment in this country where we are seeing declining levels of trust in our academic institutions, as well as decreasing enrollment numbers today where high school students are increasingly electing not to go to college,” Eric Gertler, U.S. News executive chairman and CEO, told attendees. “These last two months have made one’s role as president of a university infinitely more difficult. Leadership has never been easy – especially in times of crisis. But that is what we expect and demand from those in these positions of leadership.”…Read More

Tips for first-generation college students

The daughter of a factory worker and a stay-at-home mom, Teresa Heinz Housel became the first member of her family to go to college when she enrolled at Ohio’s Oberlin College in 1990, U.S. News reports. Now, she’s an associate professor of communication at Hope College in Holland, Mich., and coeditor of Faculty and First-Generation College Students: Bridging the Classroom Gap Together.

“I knew that I wanted more than what was around me–I read about people’s lives and I knew there was a lot more out there,” Heinz Housel says of her high school mindset. “I was really fortunate that I had mentors locally who really reached out to me and encouraged me to go to college.”

If you’re a prospective first-generation college student–or the parent of one–and are in need of encouragement, too, here are some of Heinz Housel’s insights and tips for tackling the pursuit of higher education……Read More

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