Higher Education Must Reclaim Its Higher Purpose: Value And Virtue

Newsweek Op-Ed:  To Revitalize Higher Ed, Colleges Should Care About Character, by Jim Gash (President, Pepperdine University):

Higher education must realize and reclaim its foundational higher purpose, which is to develop and equip people of value and virtue who in turn infuse value and virtue in their communities, countries, and the rest of the world.

To accomplish this, colleges must form academic communities that appreciate viewpoint diversity, safeguard academic freedom, and stimulate intellectual curiosity. ...

Colleges must take an active role in nurturing students' understanding of and appreciation for foundational American values, including freedom of religion, freedom of speech and assembly, and a free press. Students should grow in their understanding of these fundamental rights, the stories of the (admittedly flawed) heroes who secured and defended those rights, and their responsibility to preserve these freedoms for future generations. If taught to and embraced by students in college, these values will be embedded in our communities and strengthen the democratic process for generations to come. As the late educational reformer John Dewey once said, "Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife."

Colleges must also build character in their students, instilling values such as integrity, humility, and selflessness. They should demand uncompromising academic excellence, in which integrity is a foundational component. They can play a critical role in imparting humility by exposing students to the world through international programs that broaden their perspectives and encourage humble appreciation for other cultures. Likewise, students learn selflessness through the experience of serving others, and colleges can play a formative role in developing this lifelong leadership trait by helping them identify and meet the needs of others.

Spiritual formation is outside the purview of many institutions of higher education. But at Pepperdine, we believe faith is an inextricable and essential part of the whole person. So we encourage our students to explore their faith as they grow in knowledge and character. Faith is an integral part of our mandatory Resilience-Informed Skills Education Program, which provides students with frameworks that can be used to navigate life's challenges. While students are not obligated to practice religion, our students benefit from a community that purposefully integrates faith and learning.

Critical thinking. Intellectual curiosity. American values. Uncompromising integrity. Cultural humility. Selfless service. Spiritual formation. These are the things that give higher education its higher purpose and offer answers to the question, "Why would anyone go to college." Those of us who work in higher education would do well to prioritize these features of the college experience. When we do, I am confident we will provide an invaluable, transformational experience for students, rebuild the trust of the next generation, and regain our position among institutions that most effectively contribute to a thriving society.

Prior TaxProf coverage:

• Universities Must Preserve American Values: Freedom, Faith And Self-Governance — Leavened With Humility (Dec. 10, 2023)

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