Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Aug. 3 sent a call-to-action letter to all U.S. university presidents and governing boards asking them to return to their institutions’ original purpose and restore America’s faith in higher education.
She asked the leaders of every post-secondary educational institution to publish a statement by Dec. 31 outlining their commitment to academic excellence, pathbreaking research, and national service.
McMahon said this action was prompted by polling that demonstrates “public trust in higher education has reached historic lows across political parties and demographic groups.” She also noted that leaders at Yale, Vanderbilt, and Washington universities recently raised concerns about the dilution of academic standards, opaque admissions policies, and the politicization of the humanities and social sciences….