The negative discourse around higher education has given many leaders reason to pause, as they continue to contemplate return on investment of a product with increasingly high costs to students and families. And though a new survey from American Student Assistance set to be released next month found a majority of parents surveyed would consider themselves failures if their children didn't go a obtain a postsecondary credential, there is still a great amount of negativity and uncertainty swirling around the purpose and value of higher education.
And leaders are trying to figure out how to grapple with all of these competing sentiments. Here is what college presidents had to say.
St. Mary's College of Maryland President Tuajuanda C. Jordan
Jordan says she finds herself constantly pondering what it means to be educated in the current climate and amid the current discourse around higher education:
Bellevue University President Mary Hawkins
Hawkins said she finds herself thinking a lot about making sure the education they're offering is relevant to students and useful as a training ground for employers while continuing to be innovative and convince other stakeholders that they're doing the job they are trusted to do.
Maryville University President Mark Lombardi
Lombardi said he is excited that higher education is at a point of maximum disruption, with technology transforming the way education is delivered "on a scale unforeseen before."