Dive Brief:
- An article in the September/October issue of Washington Monthly asserts higher ed policy is becoming an "ideological war ground" after being largely neutral, or "pre-ideological" for years.
- The author points to increasing coverage of campus protests and "political correctness" in Conservative publications as an explanation for the growing partisan divide in perception of the industry. He goes as far as to assert a Conservative media propaganda campaign which pits higher ed as a vehicle to advance leftist threats to freedom.
- In the end, the article concludes lawmakers best understand the need for bipartisan collaboration on higher education. And, the argument relies on the idea that President Trump has accrued enough detractors of his own party in Congress at this point that lawmakers wouldn't likely yield to attempts to turn higher ed policy into a partisan battleground.
Dive Insight:
Higher ed may not become a partisan battleground in the Congress, but with Republicans in control and less convinced of the importance of higher ed, it could be that there is no movement at all. Already, soon after the installation of the new Congress, House Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Ranking Member Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) said she didn't see a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act as a top priority for the administration or the Congress, and believed there to be "no timetable" for renewal.
But the undertones of the Washington Monthly article, penned by publication editor Paul Glastris, is the importance of the media on public perception — and how important both seem to be to the current administration. While much of the narrative surrounding higher ed has been grim and unflattering, this article showcases the importance of institutions' ability to take back and control the narrative surrounding not only their local campuses, but the industry as a whole. Rather than living on the defensive, constantly responding to threats, institutions which proactively communicate the good things happening on campus and the local and national economic impact of the institution are those which will continue to fare well in the current climate. And, open and honest conversations with internal and external stakeholders is the first step to setting the tone.