From Rachel Toor
Over the past couple of years, I’ve developed relationships with presidents in every sector, and, well, I care about them. Which means I feel compelled to tell them things they don’t want to hear. Like, wake up, friends. They hate us. The people labeled a “basket of deplorables” told us that in 2016 and yet we never stopped condescending to them. Maybe it’s time to unleash the doves and wave the olive branches.
Presidents understandably want to change the public narrative, and their natural inclination is to talk about what they know best: their own institutions. After all, it is their job to promote the great things their beautiful and unique colleges are doing. But they seem often to forget what we teach in first-year composition classes: to think about audience. Always.
Friends, the goal of this newsletter is to support you (and we know many even on your campuses can’t stop punching up and you are worn down, wrung out, and exhausted), so I say this with love and compassion: A self-interested message to the half of the country who doesn’t like you or believe in what you represent will not change their minds and will only make them hate you more.
How to regain trust? Here’s one small idea.
I’ve been approaching presidents (who like to write) with a prompt: Craft an op-ed for regional newspapers (yes, old people still read them) to remind citizens that higher ed is more than just Harvard. I’ve asked peeps from different sectors to call out by name and specific contributions the community colleges, regional publics, small religious institutions, quirky arts schools, technical training institutes, fancy-pants privates, land-grants, and HBCUs near them. The idea is to present a compelling case for the entire ecosystem of higher ed by invoking the programs, social services, cultural offerings, and job training available in their area.
Because this is what makes America great. Our higher ed industrial complex is the envy of the world and has made us the powerhouse we are. That’s the story we need to tell—about economic advantage, national defense, access to health care, libraries, engineering marvels, and basic services that come from the nearly 4,000 institutions (that aren’t Harvard) where anyone can find a place.
Too many presidents, when they write or talk about higher ed, think only from the perspective of their own captain’s chair. Few talk about the entire fleet in a way that calls attention to others. If you’re in an area with one of the nearly 500 colleges that the Carnegie Classification now lists as an opportunity school, give them (us! go, EWU Eagles!) some props before you wave your own flag. If your institution has made it into those rankings, don’t just brag (though it is great) but acknowledge there are other local options that might be a better fit for some students. And if you’re at the equivalent of a luxury yacht or giant ocean liner, maybe use the wake you create to lift the canoes, fishing trawlers, and tugs.
Sure, the national press needs to be reminded that higher ed is more than a few dozen schools, but so does everyone else. Even better would be to go to conservative media outlets and show them we’re all not just all “woke" and “antisemitic." Remind citizens to make sure their elected officials are working to serve their interests and maybe point out that the Big Beautiful Bill might be pretty only for those with enough cash to pay the sticker price for college.
In last week's Sandbox, a former president wrote, “Too many of us chased national prestige and recognition at the expense of building strong and supportive local relationships of the kind that could make communities proud and grateful to have a college in their towns.”
As a pro bono service to beleaguered prezzies (which some of you already know about), I am happy to read, edit, or even help ghostwrite these pieces.
More useful, perhaps, this week I’m bringing you expert advice from higher ed attorney Jim Newberry, who knows about appealing to diverse constituents. He is one of us, but given his wealth of experience, he is well aware of why those who are not in our club hate us.
