Why are so many non-tenure-track faculty being hired? The answer may at first seem so obvious as to make the question itself seem absurd. Most department chairs, deans, and tenured or tenure-track faculty members would likely point to budget shortfalls, last-minute increases in enrollments, and the inability to win approval for new tenure-track…

The lasting sense of connection that a graduate feels for his or her alma mater is often rooted in those especially memorable aspects of the college experience--the times spent bonding with friends and faculty, practicing and playing on athletic teams, collaborating with professors on research, and serving as leaders in student government. Such…

In the late 1990s, the wild hope of the Lilly Endowment was that a set of American higher education institutions would respond to the call for an exploration of vocation, giving a portion of their precious institutional lives to explore this question with undergraduates. Through projects on multiple campuses, the intent was to learn whether and…

After a decade of silence, the US Supreme Court in two recent cases has spoken on issues of race and ethnicity in higher education--in June 2013, with its "Fisher v. University of Texas" opinion, and in April 2014, with the "Schuette v. BAMN" decision. In "Fisher," the court amplified and elaborated on key points of…

Cross-cultural mentoring involves an ongoing, intentional, and mutually enriching relationship with someone of a different race, gender, ethnicity, religion, cultural background, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, or nationality. Generally more experienced, the cross-cultural mentor guides the intellectual and personal development of…

In this article, the author presents an interview with two former and the current president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities: John W. Chandler, Paula P. Brownlee, and Carol Geary Schneider. John W. Chandler was president of the association from 1985 to 1990, Paula P. Brownlee was president from 1990 to 1998, and Carol Geary…

It is not a surprise that presidents of American colleges formed an association. What is cause for wonder is why it took them so long. By 1869, there were 563 colleges in this nation. Yet not until 1914 did a handful of presidents feel the need to band together and found the Association of American Colleges (AAC). The Association of American…

The ninetieth anniversary of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) offers an opportunity for reflection. Where is higher education now in the shared commitment to the values and practices of liberal education, and where do they need to go, within the academy as a whole and within AAC&U itself? This article provides…

Each summer, faculty and academic deans from institutions across the country make their way to the Wye River campus of the Aspen Institute on the Eastern Shore of Maryland for a weeklong seminar. Described as professional development, it often turns out to be much more. The Wye Seminars have at their core a collection of classic texts--from Plato…

This article was adapted from Paul L. Gaston's address to the 2014 annual meeting of the "Association of American Colleges and Universities." The panel session talk "Accreditation: Riding the Wave of Innovation--or Going Under?" addressed issues surrounding the many proposals for demolishing and rebuilding higher education…

This article by José Antonio Bowen was presented at the 2014 annual meeting of the "Association of American Colleges and Universities" where the discussion included the question of how technology was bringing new tools and new competition to higher education, but was also changing basic rules about how "we operate" as human…

In this article, author Bobby Fong states that what is needed in higher education today is a renewed urgency and commitment to assist students in forming their souls. Fong suggests soul-making is integral to education at our institutions--whether secular or religious-- and it ought to make itself felt in all areas of academic life.

Higher education in the United States has been a source of pride but also the target of continuous debates, criticisms, and calls for reform. In the first decade of this century, concerns were focused on the effectiveness of educational practices and the quality of student learning, as well as access and escalating costs. As a consequence, there…

In 2011, the New American Colleges and Universities established a national award to honor the legacy of Ernest L. Boyer by recognizing an individual whose achievements in higher education exemplify Boyer's quest for connecting theory to practice and thought to action, in and out of the classroom. The 2014 Boyer Award was presented to Edward L.…

Ten years ago, AAC&U (then AAC) issued a landmark report, "Integrity in the College Curriculum: A Report to the Academic Community". Anticipating the academy's sternest external critics by nearly a decade, "Integrity" offered a sweeping and incisive critique of curricular practice throughout higher education. "As for…