An essay by Mark Zupan, Alfred University president, was recently published by Inside Higher Ed, a provider of news, analysis and solutions for the higher education community.
The essay, titled “Constructive Engagement,” appeared in Inside Higher Ed’s June 6 on-line issue. In it, Zupan recounted a constructive exchange with an alumnus and higher ed critic who objected to Zupan signing “A Call for Constructive Engagement,” a statement published by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).
The AAC&U statement speaks out against government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education. “It calls for the freedom to determine, on academic grounds, whom to admit and what is taught, how and by whom, while engaging in constructive reform and openness to legitimate government oversight,” Zupan wrote in his essay.
The piece recounted how Zupan reached out to the alumnus to discuss the matter and they came to common ground on many issues facing higher education today, and agreed on the critical importance of promoting constructive engagement.