Public Universities Must Return to First Principles

Public Universities Must Return to First Principlesit should be the central asset in the growth and
dynamism of those organizations.
Higher education and America are in turmoil asLastly, the public university should attend to the
technology and changing cultures up-end oldmore mundane knowledge needs of the
economic models and delivery systems. Educationtaxpayers that support it. Instead, community
choices abound and continue to grow. Parents,colleges increasingly fill that role. They offer
students and politicians question academichow-to classes, training and skill-extension in areas
standards, methods and costs. As each institutionthat matter to the everyday needs and
struggles to define its place in the evolving order,aspirations of the working class. In the process,
none faces the identity crisis and the pressuresthey are increasingly relevant to the average
confronting the public university.citizen. It is little wonder they are becoming
Most public universities are land-grant universities.destination amenities for their communities.
In that original charter is the polestar to guide theA practical focus need not encroach on the role
schools in their search. Their origins point to theirof the community colleges. Rather, the public
unique difference: they are publicly funded schoolsuniversity should collaborate with the schools and
created to serve the needs of their localenhance their efforts. The university should marry
communities and states, and the citizens who liveits strength in rigorous, original research to the
there.skilled, accessible delivery of instruction by the
A return to these first principles can restorecommunity college. The university's study of the
clarity and mission to the public university. It mustunderlying science can strengthen the
embrace its special role as a builder of itscommunity-college offerings, extend knowledge in
community, a builder of the community's talentthe traditional fields that underlie the practical
and a builder of the community's economy. Itconcerns and demonstrate relevance to an
should start by focusing on three areas: learning,audience whose support the university
knowledge and partnership.desperately needs.
Learning. The university of today is a center forRestructuring research efforts is another way the
learning, as it has been since the first full-fledgedpublic university can build its community and the
university, Al-Azhar in Cairo, opened its doorscommunity's economy. Study of local issues and
more than 1,000 years ago. Yet, lost in the desirelocal needs will directly affect the quality of life in
for national status and recognition, today'sthe university's community. Collaborating with and
land-grant university often focuses on the wrongsupporting local industries will enhance the area's
kind of learning.economy, and make the community more
Government originally chartered public universitiescompetitive in the global arena.
"to provide a liberal, practical education forPartnership. Public universities make a large
members of the working class," as stated in thefootprint in their communities. The local school is
Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. When opened moreone of the biggest employers. Its campus is a
than 100 years ago, that working class wasmassive center of gravity that affects
young, white, male, agrarian and attended full time.development and real estate. Its spending ripples
Today, the working class is older, multi-ethnic,through the local economy. And it enjoys a
more female than male, urban and attends whileposition that no other entity in the community can
working.claim.
A return to chartered principles requires that eachThat position requires aggressive partnership in
school reconfigure itself to serve the citizens ofnearly every facet of community life. From
its community and its state. In so doing, thesurrounding homeowners and businesses, to
university will dramatically improve its contributionsregional governments and industries, the public
to its community's learning. A vigorous emphasisuniversity influences many lives. Its singular role as
on quality teaching-equal to or greater thana source of deep and credible knowledge requires
research-will address the needs of the institution'snot advocacy, but-in the absence of a clear-cut
primary consumers, the young adults, who seekmoral constraint-objective neutrality.
preparation for professional careers.Community issues do not lack for partisan
But the public university must not stop teachingsupporters, but they do cry out for a respected
students once it confers a degree. Thefacilitator. They need that facilitator to convene
knowledge economy and its labor force demandand inform the debate, and to supply the
lifelong learning. Whether through structuredknowledge that guides action. On education, health
instruction in classes relevant to their interests, orcare, politics, governance, commerce and dozens
as vibrant centers of culture and the arts, theof other topics, land-grant universities are uniquely
university can nurture and cultivate the knowledgeequipped to play that role. They can serve as a
workers needed for a strong local economy.neutral ground to assemble all sides of an issue,
Reinvigorated, consumer-responsive instructionand once a path is determined, they can act as
and resources for lifelong learning will build thean impartial agent for unified action.
university's community and the community'sAnd where the university's needs and its
talent. Through the university's contributions, theoperations have direct impact, it must be a good
community will retain more of its best youngneighbor. It must honestly balance its needs and
people, attract talented knowledge workers andthe needs of the adjoining homeowners and
remain an attractive center for commerce.businesses. When the community undertakes
Knowledge. As with learning, the land-grantrevitalization efforts, the university must not
university often seeks to expand knowledge thatanswer, "What must we do?" but instead, "What
is irrelevant to its chartered purpose. Instead, itcan we do?"
must focus its research efforts in areas only aAggressive, thoughtful and informative partnership
public university can or will study. While there isnot only integrates the university into its
less need for the agricultural research that wascommunity, but amplifies its value. In so doing, the
once its focus, the organizing principle remains.university will make the community stronger by
The public university must serve first the needsmaking it a destination for the businesses and
of its community and its state.people necessary to its continued health.
Each school must tailor its research efforts to itsIn the not-so-distant past, the land-grant
community's unique needs. Research programs,university not only responded to America's
faculty staffing and institutional attention shouldagenda, but also helped shape it. If it wants to
organize around knowledge that informs the localsurvive in an increasingly demanding and
social and economic issues of today and of futurecompetitive marketplace, a return to first
development. A local focus does not requireprinciples rooted in its past will secure the public
neglect of the demands of the global economy;university's future and help reclaim its leadership
instead, it concentrates the university'srole. It gives clear meaning to the school's role, it
international trade efforts in areas that mostvalidates its claim on the public purse and, most
benefit the community. The public universityimportantly, it justifies its call for the citizens'
should be more than a resource for the area'ssupport.
dominant industries, governments and non-profits;