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A New Morrill Act: Higher Education Anchors the 'Remaking of
America'
By Nancy Cantor
One might think that a global financial crisis would be no time for
college and university presidents to think expansively. Hunkering down
is the more natural reaction to a threat of the magnitude that the
economy continues to present. But expansive thought is exactly what we
need right now—not necessarily the kind that grows our physical
plant or our list of program offerings, but a fundamental reexamination
of what American higher education is all about and where each of our
institutions fits into that ideal.
President Barack Obama recalls the bold leadership of Abraham Lincoln
in multiple dimensions, not the least of which is that it was Lincoln
who signed the most important legislation in American history for
colleges and universities. The Morrill Act of 1862 brought higher
education to millions, creating the land-grant university system to
conserve, encourage, and promote agriculture, which at the time employed
more than half the nation's population and deeply influenced its
prosperity.
We felt reverberations of Lincoln's boldness when President Obama, in
his inaugural address, called on us once again to roll up our sleeves
and collaborate to "remake America" for today's knowledge economy. This
entails advancing science and innovation, achieving environmental
sustainability, revitalizing cities, reversing our failing schools and
health care system, and promoting peace and intercultural understanding.
The president is ensconcing these goals in public policies, carving out
a pivotal role for higher education, effectively piecing together a 21st
century Morrill Act, and calling upon all colleges and
universities—private and public—to embrace their roles as
public goods.
Heeding that call requires each of us to leverage our diverse and
unique institutional identities as place-based institutions. Where we
are located is tied inextricably to what we are—and inevitably, we
are anchor institutions in our communities, entities whose engagement
profoundly impacts our communities' prospects and prosperity. The work
of college and university leaders in helping remake America starts at
home, so it makes sense to examine our institutional and regional
histories to determine where our best opportunities now lie. . . .
Excerpted from the fall 2009 issue of The Presidency. To
subscribe to the magazine, please call (301) 632-6757, or order online
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bookstore.
| The Presidency, fall 2009, Nancy Cantor |
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