The first day of #ChronFest was engaging and evocative, with many smart, thoughtful, and straightforward panelists. If you did not get a chance to listen in, here are a few takeaways from my notes:
? Access and Equity: Diversity and inclusion don't begin and end with an acceptance letter and generous financial aid package. As we increase access, we are deepening the inequalities on campus. We must do more to decode higher education for our students, distribute high-impact opportunities equally, and celebrate skill sets developed through the real-world experiences and unpaid labor that underrepresented students learn outside campus walls.
? Student Outcomes vs. Market Expectations: Are the students and credentials our higher education system producing really matching the expectations of the larger world?
? Innovation: There was a time when the wealthiest and most elite institutions led innovation, but now our best and boldest ideas come from scrappier institutions. There was a suggestion that the elites have turned their backs on the rest of higher education as they've moved away from addressing broader educational challenges.
? Biodervisty to the College Ecosystem: It's time to shift our perspective. We've compared our colleges and universities on a vertical system for too long. The talks challenged us to redefine 'college' as education and post-secondary training and to recognize all colleges equally, without elitism. Each type and market provides a layer of biodiversity to our ecosystem of higher education.
While access is indeed expanding, inequalities persist. However, by working together, innovating together, and recognizing the strength of a biodiverse system of higher education, we can significantly impact the future of post-secondary education. Each of us has a role to play in this collective effort.
#highereducation #access #diversityequityandinclusion #studentsuccess #belonging #innovation
