Perhaps we can chalk this up as another kind of March Madness on U.S. campuses.
Released last week, Inside Higher Ed’s fifth annual Survey of College and University Presidents painted a bizarre portrait of U.S. higher education chief executives as dangerously out of touch. These Pollyanna presidents said they understood the serious issues confronting students on university and college campuses, yet they did not feel those issues were of concern at their own institutions.
From race relations and academic freedom to public advocacy and sexual assault, this survey exposed a jaw-dropping fissure between the top of the ivory tower and the reality below.
A total of 647 American college and university leaders from public, private, nonprofit and for-profit higher education institutions responded to the anonymous survey, conducted by Gallup Education. Among the more interesting findings were:
- Fewer than half of chief executives described the state of race relations in American higher education as excellent (1 per cent) or good (42 per cent), yet an amazing 8 in 10 characterized race relations on their own campuses as excellent (18 per cent) or good (63 per cent);
- A majority of presidents dreamt of being more involved in decisions about the hiring and tenuring of faculty members; and
- Almost three-quarters (74 per cent) agreed presidents “face significant risk if they take controversial positions” and half agreed they may offend trustees, donors and (for public college leaders) state leaders.
But let’s talk about campus sexual assault.
According to the survey, a third of U.S. university/college presidents believed sexual assault is a problem on American college campuses. OK, that seems low. But we’ll move on.
Again, according to the survey, 6 per cent of U.S. university/college presidents believed sexual assault is a problem on their own campuses. OK, that seems insane.
Let me repeat that as we’re dealing with a level of cognitive dissonance rarely seen outside of a playpen or Tea Party rally.
When faced with the statement “Sexual assault is prevalent at U.S. colleges and universities,” 32 per cent of university and college presidents agreed and 26 per cent disagreed. On top of that, nearly 8 in 10 of those same leaders were confident sexual assault was not a problem at their own institution.
In fact, three-quarters strongly agreed (24 per cent) or agreed (53 per cent) their institution was “doing a good job protecting women from sexual assault on my campus,” and a full 90 per cent said their campuses provide due process for those accused of sexual assault.
What wonderful results. Too bad none of that matches up to reality.
In January, the U.S. Department of Education released an updated list of 94 institutions with open investigations into Title IX sexual violence violations. Read the list – these are not fringe academic institutions, rather some of the country’s highest regarded institutions of learning, like Harvard, Michigan and Princeton. Keep in mind, these are charges at the highest level and don’t take into account those silently suffering on countless campuses every day.
To say this isn’t an issue on every campus – let alone on your own – is, at best, disingenuous and, at worst, an outright fabrication on the part of university and college presidents.
Perhaps even more frustrating, this is not a new problem. And while individuals and institutions are taking new, creative approaches to shining a light on the issue, we don’t solve this until the full weight of presidents’ offices are thrown behind a solution.
Listen, I disagree with some of the approaches – especially around the supposedly ‘clever’ marketing of the issue (like President Obama’s 1 Is 2 Many campaign) – that are presented in an extremely heteronormative, paternalistic, even broad-stroke sexist manners. But that’s me arguing tactics, not the existence of the issue they are attempting to confront.
Sexual assault is an issue on all campuses. Yours. Mine. All. Period.
That is what is so disappointing about this survey. The attitudes displayed by these presidents are the same ones historically displayed by campus administrators, law enforcement and student leaders for generations – the same ones that got us into the mess we are in today.
We could spend hours defending or decrying the meaning of this chief executive disconnect. However, all should agree there is danger in this kind of obliviousness – be it actual or affected. When issues surface – and issues always surface – the public face of the institution needs the public credibility to address the issue head on.
Perhaps if sexual assault had a bracket you filled out, then more U.S. university and college presidents would be interested in solving this March Madness that runs all year long.