“Deeds, Not Words”: For AAC&U, Jonathan Becker Argues Against Institutional Neutrality

“The intense focus on ‘institutional neutrality’ since the escalation of violence in Israel and Gaza—a focus strengthened by trustee interventions, congressional investigations, grandstanding by state legislators, and the ongoing student demonstrations across the United States—threatens to push colleges and universities further into their shells at a time when they can play constructive roles to address great national and global challenges,” writes Jonathan Becker, executive vice president, vice president for academic affairs, and the director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College. In an essay for the American Association of Colleges and Universities, Becker argues that while institutions can not and should not “issue proclamations on every social and political issue of the day,” Bard College models a countertradition of institutional engagement “rooted in liberal education and civic learning” that other colleges and universities could follow. “By embracing their role as civic actors, colleges and universities can place more emphasis on their deeds than on their words, allowing their civic work to represent their priorities and their commitment to important local, national, and global challenges,” Becker writes.

Post Date: 05-22-2024