How to fix American higher education with morals and markets

The platforms of both the Republican and Democratic Parties reveal a nation in crisis. If it is truly the case that we are a broken union, which institutions are best suited to bring about national healing?

We can quickly put aside government as a candidate for this task. The overwhelming majority of Americans do not believe that government is suited for this herculean effort. In 1958, 73 percent of Americans trusted government “to do the right thing almost always or most of the time.” Today, only 22 percent of Americans convey this same level of trust.

What about our colleges and universities? What role do they have in the healing of our nation, and how much do Americans trust these institutions?

To the question of trust, studies suggest that American higher education is at a crossroads. For the first time ever, Americans are equally divided on having much trust, some trust and little/no trust in our colleges and universities. To make matters worse, Gallup reports that 68 percent of Americans “do not believe that higher education is on a positive path.” It is no surprise that the Chronicle of Higher Education, the sector’s leading trade paper, published a recent op-ed titled, “The Public Is Giving Up on Higher Ed.”

American colleges and universities have always had an integral role in the moral formation of students and the shaping of the national character. As historian Julie A. Reuben reminds us, “universities never renounced their traditional moral aims.” Educators, Reuben argues, “believe that universities should prepare their students to live ‘properly’ and contribute to the betterment of society.” The missions of our colleges and universities are replete with moral objectives that they claim to pursue — and for which our students pay millions of dollars.

Americans are aware of the moral role of higher education. Americans who register faith or distrust in higher education share the belief that it is and should be deeply moral and influential. Their trust differential is rooted in how they think colleges and universities are (mis)using their moral mission and social influence. And, as David Brooks has argued, one of the factors that has contributed to America’s brokenness is the retreat of American higher education from pursuing the deliberate moral formation of our students.

So, what should be done? Perhaps we should listen to the two cries of Americans —  the need for moral character and the need for market readiness.

First, Americans care deeply about moral character for life success. Pew reported in its 2011 study “Is College Worth It?” that Americans “value character even more” than higher education for life success. Just last year, Ipsos found that almost 80 percent of Americans “believe having strong values and character is important,” with 71 percent agreeing that “there is not enough focus on values and character traits in American society today.”

Americans also care deeply that higher education focus on preparation for the job market. Employers and employees have voiced this concern by decrying the lack of preparation in college graduates. A recent survey of 800 U.S. managers found that almost 60 percent held “recent college graduates [to be] unprepared for the workforce.” Employees also stressed that “college failed to prepare them for their current jobs.”

American colleges and universities cannot ignore these concerns. Educational models should be developed to integrate the holistic moral formation of our students with the strategic preparation for tomorrow’s marketplace. As a starting point, this means the creation of learning outcomes in every course and major that focus on character formation, moral reasoning and industry preparation. The ultimate goal would be to shape students’ minds and desires to delight in exhibiting great character and great marketplace readiness.

These educational models cannot be purely academic. They must be integrated with outside-of-the-classroom requirements through which character and job preparation outcomes learned in coursework can be practiced.

Required internships, industry partnerships that inform courses and majors, and annual service and leadership learning requirements are all great hands-on opportunities to make this integration a reality. This would strengthen the education our students receive, since colleges and universities would focus on what matters most. Such an approach would also go a long way toward strengthening the national character. And taken seriously, this educational model would help to address the crisis of confidence in American higher education.

Can this be done? Yes. Must this be done? The healing of our nation’s soul demands it. It will require bold and creative leadership at every level of higher education, a leadership that focuses on the formation of great human beings for life and work.

This is the original but forgotten call of higher education. It is time for us to heed it and quickly act upon it.

This op-ed is part of The Hill’s “How to Fix America” series exploring solutions to some of the country’s most pressing problems.

Gerson Moreno-Riaño, Ph.D. is president of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.