Greetings and Happy New Year!
It has been a few months since I last communicated with you but rest assured there have been many major issues facing the broader society with implications for our profession and higher/tertiary education around the globe:
- Newtown, Connecticut elementary school shootings and what that says about our readiness on college campuses
- Hurricane Sandy and the emergency response efforts of our campuses and communities
- Political climate on U.S. campuses following the re-election of the first African American president and implications of racism
- Fiscal Cliff and the implications for higher education and the unfortunate image from some that higher education costs are out of control
What impact do these historic events have on our work in higher/tertiary education?
How do we prepare the next generation of leaders to express the importance of the “Common Good” and a legitimate effort to approach all that we do through this lens?
Implications?
- Gun violence and mental health issues on campus and in society
- Natural disasters and impact on quality of life
- Political divide where “left meets right”, conservative versus liberal
- Educational access for students with financial need
I challenge each of us to discuss these topics with our colleagues and with our students. What are the implications of these external factors on student development and our ability to support student growth and development as we face these growing national/ international issues?
Thoughts?
Greg