Unpacking the Crisis of Confidence in Higher Education

Higher education institutions are facing no shortage of challenges, ranging from post-election polarization and culture wars to growing skepticism about higher ed’s relevance. Community college leaders are grappling with a crisis of public confidence, driven by concerns over return on investment, rising costs, and the perceived value of degrees in the current economic moment. This erosion of trust affects overall enrollment and funding, making it crucial for institutions to demonstrate their undeniable impact for their local community and broader region.

In this session, we will explore the growing disconnect between the broader public and higher ed. We’ll dig into the underlying drivers of stakeholder perceptions, along with the evolving expectations of prospective students and parents, employers, donors, board members, and policymakers.

In this virtual roundtable, attendees will:

• Understand the changing dynamics of public confidence in higher education and the factors shaping these perceptions.
• Uncover how popular defenses of higher education value aren’t resonating with prospective students and parents.
• Explore critiques of higher education by the right and the left, and how both sides of the political aisle have more in common than might first seem in their thinking on higher ed
• Review how employers are thinking about higher education’s value, and what it takes to better connect with them.
• Identify opportunities to utilize an “outside-in” approach to strategy to better demonstrate how leaders are supporting external stakeholder’s priorities.

Session

Click the Register button to sign up.

Attendance is limited to presidents, CFOs, vice presidents of enrollment management, and chiefs of staff. Registration is limited to four attendees per institution.

• Monday, September 22, 2025 | 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time