State needs to hear persuasive message about higher education
In this era of state-level disinvestment in higher education, I propose that our system president and the campus chancellors provide leadership advocacy for the University of Colorado and its sister institutions.
The population of Colorado, the members of the Legislature and the governor and his cabinet need to hear a persuasive message from our administrators about the contributions of higher education to the economic and social well-being of the state. I have found few examples of this type of message in the print or electronic media, which must be a partner in public advocacy.
As a retired faculty member with nearly 40 years of service to the Boulder campus and the system, I would encourage our institutional leadership people to establish a visible public relations effort to describe the benefits provided to students, to the communities, to business and industry and to the state's economic condition. This effort can be successful if the institution solicits the cooperation and participation of the media, influential private sector leaders, other higher education institution administrators, political opinion makers and parents of current and future students.
If our message is unheard, our needs will be unmet!
David R. Kassoy
Professor Emeritus, Mechanical Engineering
University of Colorado at Boulder |
