How Higher-Education Leaders Can Help Close the Trust Gap
Preview:
Public confidence in higher education has declined sharply across demographic and political lines, and university leaders who respond with defensive messaging or institutional jargon are accelerating the problem rather than solving it. Rebuilding trust requires presidents and administrators to engage authentically with community concerns, communicate more plainly about cost and value, and demonstrate through action that institutions are accountable to someone beyond their own governing boards. The leaders making the most progress are those treating trust not as a PR challenge but as a governance and behavioral one.
Originally published: June 29, 2026
Author: Brooke Barnett
Position: President
Institution: Rollins College
Published by: The EDU Ledger