A Crisis of Academic Leadership?: Misplacing the Blame
Preview:
McMahon’s Hillsdale speech earns a charitable “C” for loosely summarizing some popular criticisms of higher education, but she failed to cite any facts in support of her argument. Her four “straightforward recommendations” are classic bromides, lovely words with little meaning for the real problems we must solve. Her statement that college should be “a trial by fire” shows a stunning lack of understanding of teaching and learning in college.
Originally published: September 12, 2025
Author: Patricia McGuire
Position: President
Institution: Trinity Washington University
Published by: The Chronicle of Higher Ed