Features

We Are All Complicit in the College Admissions Scandal
In wake of the recent college admissions scandal, former Tulane President Scott Cowen writes that it’s time to own up to our mistakes, close admissions loopholes, and rethink what it means to be elite.

Transforming Professional Learning and Building a New Higher Education Community
ACE believes that the power to sustain and renew American higher education lies in the creativity, commitment, and expertise of the thousands of leaders that work every day to educate students on the nation’s college campuses. Philip Rogers and Louis Soares discuss the Council’s efforts to develop affordable, scalable, professional learning opportunities to make institutions and leaders more effective.

What the Outrage Over Blackface Overlooks
We are rightly taken aback by racist yearbook photos and other symbols. But we talk much less about what they represent: the longstanding, systemic racism that permeates the lives of people of color, including critical issues linked to college access and success.

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury on College Campuses
Conversations about the mental health and well-being of college students often underestimate the prevalence and impact of non-suicidal self-injury in college settings. Four scholars from institutions in the United States, Canada, Belgium, and Australia look at the problem—and how institutions can respond.

Increasing Representation of Underrepresented Groups Among STEM Faculty Members
Just as important as creating interest in STEM among students is achieving a more diverse STEM faculty. Having more role models can help students better imagine a similar career trajectory for themselves. Suzanna Rose of Florida International University looks at how institutions can pursue equity and representation among their faculty.

The Rise of Mental Health on College Campuses: Protecting the Emotional Health of Our Nation’s College Students
Nance Roy, chief clinical officer of the Jed Foundation, provides action steps to support emotional well-being and reduce suicide and substance abuse for college students.

ACE at 100: Supporting College Access and Diversity
Achieving equitable access to college for communities of color and recognizing and protecting institutional autonomy and freedom to construct a diverse campus that generates educational benefits for its students have been critical goals for ACE throughout its history.

Defining and Practicing Deep Civility on College Campuses
Dialogue around the future of open expression on campuses requires us to think beyond surface expressions of civility. The University of Missouri’s Ashley Woodson looks at the idea of deep civility, which demands radically empathetic regard for others in shared spaces.

Women’s Colleges Hold the Key to Our Future
Women’s colleges have been grabbing headlines in a year dominated by the politics of #metoo and the 2018 midterms, which saw more than 100 women elected to the House. But along with gender equity, these institutions must also prioritize diversity, John Marx and Elizabeth Hillman write.

Crisis Planning: How to Prepare for Free Speech Conflicts on Campus
Traevena Byrd, vice president and general counsel at American University (DC), discusses the legal obligations college and university leaders need to consider when controversial speakers come to campus—and the importance of working with your office of legal counsel.

Cannabis and the College Campus: Considering the Impact on Students in a Changing Legal Climate
On Nov. 6, 2012, voters in Washington State joined voters in Colorado in passing legislation that legalized marijuana. Since then, eight other states and Washington, DC have passed similar bills. Jason R. Kilmer of the University of Washington looks at what legalization means for college campuses.

ACE at 100: Supporting the Dreams of Severely Injured Military Veterans
In 2007, ACE created the Severely Injured Military Veterans: Fulfilling Their Dreams program in response to a request from James Wright, then president of Dartmouth, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for academic advising for over 700 severely injured service members.