2027 Annual Meeting

Presidents' Trust Symposium

Wednesday, January 20, 2027 / 11:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. ET
Sheraton Grand Seattle

Held in person as part of the AAC&U Annual Meeting, the annual Presidents’ Trust Symposium provides opportunities for chief executive officers to network with peers and engage with leading experts on the most pressing issues facing higher education. Participation in the symposium is open only to chief executive officers of colleges, universities, foundations, and associations, and invited guests.

In the wake of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, higher education leaders face a moment of reflection and renewed responsibility. Colleges and universities remain essential in preparing students to become informed citizens who can thoughtfully engage in a pluralistic democracy. At the 2027 Presidents’ Trust Symposium, we invite leaders to consider how contemporary colleges and universities can strengthen institutions’ service to the public good, build public trust, and equip all students to navigate complexity and difference. The symposium is an opportunity for leaders to share adaptable ideas and models that can be implemented across diverse institutional contexts.

Register Now

Registration is complimentary for Presidents’ Trust members and $300 for nonmembers.

Unsure whether you are a Presidents' Trust member? Check the current member list.

Symposium Schedule

The schedule is subject to change.

  1. 11:30 am - 11:50 am PT

    Lunch is Served

  2. 11:50 am - 12:00 pm PT

    Welcome and Opening Remarks

    Jonathan R. Alger
    America 250 Fellow, American Council on Education and AAC&U; Chair, AAC&U Presidents’ Trust

  3. 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm PT

    Shared Governance and the Protection of Academic Freedom

    Moderator

    Lynn Pasquerella
    President, AAC&U

    Presenters

    Henry Reichman
    Professor Emeritus of History, California State University, East Bay

    Jennifer Ruth
    Professor of Film, Portland State University

    Respondents

    Francine Conway
    Chancellor, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

    Ruben Michael Flores
    Chancellor, Alamo Colleges District

    Ross Mugler
    President and CEO, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges

    Hank Reichman and Jennifer Ruth will present the findings of their forthcoming research on academic freedom and the erosion of faculty rights. Then, a panel of  presidents and chancellors will respond to the findings and reflect on leadership actions to support effective shared governance and the protection of academic freedom.

  4. 1:30 pm - 1:50 pm PT

    Coffee and Dessert Break

  5. 1:50 pm - 3:00 pm PT

    What College and University Presidents Are Learning About Resilience in Turbulent Times

    Moderator

    Kyle Farmbry
    Former President, Guilford College

    Panelists

    Damián J. Fernández
    President, Warren Wilson College

    Robert Prezant
    President, Farmingdale State College (SUNY)

    Tina Richardson
    Chancellor, Penn State Lehigh Valley

    Suzanne Rivera
    President, Macalester College

    This session brings together several current and former college and university presidents to discuss matters of personal and institutional resilience in the face of episodic crises and prolonged sectoral and institutional instability. The conversation will be grounded in a qualitative study the moderator is conducting in October 2026 with current and former college and university presidents, building on his July 2025 co-authored TIAA-Institute report Mission Critical: Presidents’ Perspectives on How Universities Serve Society in Turbulent Times. Panelists will weigh the new study's early findings against real-world experience, offering attendees fresh insights and practical takeaways.

  6. 3:00 pm - 3:15 pm PT

    Networking Break

  7. 3:15 pm - 4:25 pm PT

    The Choice Before Us: Higher Education and the Future of Democracy

    Moderators

    Jonathan R. Alger
    America 250 Fellow, American Council on Education and AAC&U

    Lynn Pasquerella
    President, AAC&U

    Colleges and universities have an essential role in strengthening democratic institutions, civic learning, and informed citizenship as the United States marks its 250th anniversary. This session will explore themes from the forthcoming book, The Choice Before Us: Higher Education and the Future of Democracy, by Jonathan R. Alger and Lynn Pasquerella. The moderators will lead a conversation about the ways in which colleges and universities prepare students for informed citizenship, ethical leadership, and participation in a pluralistic democracy.

  8. 4:25 pm - 4:30 pm PT

    Adjournment

    Lynn Pasquerella
    President, AAC&U 

About the Presidents' Trust

The Presidents’ Trust is a network of higher education leaders who advance the vision, values, and practices that connect liberal education with the needs of an increasingly diverse student body, a global workforce, and thriving communities.

Questions about the 2027 Annual Meeting?

If you have questions or want additional information about the Annual Meeting, please email us at AM@aacu.org.

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