Trust Must Be Earned
Colleges and universities need to demonstrate their commitment to students, communities, and the public good
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Public trust in institutions is under strain across nearly every sector of American life, and higher education is no exception. Yet, in the face of increasing skepticism, political scrutiny, and questions about their value, colleges and universities have an opportunity—and an obligation—to explain not only what higher education does but also to demonstrate why it matters.
The recent AAC&U report The Trust Agenda: A Framework for Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education emerges from this pivotal moment. It offers both a clear-eyed assessment of the challenges confronting our institutions and a framework for action. At its core is a simple but powerful premise: Trust cannot be restored through messaging alone. Rather, trust is earned through trustworthiness. It grows when institutions consistently align their actions with their values and demonstrate their commitment to students, communities, and the public good.
The report reminds us that trust develops when institutions make their contributions visible, respond effectively to emerging needs, engage authentically with the communities they serve, and show that their work is connected to the aspirations and well-being of individuals and society. Trust is built through practice and strengthened when students and their families see the transformative value of education. It’s built when employers recognize graduates are prepared to thrive in a changing world. It’s built when communities experience colleges and universities as partners in addressing local challenges. And it’s built when the public understands the essential role higher education plays in sustaining democracy itself.
This requires college and university leaders to do more than respond to criticism or defend the status quo. Leaders must ask difficult but necessary questions. Are we adapting quickly enough to meet changing student and societal needs? Are we clearly demonstrating how our educational practices cultivate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students need to navigate complexity and contribute meaningfully to society? Are we communicating the ways our institutions advance opportunity, innovation, civic vitality, and economic prosperity? Are we creating spaces where people can engage across differences with curiosity, respect, and intellectual humility?
The report’s recommendations challenge us to reject false dichotomies between institutional autonomy and public accountability, between workforce preparation and democratic education, and between excellence and inclusion, which too often dominate public discourse. Public trust grows when institutions demonstrate that these commitments are not competing priorities but are instead mutually reinforcing responsibilities.
Equally important, rebuilding trust is a shared responsibility. Presidents and governing boards play critical leadership roles. However, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners all contribute to the relationships that connect colleges and universities to the broader public. Each of us serves as a steward of higher education’s social compact and its democratic mission.
No institution can undertake this work in isolation. Public confidence in higher education depends on the willingness of the sector to articulate a shared purpose and to stand together in support of the public value of colleges and universities. Collaboration across institutional types and missions is essential to strengthening public understanding of what higher education contributes to society.
In addition, this moment calls for a renewed articulation of higher education’s purpose. The enduring promise of higher education has always included economic mobility and individual advancement. Nevertheless, its mission extends beyond personal benefit. Colleges and universities help prepare citizens, foster informed dialogue, expand human understanding, and equip individuals to address the complex challenges of an interconnected world. They are among the few institutions in society where people from different backgrounds encounter new perspectives, test assumptions, and develop the habits of mind necessary for democratic life.
Advancing public trust therefore requires more than telling our story. It requires aligning our actions with our values and illustrating daily that higher education remains worthy of the public’s confidence. The future of our colleges and universities will depend, in part, on the relationships we cultivate, the communities we serve, and the trust we earn.
While the work before us is significant, so is the opportunity. By reaffirming higher education’s public purposes, strengthening our connections to the communities we serve, and demonstrating our commitment to both excellence and access, we can help ensure that the public recognizes colleges and universities not merely as engines of individual success but as indispensable partners in building a more equitable, prosperous, and democratic society.
Illustration by Paul Spella
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