美国大学未来委员会报告

1

FiveCommitmentstoRenewtheAmericanUniversity

AVisionStatementfrom

CornellUniversity’sCommitteeontheFutureoftheAmericanUniversity

TheAmericanuniversityhasperiodicallyfounditselfatacrossroads,facedwithexistential

challengesarisingfromprofoundsocialtransformations,difficulteconomiccircumstances,andpowerfulnewtechnologies.Repeatedlycontendingwithinternalandexternalpressures,the

Americanuniversityhasprovenremarkablyresilient.Butitnowfacesanunprecedentedcrisisandmustconfrontanuncertainfuturedrivenbyanumberofdisruptors,notablyincluding

rapidtechnologicalchangeepitomizedinthecurrentmomentbytheriseofartificial

intelligence(AI),fissuresintherelationshipbetweenuniversitiesandthefederalgovernment,andtheerosionofpublictrustinhighereducation.

Sincetheautumnof2025,CornellUniversity’sCommitteeontheFutureoftheAmerican

Universityhassoughttodiagnosethecausesandconsequencesofdisruptiontohigher

educationandchartapathforwardforCornell.Wewerenotaskedtodefendtheuniversityasitis,buttoimaginewhatitcouldbecome.Thecommittee’syear-longprocess,including

engagementwiththousandsofinternalandexternalstakeholdersacrosshundredsofmeetings,activities,andevents,surfacednumerousfactorsdisruptinghighereducationtoday,each

meritingcarefulconsideration.Ourexpansivechargecalledonustosimultaneouslylook

backward—tobetterunderstandtheevolutionofthepurposeofAmericanuniversities—andforward—tocommittoaclear,renewedpurposethatwillhelpshapeavibrantfuture.Both

taskswereundertakeninamomentwhenuncertaintyistheonlycertaintyinhighereducation.Thecommitteesoughttomodelcarefuldeliberationandevidence-baseddiscoursetoaddressawiderangeofcomplexissuesandworkcollaborativelythroughareasofdisagreement.On

topicswhereconsensuscouldnotbereached,committeemembersattemptedtofaithfully

representtheproductivetensioninthefullreport.Ourfocusthroughoutwasonwhatisneededtosustainathrivinguniversityfordecadesintothefutureratherthanonlyconsideringthe

short-termpressuresofthemoment.Althoughthediagnosesofferedinthisvisionstatementandinourfullreportspeaktonationalissues,wedonotpresumethatanyoftheproposedrecommendationsnecessarilyapplytoinstitutionsotherthanCornell.

Thecommittee’scentralpremiseisthatthewaveofdisruptionchallenginghighereducationtodayisnotapassingthreatdrivenbytransientforces.Tensionsbetweenuniversitiesandthefederalgovernmentaresymptomsoflarger,longer-termsystemicissuesthathavearisenoverdecades.ThefutureoftheAmericanuniversityliesinleadershipthatrecommitstoaclear

purpose,whichthecommitteedefinesaspromotingahuman-centered,integratedlearningecosystemtocultivatesoundjudgment.DeliveringonthispurposecallsonCornelltomakefiveguidingcommitments—torigorousdeliberationanddiscourse,robustpublicimpact,

researchinnovationandresiliency,stronglyconnectedcommunity,andintegrationand

coordination.Thesecommitmentsarerootedinacademicfreedomand,whentakentogether,

2

willprovideCornellwithaclearsenseofdirectiontoweatherthecurrentstorms,navigatethosethatareonthehorizon,andprepareforthosethatwecannotyetpredict.

TheAmericanuniversityhasbeenshapedovertimeintoaninstitutionoflearningthathasitselfrepeatedlylearnedhowtorespondtodisruption.Thisprocessofadaptationhasresultedinaninstitutionofremarkablecomplexityandconsequentialachievement—onethatgeneratesnewknowledgeandcreativeoutput,teachesstudents,stewardstraditions,andpositivelyimpacts

society,allatonceinasinglehumancommunityheldtogetherbyasharedcommitmentto

learning.TheAmericanuniversitywasslowlyassembled,piecebypiece,throughargument

andexperiment,andthepressureofunmetneeds.Itisaproductofthesameopenandself-

correctinginquirythatitexiststocultivate.Andthathistory,fromitsseventeenth-centuryrootstotoday,shouldserveasalessonforthepresent.Whatmusttheuniversitylearntodayto

preparefortomorrow?

ThetestthattheAmericanuniversityfacestodayisinsomewaysfamiliar.Universitieshave

beenregularlyremadebytransformativetechnologies,politicalupheavals,anddramaticshiftsinaccesstoknowledge.Andyetthecurrentcrisisisquitedifferentbecausetheforcesbearingdownonhighereducationareoperatingsimultaneously,disruptingvirtuallyeverydimensionofwhatuniversitiesdo:howandwhatweteachandresearch,whoweserve,howweare

funded,andwhetherthepublicbelievesweareworthyofsupport.

AStructuralDiagnosis

America’sfirstinstitutionsofhighereducationwerefew,small,andmostlysectarian.They

comprisedahandfuloffacultymembersandconfinedthemselvestoanarrowslateofsubjects.Theywererestrictedtothesocialelite,andtheirobjectiveswerelimited,primarilyfocusedoninstruction.Theslendersenseofpurposemadetheseinstitutionsrelativelystraightforwardtolead,astheenterprisecouldbereadilypointedinasingledirection.

Twoandahalfcenturieslater,theoriginalpurposeofAmericanhighereducationisdifficulttodiscerninmanyoftoday’suniversities.Theyhavediversifiedtheirfunctionsandgreatly

expandedthescopeofwhoandwhattheyteach,aswellashowandwhattheydiscoverandsharewiththeworld.Universitieshavebecome,inaword,“multiversities”(atermcoinedbyClarkKerr,thenPresidentoftheUniversityofCalifornia,in1963).Theadventofthe

multiversityallowedAmericanuniversitiestoaccomplishthingsnootherinstitutionintheworldcouldmatch.Itestablishedalearningecosystemthatheldtogetherresearch,teaching,andpublicimpactinanintegratedcircuit,witheachenrichingtheother.Fewinstitutions

anywherehavebeenbuilttoconductsuchadiversearrayofactivitiesatscale,andfewerstillhavedoneitaswell,orforaslong,astheAmericanuniversity.

Butthesameexpansionthatcreatedthemultiversityalsoplantedtheseedsofitspotentialunraveling.Astheuniversity’sfunctionsmultiplied,theybegantopullattention,resources,

3

andaspirationsindifferentdirections.Faculty,staff,andadministrativeexpertisegrewmore

specializedbynecessity,andthatspecializationwidenedthedistancebetweencolleagueswhowereworkingonthesamecampusbuttodifferentends.Incentivestructures—fortenure,

promotion,funding,andprestige—increasinglyvaluedindividualandunit-level

achievementsoveruniversity-widegoalsandengagementwithcommunitiesnearandfar.Eachunitcametopursueitsownmissionpartiallyattheexpenseofthesharedpurposeofthe

institution.

Fordecades,thisarrangementseemedtoworkwell.Fundingflowedfreelyfromthefederalgovernment,foundations,donors,andtuition-payingfamiliesconfidentthatadegreewasthesurestinstrumentofAmericansocialmobility.Buthighereducation’seconomicandsocial

capitalisnowunderextraordinaryscrutinyandpressure.Underthecurrentconfluenceofdisruptors,theseamsthatfragmentationleftexposedcannolongerhold.

WhatmakesthefutureoftheAmericanuniversitysouncertainisthatthemultiversityisitselfunstable,aninstitutionpulledinmyriaddirectionsandthuschallengedtoarticulateitsvaluetoAmericaanditssingularityontheglobalstage.ThefutureoftheAmericanuniversityrestsonrenewingitsdefiningpurpose.

APurposeRenewed

Learninghappensnotonlybyacquiringestablishedknowledgefromclassrooms,libraries,andmuseums,butalsobygeneratingnewknowledgethroughdiscovery,creativity,andinnovationinresearchlabs,fieldinvestigations,andstudios;bydeliberationanddialoguethroughout

campuslife;andbygenuineengagementwiththecommunitybeyondtheuniversity’swalls.Atitsbest,theuniversityisanintegratedecosystemforlearningwhosegoal,initsbroadest

sense,isthecultivationofsoundjudgment.Theuniversity’slearningecosystemishuman-

centered,butnotself-centered.Itisaplacewherejudgmentarisesfromopportunitiestoreflectdeeply,weighevidencecarefully,testideasrigorously,andnavigatecomplexityand

disagreementproductively.Thecultivationofjudgmentisadvancedbyengagingintransparentandauthenticdiscourseacrossthefullrangeofhumaninterestanddifferenceandbyputting

knowledgetoworkforatrulyglobalcommunity.Itcannotberushed.Itrequiresthoughtfulandhardwork,intellectualhumility,andtheopennesstobechallengedandtochangeone’smind.ThisquintessentiallyhumanlearningecosystemismoreimportantthaneverasAI

transformshowinformationisaggregated,processed,andshared.

ForCornell,thelearningecosystemcarriesavaluedinheritance.Astheonlyland-grant

institutionintheIvyLeague,Cornellisatoncealeadingprivateresearchuniversityandan

institutionwitharesponsibilitytoservethepeopleofNewYorkstateandbeyond.Thisdual

identityisnotacontradiction—itisoneofCornell’sgreateststrengths.ThroughourmajormedicalcenterandtechentrepreneurshiphubinNewYorkCity,extensionofficesinevery

countyofNewYorkstate,veterinaryhospitalanddiagnosticcenter,andlawandpolicyclinics,

4

CornellhassustainedgenerationalrelationshipswithNewYorkers.Theirquestions,needs,andlivedexperienceshaveshapedwhatscholarsatCornellstudy,justasCornell’sresearchand

discoverieshavedirectlybenefitedlocalfamilies,communities,andeconomies.Thatreciprocityiscentraltotheuniversity’smissionandextendsbeyondstateandnationalborders,

strengtheningCornell’spartnershipsaroundtheworld.TheAmericanuniversityisbytraditionandbydesignaglobaluniversity,anditmustcontinuetocultivatetherelationshipsneededtosolveworldwideproblems.

NoothertypeofAmericaninstitutionispositionedtoweavesuchawiderangeoffunctions

intoaunifiedenvironmentthatoperates,albeitimperfectly,inserviceofdemocraticvaluesandlocal,national,andglobalstakeholders.Tosome,anarrowingofthescopeofuniversitiesmightbeanobviousresponsetothecurrentpressures.Simplyreducingfunctions,however,doesnotaddressthefactorsthatallowmissionstopullapartfromoneanother;itonlyshrinksthe

universitywithoutreinforcingtheseams.Rather,thiscommitteeproposesthatwhatthe

Americanuniversityneedstodoisalignitsdiversefunctionstowardaclearsenseofpurpose.

ChallengesFacingtheMultiversity

Whileentropyisanunavoidableconsequenceofthemultiversity’sambition,ithasgivenrisetotroublingforcesthatunderminetheuniversity’scredibilityandthreatenthepursuitofitscorepurposetofosterahuman-centeredandintegratedlearningecosystemthatcultivatessound

judgment.

ErosionofaCultureofDeliberationandEngagedDiscourse

Thevirtueofdeliberation—fosteredthroughrigorousscholarship,deepengagementwith

differentperspectives,carefuldiscoveryandconsiderationofevidence,questioningofone’s

assumptions,openandin-depthdialogue,andintellectualhumility—iscentraltolearningandcultivatingsoundjudgment.Myriadexternalandinternalcontemporaryforcesworkagainst

discourse,curiosity,andrigor.TheseforcesincludeaconcerningspikeinuncriticaldependenceonAI;increasedtribalismandpoliticalpolarization;growinganxiety,isolation,andmental

distress;surgingeconomicuncertaintyandhightuitioncoststhatencouragestudentstofocus

onfinancialreturnsandtoavoidrisk;thedesireofuniversitiestoproduceawelcomingclimatebyavoidingpotentialoffense;andthepossibilityofreprisalbycolleagues,supervisors,faculty,universityadministration,orthegovernment.Theshallowingofdeliberationanddiscourseoncampuses,evenifnotineveryareaoftheuniversity,hasweakeneduniversities’public

standingandchallengedtheirabilitytocontributepositivelytoahighlyfracturedandpolarizedAmericansociety.Thisunderminesoneofthemostpotentargumentsfortheimportanceof

universities.

LoosenedTieswiththeAmericanPublic

Despitetheuniversity’swide-rangingcontributionstocommunities,itsrelationshipwiththepublicisstraining.Fromquestionsaboutaccessandaffordabilitytoconcernsaboutthevalue

5

universitiesprovidetotheworld,publictrustisdeclining.Whileuniversitybrandshave

becomeubiquitous,manyAmericanshavelostaclearsenseofwhatuniversitiesdoandhow

theycontributetoeverydaychallenges.Universitiesareseenbysomeasisolatedislandswith

limitedsignificanceforthelivedrealitiesofthosewhodonothaveadirectconnectionto

campus,whichcancontributetoquestionsastowhyuniversitiesshouldreceivepublicsupport.UniversityendowmentshavegrowntorecordtotalswhiletheincomesofmanyAmericans

stagnate,spurringbroadconcernsaboutwhytuitioncontinuestoincrease.Theseconcernswithcosthavebeenjoinedbyincreasingfrustrationwithotherissues,rangingfromquestionsaboutwhoisandisnotadmittedtohighlyselectiveuniversitiestotheprospectsofashrinkinglabormarketinanAI-saturatedworld.Takentogether,universitiesnowconfrontatruecrisisin

publictrust.

GrowingPressuresontheScholarshipEcosystem

ThescaleandbreadthoffederalfundingforacademicresearchsinceWorldWarIIhasbeen

significant,strengtheningmanyofthemostinnovativeuniversitiesinthecountry.Toremaingloballeadersinresearchandcreativeoutput,Americanuniversitiesstillrequirerobust

governmentinvestment.However,recentfederalfundingfreezes,cancellations,andrelated

uncertaintieshaveleftthescholarshipecosystemvulnerable.Threatstofederalfundinghavebeenusedtopressureuniversitiesacrossawidevarietyoffronts,exposingalevelofreliancethatcouldleaveinstitutionslessempoweredtopursuetheresearchprioritiesthatbestserve

society.Beyondfundingissues,thescholarshipecosystemfacesothernotablepressures

includingbutnotlimitedtopublictrustinresearchintegrity,siloingoftheresearchenterprisefromotheruniversitymissionsincludingteachingandpublicimpact,decliningnumbersof

graduatestudentsandpostdoctoralscholars,acrisisinacademicpublishing,increasing

regulatoryburden,theriseofAIslopinresearchpublications,andinstitutionalpreoccupationwithfundinggrowththatcansometimesshiftthefocusawayfromqualityandimpacttowardquantityandsize.

WeakeningofBondswithintheInstitution

Oneofthemostpotentargumentsforuniversitiesistheirabilitytobringtogethermembers

fromdifferentfunctionalunitstoadvancecollaborativelearning.Universityconstituents,

however,areincreasinglydisconnectedfromasharedmissionbeyondtheirownscholarlyoracademicagendas.Expansion,increasedspecialization,technologicaldisruption,anddemandsontimehaveweakenedbondsacrosstheuniversity.Thishasreducedrealandperceived

transparencyand,asaconsequence,ourknowledgeofandtrustinoneanother.Thisforce,

morethanalmostanyother,hasleftuniversitieslesspreparedtoconfronttoday’schallenges,whichwillrequirebothsolidarityandsharedexpertise.Theweakenedsenseofashared

responsibilitytotheinstitution,itsvalues,anditsdifferentconstituentsunderminestheabilitytoeffectivelyconfrontcomplexissuesinhighereducation.ThechallengeisnottoreclaimthepastbutrathertorenewtheAmericanuniversityforastrongerfuture.

6

FragmentationofLearningExperiences

Theweakeningofrelationshipsacrosstheuniversityisaccompaniedbyarelatedforceshapinghighereducation:fragmentation.FragmentationisnotnewtoAmericanuniversities.While

therearemanywaysinwhichthelearningexperiencesoftodayarericherandmorevariedthanever,theyarealsomoresiloed.Anincreasingstudentdependenceontechnologyandsocial

mediacanhaveafurthersplinteringeffectthatmayleadtoisolationandlackofrobust

connection.Universityfragmentationhasdeepenedthedividebetweenacademicsand

residentiallife,separatingfacultyandstudents.Theresultisadiminishingofthe

transformativepowerofuniversityeducationforindividualsandforsociety.Membersoftheuniversityhavethefullestexperiencewhentheycanintegratelearningacrosstheclassroom,residentiallife,extracurriculars,researchlabs,fieldprograms,studios,andfacultydialogues.

Theworld’sproblemsdonotconfinethemselvestoparticularinstitutionalfunctionsor

academicdisciplines.Theyrequireknowledgeandinsightsthatareaccumulatedacrossthe

entireuniversity.Thefragmentationofuniversities’activitiesmeansthattheseinstitutionsare

lesscapableofleveragingtheirentirecommunitytosolvereal-worldproblems,thereby

exacerbatingtheweakenedconnectionwiththepublic.Thismaybealong-simmeringforce,butthegapsthatseparatedifferentformsoflearningintheuniversityarewidening,weakening

highereducation’svalueproposition.

Thecommittee’sassessmentaboveisnotbasedonnostalgiaforabygoneera,butan

acknowledgementthatthecurrentpressuresshapinghighereducationcannotbeignoredandrequiresignificantaction.

TheVision:FiveCommitmentsandStepstoRenewal

Confrontedbydisruptioninthepresentanduncertaintyinthefuture,Americanuniversities

haveseveralpotentialpathstheycouldtake.Ratherthanretreatindefense,liedownin

conciliation,orbattleinimplacableopposition,thiscommitteeseesanotherpathforCornell:anopportunitytorenewthefullpositiveforceoftheuniversityamidthecurrentturmoil.We

believethatthesolutionliesinreorientingtheuniversitytoourcorepurpose.Doingsowilldemandleadership,coordination,andarenewedcommitmentfromeveryonewhocallstheuniversityhome.ItwillrequirethatCornellUniversityspeakwithcourageandclarityaboutourcommitmentsandcontributions,listenwithhumilitytopublicconcernsfromallpartsofAmerica,andworkinsincerepartnershipwithskepticsandsupportersaliketowardan

institutionthatservesthelocalcommunity,nation,andworld.

Thecommittee’svisionforthefutureofCornellUniversity,whichwehopeotheruniversities

mayfinduseful,restsonfivecommitmentsthatseektoreorienttheinstitutiontothepurposeofintegratedlearning:

•Acommitmenttorigorousdeliberationandengageddiscourse,tocultivatesoundjudgmentandahuman-centeredapproachtoAI.

7

•Acommitmenttorobustimpactthroughstrongandsustainedtwo-waybondswiththepublic.

•Acommitmenttoinnovationandresiliencyinresearch,advancinggloballeadershipindiscoveryandscholarship.

•Acommitmenttoastronglyconnectedcommunitythroughrenewedattentiontoacademiccivics.

•Acommitmenttopurposefulintegrationandcoordination,aligningacrossthelearningecosystemoftheuniversity.

RenewinganddeepeningthesecommitmentswillrequirerealchangesinhowCornell

organizesitself,fundsitsactivities,andevaluatesoutcomes.Breathinglifeintothese

commitmentswillrequireconcreteaction.BelowwedescribeeachofthecommitmentsandincludeexamplesofthestepsthatCornellwillneedtotaketorepositionitselfinthistimeofturbulence.

CultivatingSoundJudgment:ACommitmenttoRigorousDeliberationandEngagedDiscourse

Attheirbest,universitiesarehubsforlearningthroughcarefulstudy,discovery,dialogue,anddebate.Theyareplacesforintellectualgrowththroughtheacquisitionandcreationofnew

knowledgeandtheongoingrefinementofideasandarguments.Twooverarchingpressures

particularlyinformtheneedforrigorousdeliberationwithintheuniversity—thenarrowingofdiscourseinacademiaandthediffusionofAIwithinthelearningecosystem.Theseseparate

pressuresareoperatingsimultaneouslyandmustbeconfrontedbyrededicatinguniversitiestothecultivationofsoundjudgment.

Cornellmustensurethatitisaplaceinwhichdifferencesofopinion,perspectives,andideologyarenotonlytoleratedbutembracedasthekeyingredientsofgenuinelearningandgrowth.

Fosteringtrulyopenandrigorousdeliberationmeansthatuniversitiesmustpushstudentsandcolleaguestoconsiderandreconsiderarguments,anchoringtheirthinkinginevidence-basedinquiry.Acultureofdeliberationcallsforgrapplingwithcomplexandcompetingideasforthesakeofadvancingknowledge.Moreover,discoursemustbegenerous:itshouldextendto

otherstherespectthattheyareworthengaging,andworthbeingengagedby,ratherthansimplyworthdefeating.

InaworldinwhichAIcangeneratecontentandanalyzeinformationatscale,thevalueof

soundjudgmentismoreimportantthanever.Whatistrulyhumanistheintellectualcapacitytoexplorecomplexinformationandconflictingperspectivestoreachnuancedconclusions,andtomakedecisionsthatarefoundedonthequalityandmeritofpresentedmaterial.Inan

increasinglydividedsocietyinundatedwithunverifiedandofteninaccurateinformation,

universitiesmustreclaimtheirroleasaplaceforrigorouslearninganddiscernmentbasedonthebestscholarshipavailableandnotonpre-existingworldviewsoruntestedassumptions.

8

Openandrigorousdeliberationshouldpermeateallacademicactivitiesfromclassroomsto

researchlabstostudios.Doingsowillentailashiftinhowmanyfacultyandstudentsthink

aboutthesevariouslearningspaces,aswellastheirrolesinfosteringrealdialogueenhancedbydifferentviewpoints.Openinquiryandacademicfreedommustbeprotectedtoelevatethe

qualityofengageddisagreement.Forsome,thiswillrequirenewteachingtoolsandresearchpracticesthatmodelmorein-depthdeliberationanddiscourse.Cornellshouldalsonormalizeengagementwithcompetingideasandapproachesinseminars,staffandfacultymeetings,andstudentcampuslife,tonameafewsettings.

Recommendation:Promotewhole-personeducation.

Thegoalofeducationisnotmerelythetransferofknowledge,butthedevelopmentofsociallyconnected,emotionallyresilient,andcivicallymindedgraduateswhoarecomfortable

navigatinguncertainty,andareabletoleverageknowledgeandsoundjudgmenttoproduce

constructivesolutionstocomplexproblems.Thesecapacitiesarenotproducedthrough

knowledgealone;theyrequirepersonalgrowthandtransformation.Therefore,universities

mustmakeeducatingthewholepersonanexplicitgoal.Thismeans,amongotherimperatives,thatfacultyshouldstrivetodevelopnotonlyintellectual,butalsosocialandpersonalcapacitiesintheircourseswhereverpossible.Deepeningtheuniversity’scommitmenttowhole-person

educationshouldemphasizenotonlyacademicachievement,butalsostudents’ethicaldevelopment,abilitytoworkwithothers,civicengagement,andpersonalgrowth.

Recommendation:Reclaimtechnologyuseandnon-usetopromotehuman-centeredlearning.Decisionsaroundthechoiceofwhetherandhowtousetechnology,andAIinparticular,in

classes,researchlabs,andstudiosmustnotbelefttochanceortolobbyingbystakeholders.Itmustbeanintentionalchoicebythefacultymemberwhoisteachingormentoringinthese

spaces,drivenbyprincipledunderstandingofeffectiveandnon-effectiveusesforenhancingcognitivecapabilities,promotinghumanconnections,andcultivatingsoundjudgment.

Recommendation:Educatethroughintentionaldevelopmentofhumanrelationships.

Atransformativeeducationthatpromotesdeliberationanddiscoursetowardthegoalofsoundjudgmentisintrinsicallybasedinrelationships,ratherthanjusttransactionalexchanges.Cornellmustidentifyandfosteropportunitiestohelpstudentsdevelopmeaningfulpersonal

relationshipsthroughouttheireducationalexperience.Oneideaisexpandingprograms

throughwhichalumnisharetheirworkplaceexperiences,buildingrelationshipsbetween

studentsandpotentialemployers,andstrengtheningconnectionsbetweenalumniandthe

university.Anotherexampleistomakespaceinbothacademicandresidentiallifetonavigaterelationaldynamics.Ratherthanoperatingoutofthefearofoffending,studentsmustdevelopthecourageandwisdomnecessarytoconfronttheirandothers’mistakeswithhumilityina

relationalcontextandtherebybecomemorethoughtful,sociallyconnectedadults.

9

Recommendation:LeanintoabroaddomesticandglobalvisionconsistentwithCornell’s“anyperson”ethos.

Rigorousdebateanddeliberationbenefitfromthepresenceofbroaddomesticandglobal

perspectives.Universitiesareenrichedbymemberswhorepresentdifferingideas,views,and

traditions.Onewaytopromotethisistoinvestinpartnershipsthatdeepenexistingtieswhile

alsolookingtoawiderrangeofregionsandintellectualtraditions.Theseeffortscanbuildon

modelslikeCornell’sGlobalHubsinitiativetoexpandconnectionstonewdomesticregionsandcountries.

OurcommitteeproposesnumerousadditionalrecommendationstoenrichCornell’scultureofdeliberation.Beyondtheexamplesabove,ourfullreportcallsforpedagogicalmodelsthatshowandnotonlytellstudents,staff,andfacultyhowdeliberationcanbepromoted.Italsoincludesproposalsforhands-onlearningopportunitiessuchasagapsemesteroryearforpublicservicethatcan,inturn,promoteengageddiscourseoncampusaboutstudents’experiences.Finally,

manyoftherecommendationsmadebythecommitteeseektoimproveconnectionsacross

disciplinesandunitsthatareoftensiloed.Thesebridgeshavethepowertostrengthenthe

deliberationmusclesneededwhenengagingwithcolleagueswhohavedifferentperspectives,assumptions,andapproachestolearning.

StrengtheningTwo-WayBondswiththePublic:ACommitmenttoRobustImpact

ThelooseningoftheAmericanuniversity’srelationshipwiththepublicmustbereversed.Todoso,highereducationhastoaddressaccessandaffordability,andstrengthenatrulytwo-way

relationshipwithlocal,state,national,andglobalcommunities.Thisreciprocitywillpromoteaccountabilityandagenuineexchangeofinformation,values,andexpertise,whichcanshapeandinformthequestionsresearchersaskandhowdiscoveriesaretranslatedtothepublic.

Cornellmustreinvigoratetheconnectionbetweenwhathappensoncampusandthelived

realitiesoftheworldithelpssha