I spent an immense amount of time during 2025 building and attempting to implement The Future of Higher Education Institute at my college. I was hopeful that everything was in order from the budget to the staff. I submitted the final draft of the proposal in November and didn’t hear back from the Chancellor’s office until a week before finals. Their biggest question… “How does this make/save the college money”. WHAT? Didn’t you read the proposal? Didn’t you follow the data points? IS this what Higher Education has become?
After getting slapped in the face with that question, I took a moment to wallow in disenfranchisement. But now I had a week to spell out why funding this institute is worthwhile in “their” terms. I didn’t have time to rework my fifty-plus page proposal, so I decided to write an addendum to the proposal highlighting the subtleties “they” may have missed in the original submission (they refers to a chancellor’s cabinet which includes an array of vice-something-or-others and campus presidents, led by someone who gate-keeps what makes it to the chancellors desk).
Let me back up for a second to explain the gist of the proposal.
Technology is moving fast. Students’ primary reasons for seeking higher education are jobs and money. Technology will take jobs and money. If we don’t start preparing for a major shift, then students will stop attending college, and higher education may actually fold.
Ultimately, I suggest a shift from the “learn more, earn more” mantra of higher-ed, to something like: education through community makes for better citizens and that makes for a better society. The community aspect of climbing weighed heavily in the prominent attention I gave to the community aspect in education!
Apparently attempting to buttress the future of higher-ed doesn’t quite align with the retention and completion stats demanded by the state.
Jumping ahead a little bit, after submitting my addendum, I finally hear back from “them” on the last day of finals, saying that “they” need more time to consider my proposal, and we can meet to discuss it in early January (through Zoom, which is never a good sign, considering we all work at the same college, it kind of feels like a cowards move, but we’ll see).
All that is to say, nearly 100% of the books and papers I read in 2025 were either based on the future of humanity or the importance of a liberal education. The exception being Bobbito Garcia’s book Bobbito’s Book of B-Ball Bong Bong (Spectacular read if you are a fan of basketball).
So, for 2026, I am jumping into the year with a slight modification to the reading list. Below are the 1st 5 books on my reading list for the new year, in case you’d like to read along or have any thoughts or comments on the list itself. Further, if you have any recommendations regarding books on the defense of Higher Education, let me know and if I haven’t read them yet, I will absolutely add them to the list!
So, without further ado, here are my 1st 5!
- The Death of Ivan Ilych (Leo Tolstoy) – I don’t remember the last time I read a novel, and I have been wanting to read this one for several years!
- Hidden Games (Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli) – Game Theory will play a major role in the continuation of Higher Education, and so I am doing my best to understand the finer points.
- In Defense of Liberal education (Fareed Zakaria) – Kind of a pop writer, but I am still interested in the argument Zakaria lays out!
- Empire of AI (Karen Hao) – Jumping back into it!
- This is for Everyone: The Unfinished Story of the World Wide Web (Tim Berners-Lee) – And the work continues.
I’m not sure if the final decision from “them” will alter my research on the topic, I’m hoping it won’t, but either way there will be signs. If the next reading list features the likes of Walden and Zarathustra, you may venture a guess as to what direction “they” went. But then again, what type of education would be complete without revisiting some of the classics?
thedihedral.com 
Disappointing news for you and all of education. I sure hope Zoom meet is a pleasant surprise.
I wish you a very Happy New year / Feliz Ano Nuevo
Sunya
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Sunyamar, I hope so too! Happy New Year to you as well!
LikeLike
With a thesis statement like “education through community makes for better citizens and that makes for a better society”, I’d say you are out of touch with “reality” and I am grateful that you are!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I appreciate it!!! And hopefully your New Year comes in with a non-literal bang!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I woke up to the reality of the university where I was teaching when the Senate was debating whether to pay off the failed football coach to the tune of $4 million. That’s when i knew. $4million would have gone a long way to giving tenure to long-time lecturers like me, valuable enough to the institution as instructors but not valuable enough to keep (I was there for 15 years, but who’s counting?) OK our lecturer deal wasn’t bad, but still. They paid off the coach, too, saying that football was a money-earner for the school and they didn’t want to be sued. Education was NOT a money-earner for the school. State school, too, not a private school. But… Anyway, “O great star, what would you be if not for those for whom you shine?” I say go with Zarathustra, even if only in your heart of hearts.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Great quote!!! Zarathustra it is! I’ll definitely be seeking your advice if I hear back with negative news, and I’ll be seeking your advice if I hear back with positive news! Thanks for always being so supportive Martha!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Shucks. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wishing you luck on approval for the Institute. Short-sightedness is another societal issue that needs to be addressed.
Can’t go too wrong with a diet of classics!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Eilene!!! I hope the college is as supportive as you are!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dude…This is unreal. Maybe fuel for your proposal? Discussion about AI in academia? Seriously stupid… Sigh… https://lithub.com/texas-am-is-banning-plato-citing-his-gender-ideology/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reading the original story broke my heart. I am so frustrated, and forced/advised to watch what I say. I’m having trouble putting my thoughts together, and I’m trying to avoid feeling defeated and complacent, but it is tough when reading things like this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s horrible. I’m glad I’m out of the fray — but I have imagined what I would be contending with if I were still in the battle, attempting to teach critical thinking and communication skills. I would feel completely defeated and very very sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m going to be very deliberate in my discussions with students this semester. Without crossing these ridiculous lines in place by current administration. The messaging about the importance of critical thinking while at the same time punishing those who display critical thinking is abhorrent.
LikeLike
It’s the infamous Orwellian “double-speak”. I’m so sorry, Carrot. I’m actually writing right now about the insidiousness of ‘my’ truth and where that ‘idea’ has led us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Can’t wait to read it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s pretty superficial but I’ll link it tomorrow. Feel free when you read it to set me straight. i have a lot of trouble with the whole “personal truth” idea so I might have gotten distracted… That’s my truth anyway 🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person