To say that the past year has been a difficult time in higher education in the U.S. is an understatement. There were protests that ignited intense disagreements over how universities should respond to situations in Israel and Palestine; congressional hearings that brought down university presidents; a Supreme Court ruling that significantly limited the tools available to admission officers looking to build diverse classes; and state legislatures who have inserted politics into higher education as never before with new laws aimed at blocking efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Now the 2024 elections bring into high office those who have pledged to make enormous cuts to government spending, to tax university endowments, and to name people who don’t believe in science to key posts. The anxiety among academics is higher than ever.
In recent weeks, I have been having conversations with friends, clients, and colleagues about what gives them hope in dark times. An academic
leader told me he finds hope in his smart, engaged, and passionate students. Another told me she took comfort in the celebration of a significant family event while also remarking: “as a political scientist, I am aware that withdrawing into the private sphere is a common response to authoritarian regimes.” A friend appreciated a television commentator who highlighted times when public opinion made a critical impact – to thwart the repeal the Affordable Care Act, or to stop the egregious practice of separating migrant children from their parents and holding them in cages. These examples remind us that while we can’t influence everything, our words and actions still matter.
I find hope and comfort in the communities I am part of and the people I know who engage in activities to make this world a better place. We prepare and serve meals for unhoused people; we successfully fought gerrymandering and made Michigan elections more competitive; we support equitable criminal justice systems, and much more.
With so much wrong in the world today, it’s easy to become discouraged. Someone recently reminded me of the Talmudic saying, “It is not up to you to finish the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” Moving forward, my hope is that we take solace in one another, take the time we need for rest and renewal, and that we continue to take the next right actions that present themselves as we build a better world together.
Warm regards, Rena