By Sandra J. Peart, Dean and E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor in Leadership Studies and President of the Jepson Scholars Foundation
In 1867, John Stuart Mill delivered the inaugural address to the University of St. Andrews upon his installation as rector. Mill argued that education is the means by which we ready ourselves for civic participation. Education helps us recognize and
Read moreI recently posted to Facebook an article about the challenges associated with being a woman in higher education, along with a comment about how lucky I’ve been to reach the level of dean in a sector where leadership roles have
Read moreThis week I continue my examination of the leadership challenges faced by those of us with fiscal responsibilities in higher education. As noted in my previous posts, an alarming number of private liberal arts colleges have closed recently or made
Read moreSeveral weeks ago I posted an entry about the leadership challenges faced by those of us with fiscal responsibilities in higher education. I suggested that it is time for financially stressed colleges to imagine new ways to generate revenues. The
Read moreSeveral weeks ago I met with a University of Richmond alumnus who is thinking through how best to design materials and workshops for his team. His industry is characterized by a high level of creativity, competition, and constant change—change in
Read moreEarlier this year I had the opportunity to introduce Nancy Bagranoff at a luncheon attended by University of Richmond (UR) female leadership, including faculty, administrators, and trustees. I had mixed feelings about doing so—I am so pleased Nancy will soon
Read moreAs our students and faculty are busy completing and grading final assignments, respectively, I have been reflecting on the semester. This spring, I taught the cross-listed leadership studies/economics class Competition, Cooperation, and Choice. The course covers ground from Bernard
Read moreIn my seminar class at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, my students and I have been reading John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty and thinking about its relevance in our world of hyper-critical speech and online insults. Readers of these
Read moreTwo stories rocked the world of higher education in the past week. The first, and most widely discussed, was a cheating scandal whereby families of means paid test takers and/or coaches to have their children admitted to elite universities through
Read moreBe clear about what a college education means and what sort of skills your students should have upon graduation. If you are, University of Chicago (UC) President Robert Zimmer argued recently at the University of Richmond, your stance towards free
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