This qualitative case study explores how neoliberalism affects how food insecure student-parents experience higher education. Drawing on interviews with administrators, student activists, and student-parents at one U.S. research university, this article argues that neoliberalism's emphasis on revenue generation and a shift toward individualism has…

How should we account for and assess the work of the public intellectual? This chapter unpacks approaches to the assessment of the public intellectual to broadly consider the roles and functions of the academic public intellectual, examine how their roles fit within Boyer's domains of scholarship and how institutional structures both support and…

The academic literature on public intellectuals would argue that the days of scholars playing the role of public intellectuals are long behind us, and that the role is in decline. This chapter examines the extent to which that may or may not be the case. It defines what it means to be a public intellectual, catalogues the literature related to the…

In this transitory age for public intellectuals, faculty must wisely negotiate the differences between public and private communication. The work of public intellectuals in colleges and universities raises questions about the methods used to assess the impact this work and the modes of communication with the lay public. This chapter discusses the…

College and university presidents can position themselves to be a great resource for the country and the world. This chapter introduces the perspectives of two presidents of the University of Notre Dame, Father Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C. who served for 35 years (1952-1987) and was a major presence in American higher education and a classic public…

This exploratory qualitative study focused on understanding the work-life experiences of academic parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. We provide multiple theoretical and policy implications to engage during and beyond the pandemic while ending with a challenge: how can the lessons learned from the pandemic inform the development of more…

The purpose of this article is to provide insight into the perceptions of college presidents on their role in budgeting and finance. While most of the past research in this area has focused on how to engage and understand budget and finance practices, this chapter sought to highlight the perceptions of the roles of those involved in the process,…

In this chapter, the authors trace the historical roots of civic learning and democratic engagement in higher education from the founding of the first institutions to the present day. In different major historical moments, universities elevated their mission to develop an engaged citizenry. Furthermore, public perception of the purpose for higher…

Democracy requires an informed populous that is engaged, politically, and otherwise, and concerned for the safety and wellbeing of its communities. Public institutions of higher education play a pivotal role in democracy, and a direct pathway to this result is civic learning and democratic engagement (CLDE). Now more than ever, a sharper focus on…

This chapter explores whether academic freedom extends to the work of academic public intellectuals through a historical analysis of landmark cases and episodes. It leads to the sobering conclusion that "professors proceed at their own risk if and when they take on the role of a public intellectual," noting that the presence of academic…

Civic learning and democratic engagement (CLDE) work has become a central piece of higher education's mission, woven in daily tasks. This chapter explores how the community engagement professional (CEP) role can be reimagined across institutions and the opportunities, challenges, and next steps for moving forward. The strategic positioning of…

Recalibrating the role of higher education in higher education is no small task. Assessment is vital to understand which efforts prove fruitful and which do not. This chapter discusses the importance of thoughtful framing and design of CLDE learning outcomes, methodological pluralism, and the opportunities available by sharing assessment findings.

The vital role faculty play as learning facilitators, advisors, and mentors is pivotal to sophomore success.

As the function of advising has shifted across the higher education landscape, the role of the academic advisor has also evolved. This chapter explores historic and emerging trends in the roles, functions, and professionalization of academic advising, while stressing the need for institutions to situate academic advising within their learning and…

This chapter outlines a case for institutions to engage in assessment as organizational learning to better achieve institutional integrity, using the focus on the sophomore year as a context to identify and evaluate student outcomes and to employ the results in meaningful organizational responses.