0.2 Holoman, h., & Yates, p. (february 2009). mining best practice

Introduction

At the outset of the 21st century, a confluence of social, economic, and political forces pose daunting new challenges to the nation’s continued vitality and make clear the need for higher education to assume new responsibilities. There is little question that higher education must be among the most important intellectual and creative resources assembled to address an array of critical challenges confronting society—including the sustainability of natural resources; the provision of health care for all in a growing, aging population; and the renewal of economic vitality across a wide demographic range, which entails helping more working adults acquire higher-level skills and knowledge, instilling core human values, and strengthening social structures to ensure that future generations experience lives of justice, equity, and fulfillment. Higher education must organize its resources for increased responsiveness to, and engagement with, society’s core challenges in the century ahead. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education (2008)

Seemingly insurmountable odds…high stakes…a hint of flattery…dire circumstances with gripping urgency. But is it compelling enough? What will it take for the academy and its members to collectively acknowledge and respond to such public—noble, practical, interpersonal, and multigenerational—purposes? And what if members of the academy bravely respond to even one of these core challenges—what would it look like—and how would other members of the community respond?