Image: Garnett Stokes, president of the University of New Mexico, delivered the 32nd Louise McBee Lecture in Higher Education. “Throughout my career at UGA, I heard people singing the praises of Louise McBee,” said Stokes. “Louise was indeed a role model for me. A person of such integrity that she will live in my memories and my heart for how she shaped my own views of how to work with others and how to have an impact.” In her address, Stokes examined the question of whether major public higher education institutions are living up to the mission of flagship, land-grant universities and to the expectations of the people they serve. Stokes acknowledged that society holds “high and sweeping expectations” of our universities, even as higher education’s value has come under increasing scrutiny across the country. “Every day we strive to recognize and respond to the needs, ideals, and dreams of our citizens,” said Stokes. “And those needs continue to evolve quickly and often urgently.” According to Stokes, leaders at major universities need to have clarity of purpose as external expectations of these institutions and their capacities for outreach grow. “How we respond and act… impacts our entire community and those who will want to be part of it,” she said. Stokes drew on her experience as a first-generation college student, who grew up hearing people question the value of a college degree. “Success requires the trust and support of those that we serve,” said Stokes. She finds hope in her belief that criticism of higher education often is based on what the critics think colleges and universities are doing rather knowledge of all the ways these institutions serve and support communities beyond classroom education. Stokes advised institutional leaders to take charge of the messaging and communicate more to reduce misperceptions. “We can never assume that the public understands how we are advancing the public good at our institutions.” Stokes continued, “And when we don’t explain and reaffirm the way in which we provide value to the public, we allow someone else to do it for us—spinning counter-narratives that devalue the genuine and very real benefits of our central mission.” For Stokes, however, articulating value is only part of the equation. She added that listening to concerns and expectations is critical to effective service. “Taking a page from Louise McBee early in my career, I learned that listening to people’s concerns and their expectations and trying to understand them is foundational to explaining why we do what do in higher education and why it is important.” When she began her tenure at the University of New Mexico, Stokes undertook an extensive listening tour across the state. Stokes observed how the needs of the modern learner are far more expansive than classroom learning. She cited how student demographics are changing to reflect our populations more closely. For example, New Mexico is one of a handful of minority-majority states in the United States. “While a great education is universal, for a truly transformative college experience, we need to be willing to constantly learn and evolve to provide adequate support and resources for diverse populations and ensure that we are giving every student an equal opportunity to graduate,” said Stokes. UNM is one of six institutions nationally that are participating in the Student Experience Project (SEP), a collaborative initiative dedicated to innovative research-based best practices to improve student transitions to and persistence through their degrees. “Students look to us for more than just instruction.” Stokes noted the importance of universities’ involvement in mitigating food insecurity and mental health concerns among the student populations. Stokes stressed that public universities have a responsibility to serve wider communities as well. “We must also stand for those whom we serve and will serve in the future to renew the social contract between higher education and current and future generations and to be an engine of social mobility and center of civil ingenuity,” Stokes said. She listed ways that universities leverage resources to be economic drivers and innovators through partnerships and through their innovative and evolving programs to prepare students for new industries. At UNM, the administration supports efforts to address grand challenges for the state and for the world through work on water sustainability, services to aging populations, and holistic approaches around substance abuse. With her focus on partnerships in local communities with potential for broad, even global, impact, Stokes likes to rebrand UNM as “the University for New Mexico.” “Like our nation itself, our higher education institutions are genuine melting pots, serving the needs of many all at once as we stir together academics and research, culture and community, service and gratitude,” said Stokes. Returning to her initial question of whether public universities live up to expectations, Stokes replied that the response is complicated. “We do have weaknesses and some failures, but we continue to do better. We have exceeded expectations in so many ways.” Stokes concluded by noting that the ongoing and future work at flagship universities “are vital to the success of our country.” Stokes delivered the address, Our Public Flagship R1 University Mission: Are We Living up to Expectations?, on May 1, 2023 in the UGA Chapel. Libby V. Morris, University Professor & Zell Miller Distinguished Professor in Higher Education, convened the event with a tribute to Dr. McBee and an introduction of the President of the University of Georgia Jere W. Morehead. President Morehead introduced President Stokes. View the lecture. Type of News/Audience: General News
