This three-part webcast series, moderated by Harry Boyte, aims to spark discussion and action on the future of higher education and its role as an architect and agent of thriving democratic societies. Join us as we explore the history and future of civic agency and discuss the theory and practice of empowerment as an organizing theme for higher education.

Our first webcast, The Democracy Mission of Higher Education asked, “How can higher education reverse the disturbing trends we see occurring: pressures for higher education to become increasingly a private good with students as customers, institutions as industries, and competitive success measured by how many are refused admission?”

In our second webcast, An Empowering Heritage – Democracy Colleges and Freedom Struggles, Harry Boyte interviews two noted scholars to examine some historical roles of higher education that have been largely forgotten. Scott Peters, a pioneering historian of the land-grant system’s public mission, purposes, and work, will address why and how we need to rethink the story of the land-grant system’s contributions to democracy. J. Herman Blake has been a participant and scholar of the civil rights movement, as well as a professor and administrator at a number of leading American universities. He is acclaimed for his scholarship on African-American studies, and his special expertise on the Gullah culture of South Carolina. Cecilia Orphan and Paul Markham will look at practical ways to draw on forgotten histories for today’s change efforts.

Click here to check out downloadable resources relating to this program.

Discussion points:

• How can the history of historically black colleges as amazing schools for democracy leadership in the freedom struggle inspire and inform a new generation of African American leaders?

• How might we use lessons from the rich history of land-grant colleges and universities to challenge and counteract the anti-democratic realities and trends we are confronting today across the whole of American higher education?

• How can the higher education traditions of public work – which once taught students to be productive contributors, “citizen professionals” who were able to work across divisions – help overcome bitter polarizations between “Red” and “Blue” and other divisions today?

Do you have a question now for presenters that you recommend they address during the program? Email your question to webcast.question@scup.org.

Handouts will include the presenters’ PowerPoint images and other supportive articles for your reference.

Mark your calendars now for the third webcast on April 29, Education Befitting a Democracy, which will look at cutting-edge innovations in teaching and learning.

• Those involved in the community engagement strand of higher education (service learning leaders, participatory action research groups, etc).

• The engaged teaching/student as collaborator networks, and groups like AAC&U which have made this a major emphasis.

• Those interested in questions of public scholarship -- Imagining America institutions, leaders in disciplines (sociology, history, geography MLA, political science, Social Science Research Council) who have been pushing for "public sociology," "public history," etc.

• Those concerned about the trends toward higher education becoming a private good, not a public good.