USA Today: President Carol Quillen on Rebuilding Trust in Higher Education Post-“Varsity Blues”

One of six college presidents interviewed by USA Today, Quillen reflects on how the “Varsity Blues” scandal exposed the eroded trust between the public and higher ed.

“The big takeaway for me was there is no public confidence in the integrity of higher education admission,” she said. “And how do we rebuild trust with the public and live up to our obligation to make education a public good, and to serve the societies and communities that support us?”

According to Quillen, this is about more than reforming admissions: A robust higher education system is a foundational element of modern citizenship.

“How do we think about building a society where democratic public life is possible and we're all effective citizens and care about the well-being of each other?,” she said. “How do we build that world, and what is higher ed's role in building that world?”