Horace Mann, often revered as the father of American public education, laid a powerful foundation for what we now call transformative, inclusive education. In the mid-1800s, he championed the belief that universal access to quality education was not just a privilege but a public right, a cornerstone for sustaining a
At a time when U.S. democracy is increasingly fragile due to political divisions, misinformation, and declining trust in institutions, American colleges and universities must do more than lecture about the importance of civic engagement. They need to model it. This is especially true for graduate programs, which prepare mature and
With excitement and a sense of purpose, I am delighted to announce that I will be joining Antioch University as its new President. The position is a unique one as it is coupled with the Executive Vice Presidency for Coalition for the Common Good. This joint appointment charts the next
Introduction A version of this blog post was also submitted to The Chronicle of Higher Education in response to the article, The 774 Words That Helped Sink a Presidency in the May 7, 2025 issue of The Chronicle. Full disclosure: I’ve known the former President of Cal Lutheran University (CLU),
You may have met, seen, read about, or watched her on the news. Who is she? She is the university’s new president, the leader of an Ivy League university, or even the top candidate for the U.S. presidency. She’s the first or one of the few women to hold the
Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with university leaders across the country—strategic thinkers and doers who are steering their institutions through today’s blustery headwinds. As these colleagues work to implement bold structural and cultural campus changes, they often ask a similar question: “What can I, as
Reimagining Higher Education for Democracy To address the urgent challenges of our times—climate change, humanitarian crises, political polarization, democratic diminishment, and global disruption—the primary aim of American higher education must go far beyond career preparation. To meet this moment, educators must use the curriculum, the campus, and their community relationships
Why Fundraising Matters Now More Than Ever Being a university president is not just about overseeing campus operations. With declining state support in most parts of the country, federal grants in question, and ever-increasing personnel costs, presidents need to bring in extramural money to support their college’s mission. All of
Steering Cal Lutheran Towards Long-Term Success Within the first 18 months of her presidency, Dr. Varlotta addressed several pressing issues. She navigated Cal Lutheran through its immediate financial crisis; got the University off the WSCUC Notice of Concern; and led the creation of the university’s inaugural DEIJ Division and Strategic
A Leadership Search Amid a Global Pandemic In late fall 2019, California Lutheran University (CLU) began its search for a new university president, partnering with Academic Search, a highly regarded executive search firm specializing in higher education leadership. Jay Lemons, the firm’s president, played a key role in guiding the