Amid a tense and polarized election cycle, conversations about higher education’s role in democracy have been bubbling, spurring a renewed focus on civic engagement and constructive discourse. But a white paper released Thursday argues that to preserve a healthy republic, higher education leaders must also focus on making colleges more accessible and improving completion rates. “There is no one thing that explains the current state of our democracy, but I think that we overlook the dramatic role that higher education does play in predicting its health,” said Charles Ansell, vice president for research, policy and advocacy at Complete College America, the national advocacy group behind the report.
