Leading Graduate Education in Challenging Times

8/28/2024

By Wojtek J. Chodzko-Zajko

As we navigate the current turbulent landscape—marked by a contentious presidential election, conflict in the Middle East, and controversial U.S. Supreme Court decisions—graduate deans across the country are reflecting on how we can assist our institutions in charting a responsible path forward. The challenges we face today are unique, multifaceted, and complex. However, as graduate deans, we have faced difficult challenges before and will undoubtedly do so again in the future. I argue that some of the lessons we learned from leading during the COVID-19 pandemic can offer valuable insights into how we might approach our current dilemmas.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented higher education with unprecedented challenges, forcing universities to pivot rapidly in response to a global crisis. Graduate deans played a crucial role in this transformation, safeguarding their communities, ensuring the continuity of education, and supporting students through uncharted territory. Now, as we face a different set of challenges, the strategies and principles that guided us through the pandemic can be repurposed to address today’s complex issues.

1. Prioritizing the Well-Being of Our Community

One of the key lessons from the pandemic was the importance of placing the well-being of our community at the forefront of every decision. During the pandemic, this meant protecting the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff, as well as addressing the mental health challenges that arose from isolation and uncertainty. Beyond health and safety, it also required us to focus on ensuring that students could continue to make progress on their educational journey and career advancement despite the disruptions they faced.

Today, assuring the well-being of our community is equally important, though the threats may be different. Graduate deans must be vigilant in addressing the anxieties and concerns that arise from political and social turbulence, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where students feel safe to express their views and engage in critical discussions. It also means being attuned to the needs of international students who may be directly affected by geopolitical events or changes in immigration policy.

Safeguarding the well-being of our community today requires an unwavering commitment to free speech and academic freedom. These principles are essential to the pursuit of knowledge, discovery, and engagement with the world. Graduate deans must ensure that students and faculty have the freedom to explore, debate, and express ideas—even those that may be controversial or unpopular. Questioning ideas, posing alternative opinions, and presenting different perspectives are how we create knowledge and foster meaningful engagement with the world. However, these freedoms are not unlimited; institutions have a responsibility to protect the rights of all members of the university community while maintaining a safe, respectful, and productive environment for learning and engagement.

At my institution, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, we have created a web resource designed to provide our faculty, staff, students, and campus visitors with a comprehensive summary of relevant federal and state laws and university policies around speech and expression. This resource includes FAQs, external links and contacts for more information. I believe every university has a responsibility to collate and share a similar repository of information about free speech and their institutional commitment to these principles and their implementation.

2. Guiding by Institutional Mission and Values

During the pandemic, many institutions found a way forward by leaning on their mission and values as a guiding star. This principle remains relevant today. In times of uncertainty, it is essential for us to reaffirm our institution’s commitment to its core values. However, the complexities of today’s political landscape present unique challenges. In some states, graduate deans may face pressures to align with policies or legislative actions that could conflict with their institution’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Conversely, in other parts of the country, there may be strong expectations to push forward progressive agendas, which could sometimes lead to tensions or resistance from certain stakeholders within or outside the institution.

To remain true to our values, regardless of our local political situation, we must clearly articulate and consistently communicate our core values, ensuring they are embedded in our institutional identity. By fostering a strong internal consensus and prioritizing academic freedom, we can create a resilient community capable of withstanding external pressures. Engaging in advocacy, educating our community about the importance of our values, and adapting with integrity allow us to navigate political challenges while staying aligned with our mission.

Graduate deans have a unique role in ensuring that these values are not only upheld but are also translated into actionable policies and practices, regardless of the political environment. This might involve advocating for equitable admissions practices in the wake of recent Supreme Court decisions or promoting research that addresses societal challenges, even when such efforts may be politically sensitive. By aligning our actions with our institutional mission, we can navigate the complexities of the present moment while staying true to our fundamental principles.

3. Sharing Information and Strategies

During the pandemic, the rapid exchange of information and strategies among institutions was critical to success. Graduate deans who were proactive in seeking out best practices and sharing their own experiences helped build a collective knowledge base that benefited the entire higher education community. Our national organization, the Council of Graduate Schools, provided us with invaluable advice and assistance through an assortment of programming and resources, including a series of webinars, listening sessions, and even Presidential Office Hours offered by CGS President Suzanne Ortega. In these events, Deans from across the nation shared information, exchanged strategies, brainstormed challenges, and provided critically important psychological support and encouragement. At my own institution, I also had the good fortune to call upon the knowledge and expertise of my fellow deans across the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) and the American Association of Universities (AAU). We exchanged e-mails almost daily, we met online in regularly scheduled Zoom calls, and we made ourselves available to support each other throughout the dark days of the pandemic.

Today, this spirit of openness and collaboration is just as important. Graduate deans should continue to engage with their peers, sharing insights and strategies for addressing the current reality. Whether it’s navigating the implications of recent legal decisions, developing new approaches to student support in a polarized political climate, or upholding the principles of free speech and academic freedom, the exchange of knowledge is vital to our collective success.

4. Advocating for Graduate Education and Graduate Students

To ensure that graduate students and graduate issues are considered as part of broader institutional decision-making, graduate deans must actively engage with senior leadership, including provosts, chancellors, presidents, and trustees. Regular communication and collaboration with these key figures are essential to advocate effectively for graduate education.

During the pandemic, graduate deans were instrumental in ensuring that the unique needs of graduate students were not overlooked in the rush to transition to remote learning and maintain continuity. By working closely with institutional leaders, we advocated for accommodations, resources, and support systems that addressed the specific challenges faced by graduate students. This experience highlighted the importance of having a strong voice in institutional decision-making processes to ensure that graduate education remains a priority.

In today’s geopolitical context, graduate deans serve graduate students from all corners of the globe and from all political persuasions. We have a responsibility to ensure that every student, regardless of their background or beliefs, has the freedom to engage in open dialogue, pursue research on any topic without fear of censorship, and express their views in a manner that aligns with the principles of free speech and academic freedom. To effectively serve in this capacity, it is crucial that we actively participate in the university decision-making process and advocate for the needs of graduate students, ensuring that their rights and interests are represented at the highest levels of institutional governance. By doing so, we help to create an environment where diverse perspectives can thrive, leading to richer scholarship and a more inclusive educational experience.

5. Balancing Flexibility and Preparation

The pandemic taught us the value of being nimble and flexible in our decision-making. In a rapidly changing environment, our ability to adapt quickly and make informed decisions was key to maintaining the continuity of graduate education. In today’s context, graduate deans must continue to embrace flexibility, whether that means adjusting policies in response to new legal requirements or finding creative solutions to support students in a time of conflict and political uncertainty. At the same time, it is equally important to plan ahead, anticipate challenges, and develop strategies that can be implemented when needed. For example, preparing clear guidelines on free speech and expression can prevent crises before they arise, allowing for swift and decisive action when issues do occur. This balanced approach—being both flexible and prepared—will enable graduate deans to respond effectively to the unpredictable challenges of our time while ensuring that the institution is well-positioned to uphold its values and mission.

Conclusion: Moving Forward with Purpose

As we move forward into an uncertain future, the role of the graduate dean is more critical than ever. The lessons we learned from leading during the pandemic have equipped us with a toolkit of strategies that can help us navigate today’s challenges. By prioritizing the well-being of our community, guiding our actions by our institutional values, collaborating across and beyond our institutions, sharing knowledge, and remaining both flexible and well-prepared, we can lead with purpose and resilience.

The path ahead may be fraught with difficulties, but it is also filled with opportunities to reimagine and strengthen graduate education. As graduate deans, we have the privilege and responsibility to shape the future of our institutions and to ensure that they continue to serve as beacons of knowledge, equity, and progress in a complex and ever-changing world.

Ultimately, we must never forget that our primary mission is to educate. It is our responsibility to thoughtfully consider how we can guide our students in understanding these critical issues and promote respectful dialogue on our campuses, even among those who hold differing views and opinions. By fostering an environment where all voices are heard and where civil discourse is encouraged, we not only uphold the principles of free speech and academic freedom but also prepare our students to engage thoughtfully and respectfully in the broader societal conversations that shape our world.

We will undoubtedly be tested in the coming semester. However, if we adhere to the strategies outlined here, I am optimistic that we will succeed in our efforts to ensure that both free speech and academic freedom continue to flourish on our campuses.

Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko is the Dean of the Graduate College at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.