We’ve shared our strategies and recommendations for how leaders can rebuild trust on campus, but it’s not always as clear-cut to put it into practice. When we developed our social intelligence research, we had the opportunity to share it with Rebecca Ehretsman, president of Wartburg College. She shared some thoughts on the implications of our research.
How can colleges and universities meet students’ needs for professional or workforce preparation and education for education’s sake? 
Rebecca: I want to acknowledge the power of the “both and” proposition. It’s not one or the other—it’s not professional or education for the sake of education—it’s both. As higher education professionals, administrators, and people in the space we need to make sure we’re offering a holistic educational experience that occurs both inside and outside the classroom, and is focused on fostering success for our students in their life.
We need to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need and the networks and connections to secure future opportunities after graduation. We also need to gather outcomes data relative to ROI that’s quantitative and qualitative. Finally, we need to confirm and affirm that life is more than just a paycheck while also equipping students with what they need to succeed when they leave college. So the “both and” is really important in thinking about how we show up for our students.
One of the reasons Becky and I get along so well is we both have communication backgrounds. I’ve heard her talk about receiver-oriented communication, which is another way to phrase one of our research recommendations.
Why is receiver-oriented communication critical for colleges and universities? How does it build trust with your constituents?
Rebecca: It’s interesting to use the word “constituents.” When I think about colleges, universities, students, and families, it’s more critical than ever that we know our audience, listen to their perspectives, and keep up with what’s happening in the world around us.
Higher ed has been steeped in tradition forever and will continue to be, so it’s easy to fall into the trap of speaking for our students and telling them what they need. Technological advances will make Generation Z and Generation Alpha and their families a completely different set of receivers and a completely different set of constituents. But studying their unique needs and expectations allows us to pivot as colleges and universities, and build trust as a sector.
You’re entering your third year of your presidency, what advice can you share? What can campus presidents do to build trust in aspirational and motivational ways?
Rebecca: I thought about this from a simple perspective and maybe a little more complex perspective. Presence is the simple answer to how we build trust. We authentically engage with our students and their families. We listen to them, learn from them, and are curious about what they have to share with us. That presence matters and really raises the energy and excitement about what higher ed has to offer.
The more difficult answer is as a president it’s my job to commit. My position affords me a seat at the table, a platform, and a microphone. In this role I must bring light and optimism, and it’s my obligation to change the narrative positively and proactively. That’s not always easy, especially right now.
As leaders if we fundamentally believe in the power of higher education to change the world, to prepare our current and future generations of students to be productive and contributory members of their communities, to create positive change in our society and world, that’s what we have to pursue to bring trust and aspiration and motivation—not only to our students and their families but to the entire society that’s looking very closely at higher ed right now.
