Colleges Must Prove Their Value Program by Program
College can still be a route to the American Dream, but higher education leaders Pascale Charlot, Ted Mitchell, Josh Wyner and Matthew Gianneschi argued that institutions now have to prove that promise through completion, affordability and post-graduation value. Their case is that declining public trust will not be answered by prestige or average wage premiums, but by clearer evidence that colleges help students finish, manage cost, connect degrees to viable work and sustain the civic and human learning they claim to provide.
The Aspen Institute·Jun 27, 2026·19 min read
