November 4, 2016

The piece focuses on "the ideas and arguments that might shape the next fifty years" in higher education. 

In response to a question about phenomena that seem crucially important now that will be largely forgotten in fifty years, Silver writes "We hear a lot of talk about the "education of the whole student" in 2016 — the idea that an excellent college education will nurture and develop a wide range of skills, both intellectual and social, and will take into account all of the myriad talents and capacities that students possess. I think this will become so integral a part of higher ed that we will forget it was ever up for discussion." 

Asked to comment on what makes her optimistic about the future of higher education, Silver responded, "The students. Today’s students are engaged on campus and in the world, and they hold themselves — and the colleges and universities they attend — to high standards." 

Silver was featured alongside other voices in higher education, such as Jeff Selingo, author of There Is Life After College, economist Brian Caplan, and former Secretary of Education (and current president of the University of North Carolina) Margaret Spellings.