Boyer Commission Issues Blueprint for Advancing College Equity and Excellence in Follow Up to Landmark Report

Washington, DC – In an effort to address persistent equity gaps in undergraduate educational outcomes, the Boyer 2030 Commission today issued a new blueprint for advancing equity, student success, and excellence in undergraduate education at research universities in the United States. The commission – composed of higher education, philanthropic, and business leaders and convened by the Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU) – underscores the urgency of making widespread evidence-based changes across higher education to promote equity and excellence in higher education.

The report, The Equity/Excellence Imperative: A 2030 Blueprint for Undergraduate Education at U.S. Research Universities, outlines a host of recommendations for improving equity and excellence in undergraduate education at research universities across the United States.

The report’s recommendations cover approaches for:

• Increasing college access and affordability;
• Leveraging digital technology;
• Facilitating clearer degree pathways;
• Broadening participation in high-impact educational experiences;
• Adopting holistic advising;
• Nurturing mental health and wellbeing;
• Rewarding faculty for teaching excellence;
• Establishing a supportive campus culture where freedom speech is protected; and
• Preparing students for success in life, work, and participation in democratic society.

“The college-going population has changed dramatically since the original Boyer report was issued in 1998, reflecting critical gains in college access,” said Peter McPherson, co-chair of the Boyer 2030 Commission and President Emeritus of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. “But we know institutions have to adapt to better meet a diverse set of needs for these students. Fortunately, we have a growing body of evidence around data-informed approaches to improving equity and excellence in American higher education. Research universities are eager for solutions that advance equity and excellence. We hope today’s report will not just give them additional tools to advance this work, but will also underscore the urgency of transformational change needed to better deliver on our mission.”

“The world is a very different place than it was in 1998, and that is why a new Boyer Commission was needed to recommend ways to guarantee excellence and equity in undergraduate education for today’s college students”, said Barbara Snyder, co-chair of the Boyer 2030 Commission and President of the Association of American Universities. “Undergirding each of our recommendations is the firm belief that excellence and equity are inextricably linked for our students and our institutions, and each recommendation is informed by the significant advances we’ve made in technology and in understanding effective teaching methods since the original Boyer Commission issued its report.”

The Boyer 2030 Commission Members

Co-Chairs:

Barbara R. Snyder, President, Association of American Universities
Peter McPherson, President Emeritus, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

Commission Members:

• Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University
• Andrew Delbanco, President, Teagle Foundation
• Roger Ferguson, former President, TIAA-CREF
• Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Director of Digital Humanities, Michigan State University
• Kevin Kruger, President and CEO, NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
• Gary May, Chancellor, University of California, Davis
• Sarah Newman, Director of Art and Education at metaLAB, Harvard University
• Lynn Pasquerella, President, American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U)
• Deborah Santiago, Co-Founder and CEO, Excelencia in Education
• Claude Steele, Lucie Stern Professor in the Social Sciences, Emeritus, Stanford University
• Holden Thorp, Editor-in-Chief, Science
• Eric Waldo, Founding Executive Director of Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher
• Mary Wright, Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning, Brown University

Ex officio: Elizabeth Loizeaux, Boston University; Former President, UERU