WASHINGTON, DC, June 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) today announced the release of The Trust Agenda: A Framework for Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education, a new report that offers campus leaders a framework for strengthening institutions’ trustworthiness, student-centered mission, and connections with the communities they serve.
The report argues that declining public confidence in higher education has created significant challenges for colleges and universities while opening the door to growing political pressure on institutional autonomy and academic freedom. In response, The Trust Agenda calls on higher education leaders to pursue reforms and partnerships that demonstrate higher education’s value to students, communities, and society.
“Public trust in higher education cannot be restored without a renewed commitment to trustworthiness,” said AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella. “The Trust Agenda calls on colleges and universities to demonstrate that commitment through action, accountability, and meaningful engagement with the communities they serve.”
The report outlines five recommendations for advancing public trust in higher education:
- Accelerate Innovation by breaking down barriers to institutional change and improvement
- Prioritize Community Engagement through mutually beneficial partnerships with local communities
- Recommit to Inclusive Excellence by ensuring all students feel welcomed and supported
- Tell a Clearer Story about higher education’s role in promoting opportunity, economic mobility, and the advancement of knowledge
- Coordinate a Mission-Centered Defense of academic freedom and institutional autonomy
AAC&U will formally launch The Trust Agenda during an online public forum on June 16, 2026. The event will feature a panel discussion on the report’s findings and recommendations with key higher education leaders.
The report was authored by the staff of AAC&U’s Advancing Public Trust in Higher Education initiative: Jeremy C. Young, senior advisor for strategic initiatives; Kathryn A. E. Enke, vice president for leadership and strategy; Felicia Fullilove, associate director; and Scout Meredith Best, program coordinator.
“Higher education is in crisis, and for too long, colleges and universities have been playing defense without a clear plan for the future,” said Young. “The Trust Agenda represents what higher education needs in this moment: a proactive, practical framework that will help campus leaders seize the initiative to improve our campuses and advance public trust.”
“This report is a call to action for every campus in the United States,” said Enke. “In the coming months, AAC&U staff will work with campus and civil society leaders to implement the recommendations of The Trust Agenda, to develop tools and resources to build and assess trust, and to build collective impact coalitions and communities of practice."
The full report is available for download at aacu.org/research/the-trust-agenda.
About AAC&U
The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization dedicated to advancing the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. Through our programs and events, publications and research, public advocacy, and campus-based projects, AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator for innovations that improve educational quality and equity and that support the success of all students. In addition to accredited public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities, and state higher education systems and agencies throughout the United States, our membership includes degree-granting higher education institutions around the world as well as other organizations and individuals. To learn more, visit www.aacu.org.
David Tritelli American Association of Colleges and Universities (202) 888-0811 tritelli@aacu.org