Let’s bring back those good old days, the ones I witnessed when I moved to Iowa 35 years ago. An Iowa that cared about education and took pride in it.
On May 13, my term as president of the Faculty Senate of Iowa State University ended. As I reflect on the past year, one concern has weighed on me more than any other: the growing lack of faith in academia.
Each morning, I began my day reading the Chronicle of Higher Education and the Iowa State Daily. Again and again, I was struck by a rising skepticism — bordering on cynicism — toward higher education. I struggled to understand it. Then I came across a Gallup poll cited in the Chronicle showing a significant decline in public confidence in higher education over the past decade. It left me asking: How did we get here?
I’ve lived in Iowa for 35 years. I remember when education was a source of immense pride. I see former students — some from decades ago — thriving in executive roles, running successful businesses, and contributing meaningfully to society in myriad elective and volunteer roles. Ask them how they got there, and I’m confident they would point to the education they received.
So why the diminishing respect for academia?
This has been my life’s work. Since the day I graduated from college, I have been a professor. Just because this has been my only career, I feel a deep responsibility to speak — not just in defense of the profession, but in hopes of rebuilding public trust.
Let me be clear: We are not perfect. Like any large institution, we have individuals who fall short. But the vast majority of faculty and staff are dedicated professionals who chose this path not for wealth but for the love of teaching, research and service to young people and our collective future. Let me address some of the recurring criticisms I’ve encountered:
Tuition increases
The burden of rising tuition is real — and deeply concerning. But we must understand the context. Not long ago, the state funded about 70% of a student’s education, with students contributing around 20%. Today, that model has flipped: Students now bear close to 70% of the cost. This isn’t about greed — it’s about shifting public priorities and funding decisions.
DEI Initiatives
Concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts are current and can run deep, but I submit that we have not tried hard enough to secure what these words as goals or values were intended to secure. These initiatives originated in the business world, where a diverse and collaborative workforce is a competitive advantage, when business leaders had serious concerns whether Iowa offered and could attract the workforce they needed, and where assurance of inclusion and equal opportunity for advancement were essential to attracting it.
Employers want graduates who can thrive in diverse environments. That said, it’s fair to ask whether some initiatives have overreached and whether they’re sufficiently available to all. We must remain open to honest assessment and recalibration.
Program proliferation
New academic programs are not created in a vacuum. Every proposal undergoes rigorous review and must demonstrate a clear, unmet need. If a program cannot sustain itself financially, it does not survive. Curriculum innovation is often a response to evolving workforce demands and societal needs.
Research grants and indirect costs
Universities take a portion of research grants as indirect costs — not to pad salaries, but to fund the infrastructure required for cutting-edge research. Labs are expensive to build and maintain. Faculty salaries typically come from the university, not the grants. Graduate students often earn modest stipends. In truth, society (state, country, and industry) is getting a huge bargain: many groundbreaking discoveries of the last century were made in university settings, subsidized by the institutions themselves, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, and other funding agencies. As one example, think of the patents that Iowa State’s College of Agriculture has generated and the contributions it’s made to the agricultural industry and Iowa.
Research
Even within academia, research is sometimes criticized — often by faculty in other disciplines — as impractical or esoteric. But I’ve seen academia in many countries, and I can say with pride that American higher education is the best in the world.
Research is the key reason why.
Why do we require research?
- To ensure faculty remain current in their disciplines.
- To demonstrate that they not only understand existing knowledge but can contribute to it and expand upon it.
Publishing requires knowing the field, identifying gaps, and moving the work forward — even incrementally. Most research makes small contributions, but over time, these add up and move science forward. Also, more importantly, they ensure that the person teaching the class is truly an expert.
Indoctrination
Of all the accusations, this may be the most perplexing. As a parent of two daughters, I’ve spent 30 years trying to influence them — and I can tell you, indoctrination is no easy feat; I failed. I’m sure most parents would agree. The idea that a professor can indoctrinate a student in 45 hours over a semester is simply not credible. Most degree programs focus on technical or disciplinary knowledge, not ideology. More importantly, students are far more discerning than they’re often given credit for.
As I said at the outset, we are not perfect, but the broad distrust toward academia is misplaced and deeply unfair. If there are concerns, and there are, we should talk; and if we identify problems or unmet needs, surely we can work together to find solutions. If a farm has weeds, do we destroy the entire field, or do we simply pull the weeds?
Let’s all come together, bringing our Iowa Nice demeanor, to solve this problem as it is in the best interests of the student, the state, the country and the business. Let’s bring back those good old days, the ones I witnessed when I moved to Iowa 35 years ago. An Iowa that cared about education and took pride in it.
Let’s pull the weeds. Let’s not destroy the farm. Thank you.
Rahul Parsa is past president of the Faculty Senate at Iowa State University. The views in this essay are his alone.
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