Current University of Wisconsin Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin hosted former Chancellor Dr. Donna E. Shalala on Monday for a conversation on the future of higher education in Varsity Hall.
The event started with a catered lunch and conversation amongst the attendees.
Shalala and Mnookin were introduced via remarks by Interim Provost John Zumbrunnen. Shalala and Mnookin took the stage for their conversation, which included questions directly from Mnookin as well as pre-submitted audience questions.
Shalala has had a prolific academic and political career including serving as president of the University of Miami from 2001 to 2015, Clinton-appointed U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services from 1993-2001 and receiving a 2008 Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. Her 1987-1993 term as UW chancellor was particularly notable, as she was the first female chancellor of a Big 10 university.
The conversation took many different paths, but there was an overall emphasis on protecting higher education. Shalala had a message for people who believe in higher education.
“We cannot lose hope,” Shalala said.
Shalala spoke about one of her major goals during her tenure, which was to improve the university for its undergraduate students. At the time she arrived, Shalala said many Wisconsin residents were frustrated with the education their children were receiving and feeling that the faculty ignored undergraduate students for research goals.
Part of her mission was to bridge this gap. She formed committees of premier research faculty who also had children attending UW. She also helped to increase the scope of the student affairs offices and make course selection a smoother process by having faculty members schedule their undergraduate courses first.
The two also spoke at great lengths of the importance of UW as a premier research institution. Research is a part of the national and international economy, the research done here required investments over a long period of time, Shalala said.
Continuing to invest in research is important to UW’s future, with the growing anti-intellectualism movement in the U.S., Shalala said.
“[Research] is so fundamental to our future, that it’s hard to imagine that there might be people that would challenge that,” Shalala said.
The two women also spoke about AI in education, which Shalala said should be used to engage the next generation of students. Each discipline should consider the ways AI can affect and inform their teachings, but higher education should not run from AI, according to Shalala.
“We have to embrace [AI]… and figure out how to effectively expand the quality of education that we provide,” Shalala said.
Shalala and Mnookin also spoke about hate speech. A lot of speech is protected by freedom of speech, but people can still hold others accountable for the things they say.
“[Leaders in higher education] are so protective of free speech, that they forget that they have free speech,” Shalala said.
During the Q&A with the audience, an undergraduate student asked what people who believe in the importance of higher education can say to those who think it’s a waste of time.
Shalala urged the audience to consider who is taking what opportunities. Trade school shouldn’t be the only opportunities for certain demographics. If someone wants to go to trade school, it should be supported, she said. But, she said someone shouldn’t be pushed into trade school because they fit a certain demographic — such as race.
“Opportunity means that everyone gets the same opportunity,” Shalala said.
