WASHINGTON—It’s no secret that America’s college campuses are in crisis. From violent protests and woke groupthink paralyzing free speech and rigorous debate to sky-high tuition rates, the average student faces too many challenges in pursuing higher education.  

To help identify why higher education isn’t working well and how to fix it, Encounter Books today published “Higher Education in America: It’s Worse Than You Think,” edited by Heritage President Dr. Kevin Roberts and featuring an introduction and conclusion by Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Christopher F. Rufo. The book draws on insight from college presidents, professors, researchers, and education policy experts to examine the challenges and solutions for higher education.

Authors include Preston Cooper, Kyle Washut, Andrew Gillen, George Harne, John Sailer, Jonathan Butcher, Carol Swain, Mark Bauerlein, Kenneth Marcus, Jay Greene, and others.

Dr. Roberts made the following statement on the book:  

“The crisis in American higher education is no longer confined to a handful of radical campuses—it is systemic, entrenched, and corrosive to the moral and intellectual foundations of our republic. Too many colleges and universities have abandoned their original purpose: the formation of virtuous, thoughtful, and courageous citizens capable of sustaining ordered liberty. Instead, they have become factories for ideological conformity, credentialism, and political activism.

“To fulfill the promise of entering America’s Golden Age, we must reclaim these institutions from the grip of the Left and restore a culture of truth-seeking, free inquiry, and genuine excellence. A generation raised in intellectual monoculture will never be prepared to lead a strong, self-governing nation. The future of the country depends on whether we are willing to rebuild higher education around the permanent things.”

Jonathan Butcher, acting director for Heritage’s Center for Education Policy and book contributor, added:

“Surveys find that most Americans think U.S. higher education is headed in the wrong direction, and for good reason. From rampant antisemitism to ideological conformity in the classroom to spiraling tuition costs, postsecondary education as a sector of our society is failing to provide students with valuable experiences. This volume offers solutions for problems ranging from course content to affordability, and much in between.”  

Learn more about the book here.