The Democratization of Higher Education: The Crisis and Beyond

The last three years has seen dramatic shifts at colleges and universities across the United States. While a college degree becomes ever more valuable, it also becomes less affordable. In addition to tuition hikes and staff cuts, universities are failing to fulfill their commitments to students and society in many other ways, from managing their endowments in ways that promote problems in the financial markets to bringing credit cards on campus. Students across the country are demanding accountability in order to create more affordable and democratic universities.

Panelists from The Responsible Endowments Coalition (REC), North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO), and the United States Student Association (USSA) will share strategies for collective student action, practices for demanding responsible investments, and tools for creating student-owned cooperative housing, businesses and credit unions.