Higher Education Reform
Western universities have long been the institutions which have carried the responsibility of passing the intellectual foundations of Western Civilization from generation to generation. Unfortunately, in the 21st century, an international assault on our free society has developed, attempting to undo its history and values. Regrettably, today’s universities have become the primary places from which this assault has been launched.
The preservation of Western thought and its legacy of liberty, prosperity, and beauty depends upon U.S. universities maintaining their historical commitment to open inquiry. With this reality in mind, there seems no more important a mission than for Common Sense Society to make the preservation of U.S. universities’s historical purpose a primary goal.
Ivy Excellence Initiative
CSS launched the Ivy Excellence Initiative (IEI) to bring together alumni groups, dissident faculty, and frustrated donors to hold their universities accountable to pursuing true academic excellence and open inquiry. Through IEI, we partner with university alumni groups to reestablish open inquiry and its three main pillars on campus: academic freedom, viewpoint diversity, and free expression.
The Alliance of Rhodes Scholars
In 2023, CSS announced our partnership with The Alliance of Rhodes Scholars to hold the Rhodes Scholarship accountable to its founding purpose: identifying and cultivating talented young leaders who have shown potential to be leaders in the service of freedom, democracy, and peace.
Alternative Alumni Networks
CSS also partners with alternative alumni groups like The Jefferson Council, dissident faculty networks, and university donors to host discussions, briefings, and debates across universities, empower whistleblowers and reformers, and help advocate for institutional change.
CSS has long worked to reform higher education through these programs and more. So far, we’ve briefed provosts, board members, and department deans at more than 100 universities to help them support free academic inquiry and excellence, including at Harvard, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, and University of North Carolina. We will continue to work toward restoring the U.S. university system to its proper educational—not political revolutionary—function.
Are you a university student, alumnus, donor, faculty member, or administrator looking for ways to restore common sense to the mission of our great institutions? We’d love to hear from you.