New data out from Pew Research shows that Americans think higher ed is moving in the wrong direction — with strong bipartisan support for this opinion. What’s notable is that the majority of Democrats (65%) now also hold the view that higher ed is heading in the wrong direction, closing the gap with Republicans by five percentage points since 2020.

Various reasons account for this overall negative view of higher education, including those related to core aspects of the campus culture of inquiry: critical thinking and viewpoint diversity. On developing students’ critical thinking skills, 49% of respondents think higher ed is doing a “fair” or “poor” job, with 39% saying higher ed is doing at least a “good” job. When it comes to whether students are exposed to a wide range of views, 45% say higher ed is doing a “fair” or “poor” job, with 41% saying higher ed is doing at least a “good” job.

Of all areas of higher ed performance asked about, two areas — critical to the basic educational goals of a university — also have the largest partisan opinion gap: each 32 percentage points. On both critical thinking and viewpoint diversity metrics, the majority of Republicans, 65% and 61% respectively, think higher ed is doing a “fair” or “poor” job compared to only 33% and 29% of Democrats.

Another survey out last week from Northeastern University of over 31,000 Americans shows less stark partisan divides, but affirms culture concerns on campus. When asked about “critical vulnerabilities for higher education,” free speech and liberal bias were significant concerns: 84% of respondents were “concerned” or “extremely concerned” about free speech on campus, whereas 77% of respondents were “concerned” or “extremely concerned” about liberal bias on campus.

These new data point to a consistent sentiment about the current state of higher education: Americans want colleges to be places of learning, not politics. Back in July I wrote about the annual Gallup poll on higher education, which pointed to a similar overall conclusion:

When asked what colleges and universities can do to regain public trust, respondents were clear. The third most popular recommendation (after career preparation and affordability) were actions lumped into the category ‘political agenda.’ This includes calls for less partisan activism on campus, greater protection for free expression, and a retreat from overly ideological Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Polling from New America in the summer also showed bipartisan alignment on what they think colleges and universities should be doing: educating students in their field, becoming critical thinkers, and conducting research to expand understanding.

Americans seem to agree on what college should be doing — even if they can’t agree on how. There also seems to be broad bipartisan agreement on what American universities do best: research and innovation.

In the Pew survey, “advancing research and innovation” was the only area in which the simple majority, 55%, of respondents said higher ed was doing a “good” or “excellent” job, echoing July’s Gallup results showing 76% of respondents agreeing that higher education leads to greater innovation outcomes in science and technology for the U.S.

It’s perhaps not too surprising then, that Americans in Northeastern’s survey indicate “overwhelming public opposition to federal funding cuts” across the areas of science, health, and education. (However, the pollsters don’t provide the breakdown by political party among the respondents.)

Despite Americans’ critical concerns about campus culture, there still seems to be broad support for the core educational purpose of higher ed, and the promise of what it can deliver for society. The Northeastern survey notes that, “Across all Americans, 59% approve of U.S. universities, including 73% of Democrats, 52% of Republicans and 54% of independent voters. Overall, 75% of Americans have “some” or “a lot” of trust in universities and colleges.” Gallup’s poll earlier this year also showed that for the first time in a decade, confidence in higher ed finally went up (though still only at 42%).

Americans seem to believe in the fundamental mission of our universities and their historical impact, but we still have a lot of work to do to fulfill those ideals in the eyes of the public and build cultures where inquiry and free expression thrive. With university presidents “talking the talk” about fixing campus cultures, we’ll have to wait and see if they will “walk the walk” and make real changes.