I just spent several days professing with the next generation of public servants at a major university recently and a hot topic of classroom conversation had to do with big changes made by their administration without engaging the students who would be affected – they weren’t pleased. The conversation was respectful but heated, which begs the question of why most colleges and administrations continue to hide in their academic bubbles. The research shows that public confidence in higher education is declining even as costs are escalating and something’s gotta give. Parents, their checkbooks, and students need to be engaged in the solution.