President Mildred García welcomed a gathering of educators to campus this week for a dialogue on “Just Societies and Healthy Communities: Campus and Community Partnerships,” sponsored by Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities. García is an executive committee member of the organization.
“We hear different groups talking about making changes but those doing the talking are often the powerful,” she said. “Who speaks for the poor? Where are the discussions about how we share power and wealth? And what role does education play in changing our society?
“We, in higher education, need to ask ourselves some hard questions. What role do we play to ensure that all voices are heard, not just those of the powerful? How do we ensure that school systems do not fail students? These are the kinds of conversations we should be having to ensure that our universities serve all students.”