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On Jan. 26, President John Alger announced a new five-year strategic plan entitled “Meet our Moment.” The plan aims to enhance career readiness and civic engagement through a variety of new programs. From AI literacy courses to a re-vamp of core curriculum, American University-funded internships, civic engagement requirements and additional resources to promote study abroad programs, this plan encompasses a range of responsibilities. However, the proposals in this plan seem to be based on padding American University’s stats and driving recruitment numbers without taking feedback from current students into account and improving the University based on actual student needs.
A key aspect of the plan is the AU Ready Program which would provide every undergraduate access to a $4,500 resource for a funded internship or research opportunity starting in their sophomore year. This plan is largely aimed at increasing the percentage of American University students who complete at least one internship before graduation to 95 percent by 2030.
Past internship programs run by the school, such as the Cornerstone Program, have yielded limited success. Part of finding a meaningful internship is learning how to leverage connections and researching opportunities that are compatible with one’s specific area of study, experience and preference. However, American University being a facilitator of these internships, while meant to add valuable experience, does students a disservice as the process is not consistent with the process of finding an internship or job outside of the university. It builds the experience on paper but not the skills.
In addition to the AU Ready Program, “Meet our Moment” also places an emphasis on civic engagement. The plan outlines various ways students will be able to participate in civic life on campus. One of these features is the Civic Life Transcript that will “formally document students’ civic engagement.” This part of the plan feels tone-deaf as organic civic engagement on campus is continually under attack. Recently, Students for Justice in Palestine was suspended by administration and many other student organizations have faced backlash for their protests. In this way, it seems to students that — in administration's eyes — civic engagement is fine when it is practiced in a controlled classroom environment and not in a way that displays a difference of opinion.
“Meet our Moment” also features a multi-stage plan to re-evaluate the curriculum, promising an emphasis on “exploration, simplicity, adaptability, inclusion, and experiential learning” that is aimed at better preparing students for future careers. It is important to note, however, that the administration does not control the University’s core curriculum. This claim is rooted in the basis that the faculty senate, the entity that controls AU core, agrees with the sentiment that change to the core is needed. While the administration is working alongside the faculty senate to change the core, is this really what the students or faculty want?
The plan also states that, in re-imagining the core, “input from all key audiences” will be incorporated. However, this plan feels more catered to administration and prospective students than addressing the issues raised by current students and faculty. The internship and civic engagement programs are shallow resume-boosters that do not provide substantive experience to students; the core overhaul is being pushed by an administration that does not have the power to change it. As a whole, the “Meet our Moment” plan is focused on image, rankings, stats and flashy programs, but it does not address some of students and faculties main concerns such as benefits for employees, administration willingness to work with students, on-campus living, dining concerns and a host of other issues.
American University is still operating in a deficit; however, the plan is vague on how these programs will coexist with increased operating costs. When the school is in a budget deficit, students feel the impact. With an influx of these programs aimed at bettering or rankings and participation statistics across many programs, it is likely that the university will be under additional financial strain.
Overall, this program displays a larger issue at American University: a disconnect between administration, faculty and students. While offering more exciting programs will likely attract more students and drive revenue, these programs will likely not be as efficacious as a program that would be derived from real student and faculty input and formulated to address the current weaknesses of the University and the administration.
Creating a plan that makes American University more attractive to prospective students is only logical. However, for this plan to come to fruition, it needs to be informed by the actual concerns of students. Simply rebranding or revamping past programs that have underperformed is not a sustainable strategy.
As the current students and future alumni of American University, the reputation and success of this school will follow us as we go into the workforce.
Additionally, creating programs just to cater to prospective students while these programs fall short on what they promise will ultimately harm students and their future prospects. As current students, we need to hold the administration accountable to considering our experiences here at American University and creating future plans accordingly.
This piece was written by Addie DiPaolo and edited by Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Avery Grossman, Arin Burrell and Paige Caron. Fact-checking done by Luca Palma Poth.
