Lincoln Project Recommendation 3: Improve student access and performance

In the end, a university is only as successful as its students. Are they receiving a well-rounded education that prepares them for productive work and a fulfilling life? Are they learning to be creative thinkers and active citizens? Are they gaining more from their university experiences than they are paying in tuition and carrying in debt?

As public research universities find ways to trim costs, form new partnerships, and adjust their offerings—all in response to new financial realities—they cannot lose sight of their foundational missions: to provide the best possible education to students who represent a true cross-section of their state compositions. Fortunately, the needs of students and the needs of the universities present practical opportunities to strengthen the entire enterprise.

Download the full report Public Research Universities: Recommitting to Lincoln’s Vision—An Educational Compact for the 21st Century.

Additional Findings:

• Recommendation 1: Address Current Financial Challenges
• Recommendation 2: Create Public-Private Partnerships
• Recommendations for Public Research Universities, State Government, the Federal Government, and the Private Sector