November 2015

How are today’s colleges and universities serving as a focal point for social justice issues in the 21st century? Broadly speaking, “social justice” encompasses the principles of equity, opportunity, and non-discrimination, all of which are pertinent to higher education. For example, how can faculty instructors promote an environment of mutual respect in classrooms that are becoming increasingly diverse in terms of culture, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and national origin? What pedagogies are most effective at fostering inclusive engagement of all students? How can we integrate social justice expansively throughout the curriculum, including disciplines like the sciences, where it is not usually found? How can the entire campus community work together to eliminate sexual harassment and assault?

Access to quality higher education is another pressing social justice concern. For some students, the ability to attend college has become increasingly elusive because of rising costs. Do our schools provide educational opportunities for a broad diversity of students, including those who are underrepresented and economically disadvantaged? Or is our education system—as some critics claim—simply perpetuating the social and economic stratification that already exists in society?

Finally, new advances in networked technology have changed our students’ understanding of the “public sphere.” Social media can be used as a mechanism for positive social change, but they also create a new space for bullying, harassment, and expressions of prejudice. These negative online interactions present a thorny challenge because they occur outside the parameters of the classroom and the educational institution. How can faculty, administrators, and students work together to harness the positive aspects of social media and to foster online civility and respect? How can social media be used to further social justice both domestically and globally?

During this two-day symposium, through keynote presentations, plenary panels, and breakout sessions, we had the opportunity to examine what social justice means in today’s colleges and universities.