The Chronicle: Speaking in Dissent: David Ward of ACE Explains Why He Didn’t Sign Commission’s Report
David Ward, president of the American Council on Education, talked to The Chronicle’s Jeffrey Selingo this week about his decision to be the sole member of the Commission on the Future of Higher Education not to sign on to its final draft report this month. Following is a transcript of the interview.
The Chronicle: The other higher-education representatives on the commission — people like [James J.] Duderstadt, [Charlene R.] Nunley, and [Charles M.] Vest — all signed the report. Do you think they were wrong in supporting the report? And did you urge any or all of them to reconsider?
Mr. Ward: No. I was sort of in a different role, and I think in some ways, if you listen to Vest and to Duderstadt at the meeting, they voted with those who agreed to sign on to the report with certain reservations that they presented orally. In some ways I suppose, had I been able to specify certain areas that bothered me about the report, I could have voted for it, too. I think for them simply being on the record orally — that they had slight reservations, but on the whole believed that it was an important advance for higher education.
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