Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
As 2025 comes to a close, higher education is at an inflection point. Political pressure, rising costs, and the dizzying pace of technological change are putting new stress on an already beleaguered system. It’s tempting at a time like this to obsess over the precarious present, but it’s worth pausing for a moment to consider the past. With the benefit of hindsight, what trends and developments of the past 25 years have proved to be the most consequential for higher education? More simply put: How in the heck did we get here?
Related Reading
Explore the Quarter-Century Project (chronicle.com/article/the-quarter-century-project) (The Chronicle)
A Year of Challenges and Uncertainty, as Told Through Data (chronicle.com/article/a-year-of-challenges-and-uncertainty-as-told-through-data) (The Chronicle)
Behold, the Decade of Monsters and Men (chronicle.com/article/behold-the-decade-of-monsters-and-men/) (The Chronicle)
U. of Richmond Leader Pushes City to Face Its Slave History (chronicle.com/article/u-of-richmonds-leader-pushes-city-to-face-its-slave-history/) (The Chronicle)
Guests
Edward L. Ayers (https://history.richmond.edu/faculty/eayers/) , professor of the humanities and president emeritus at the U. of Richmond
Sarah Brown (chronicle.com/author/sarah-brown) , senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education
Andy Thomason (chronicle.com/author/andy-thomason) , assistant managing editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education
As 2025 comes to a close, higher education is at an inflection point. Political pressure, rising costs, and the dizzying pace of technological change are putting new stress on an already beleaguered system. It’s tempting at a time like this to obsess over the precarious present, but it’s worth pausing for a moment to consider the past. With the benefit of hindsight, what trends and developments of the past 25 years have proved to be the most consequential for higher education? More simply put: How in the heck did we get here?
Related Reading
Explore the Quarter-Century Project (chronicle.com/article/the-quarter-century-project) (The Chronicle)
A Year of Challenges and Uncertainty, as Told Through Data (chronicle.com/article/a-year-of-challenges-and-uncertainty-as-told-through-data) (The Chronicle)
Behold, the Decade of Monsters and Men (chronicle.com/article/behold-the-decade-of-monsters-and-men/) (The Chronicle)
U. of Richmond Leader Pushes City to Face Its Slave History (chronicle.com/article/u-of-richmonds-leader-pushes-city-to-face-its-slave-history/) (The Chronicle)
Guests
Edward L. Ayers (https://history.richmond.edu/faculty/eayers/) , professor of the humanities and president emeritus at the U. of Richmond
Sarah Brown (chronicle.com/author/sarah-brown) , senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education
Andy Thomason (chronicle.com/author/andy-thomason) , assistant managing editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education
