Higher education stands at a crossroads. Just as previous generations navigated the shift from agricultural to industrial society, we face transformative challenges of our own. In July, the Forward Focus Book Club discussed Arthur Levine and Scott Van Pelt’s The Great Upheaval: Higher Education’s Past, Present, and Uncertain Future, a timely look at how traditional approaches to teaching, learning, and mentoring may no longer fully meet the needs of students or society. This post offers a brief summary of the discussion and encourages readers to engage with the book themselves for deeper insight.
Join us in exploring the future of higher education: Connect, share insights, and participate in meaningful discussions with NIU colleagues at the Forward Focus Book Club.
The Industrial Revolution Parallel
Levine and Van Pelt described how American colleges adapted from an agricultural to an industrial economy during the Industrial Revolution. Initially focused on producing ministers and civic leaders, the classical liberal arts became inadequate as industrialization created a demand for skilled professionals in fields like science and engineering. The influx of immigrants also highlighted the need for accessible education, prompting federal intervention with the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862. It was pivotal, providing federal land to states for new colleges and redefining higher education’s mission. It broadened curricula to include agriculture, mechanic arts, and applied sciences while democratizing access for the “industrial classes.”
Just as higher education adapted in the past, it must now navigate the complexities of a “global, digital, knowledge economy.”
Lessons from Music, Movies, and Newspapers
In The Great Upheaval, Levine and Van Pelt use the music, movie, and newspaper industries as case studies for how established fields react to technological change. Each industry’s response shows patterns of adaptation, resistance, and survival in the face of shifting demographics, economics, politics, and technology. The music industry, for example, shifted from live performances to recorded music, with streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music emphasizing access over ownership. The film industry transitioned from theatrical releases to streaming platforms and subscription models became prevalent (changes accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic). Newspapers moved online in response to declining print circulation, adopting paywalls to sustain revenue and navigating challenges in maintaining journalistic integrity amid the rise of social media and misinformation.
From these cases, Levine and Van Pelt underscore a larger theme: adaptation. Successful industries anticipate disruption, focus on consumer needs, and embrace new technologies rather than resisting them. They experiment, form partnerships with emerging players, and transition gradually in ways that preserve revenue while building broader ecosystems. Moreover, the authors suggest that higher education now faces similar pressures—and could learn from these other industries’ experiences.
The Path to Progress – Know Who We Are
Levine and Van Pelt encourage higher education institutions to realize their core values and purpose rather than just their distribution methods, such as the campus environment or the degrees they offer
For Northern Illinois University, essential questions to ask are: What is our purpose? What do we value most? What programs should we build to reflect those values? How can we create an educational ecosystem that makes them visible? Who are the students we want to serve, and what teaching approaches will best meet their needs? Answering these questions with data—and by looking at creative alternatives—can help NIU stand out from peer institutions. This might mean highlighting our identity as a Hispanic Serving Institution, keeping costs low while maintaining high quality, and committing to both excellence and equity in teaching and learning. Most importantly, equity isn’t just about giving every student the same access to the same processes for the same amount of time. Instead, it’s about ensuring all students have what they need to achieve the same learning outcomes—shifting from an “industry economy” model to one grounded in a “knowledge economy.”
Beyond Survival to Thriving
The Great Upheaval – Higher Education’s Past, Present, and Uncertain Future offers more than dire warnings—it provides a roadmap. Just as land-grant institutions didn’t simply survive the Industrial Revolution but helped define American prosperity, today’s higher education can shape the knowledge economy’s future. But only if we act with the same vision and courage our predecessors demonstrated.
The book challenges every faculty member to ask: What would my course design look like if I redesigned it for 2030? What teaching methods would be effective for engaging students who are easily distracted? How do I respond to students who see education more as a transaction than an experience? How can my research address humanity’s most pressing challenges? What skills do my students need not just for their first job, but for the many career shifts that will follow?
Read The Great Upheaval– Higher Education’s Past, Present, and Uncertain Future as more than an account of change—consider it a guide for shaping the future of higher education. Our students and society benefit when we engage thoughtfully with these challenges. NIU faculty and staff can check out the book from the Founders Memorial Library.
Join us in exploring the future of higher education: Connect, share insights, and participate in meaningful discussions with NIU colleagues at the Forward Focus Book Club. The next book we’ll discuss is The Resilient University: How Purpose and Inclusion Drive Student Success by Freeman A. Hrabowski. You can access this as an eBook for free via NIU Libraries. Join us for an in-person discussion on October 27 at 11:00 AM in the Founders Memorial Library staff lounge.
