Shaping Yale's future

Dan Renzetti

The Yale Alumni Magazine publishes a letter from President Maurie McInnis ’96PhD in every issue. View full image

One thing I’ve learned from my years in academic leadership is that the best leaders are great listeners. So, when I was appointed as Yale’s president, I set out to listen and learn from our multifaceted community.

As I write to you, one month into the spring semester, I have attended more than 100 dialogue-focused events with students, faculty, staff, and alumni. These engagements have given me an even deeper appreciation for our community and its commitment to excellence in teaching and research, as well as the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Although my conversations with Yalies have spanned a wide range of topics, five broad themes have emerged that will help us shape Yale’s future. As we enter the next phase of this process, I hope we can sharpen our discussions around these themes.

First and foremost is trust. We must restore public trust in institutions of higher education. According to the most recent Gallup data, a third of US adults have little to no confidence in higher education. What’s more, a startling 68 percent believe universities are heading in the wrong direction.

These trends cross the partisan divide, and we ignore them at our peril. The next few years will be pivotal for Yale and our peers around the nation. It is on all of us to listen to our critics and find common ground.

From my years of working with lawmakers of both parties, I know there is much agreement about the important contributions that institutions like Yale have made toward economic growth, medical advancements, and educational opportunity.

Since World War II, the federal government and higher education have been partners in advancing science and discovery. As I continue to advocate for Yale and higher education in Washington, DC, it is so helpful to be able to share with legislators the stories I hear from alumni about our university’s powerful influence on their lives and their neighborhoods.

Second is Yale’s reputation for academic excellence. Yale is the finest institution of higher learning in the world. But we will not stay that way by standing still. We must be a university in motion, always asking ourselves how we can better serve our students, our city, our country, and the world.

Over the last decade, Yale has developed and implemented a set of ongoing university initiatives to strengthen our programs in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Today, we have a chance to build on those initiatives and create new opportunities to expand Yale’s academic reach and impact.

Third is Yale’s undergraduate experience. It is no secret that Yale undergraduates are the envy of the higher education world. I observed this when I came here for graduate school and saw the unique opportunities the residential college system affords students. But a changing world brings new challenges—from the rapid growth of artificial intelligence to restoring public faith in institutions.

Yale College dean Pericles Lewis has created a strategic framework for addressing these issues: one that prioritizes access to educational opportunity, advances curricular innovation, and fosters a vibrant community of learning led by the world’s foremost teachers and scholars. As we plan for a rapidly changing future, Dean Lewis will continue to seek feedback and explore opportunities to enhance the undergraduate experience.

The fourth theme is our unique partnership with our host city. Each year, Yale and New Haven work hand in hand to drive innovation, improve infrastructure, attract and support small businesses, and help local schools and students thrive through educational and mentorship programs.

As the city’s largest employer, our successes are inextricably linked. In 2021, we announced a historic $135 million voluntary payment to the city to promote inclusive growth and sustained economic development. Yale is proud to call New Haven home. Together, we can build on our progress and strengthen our centuries-old bond.

Fifth, we must ensure that Yale operates with the utmost efficiency. Each year, our university grows in its teaching and research capacity, making operational excellence ever more important. By further enhancing administrative operations, we can give our students and faculty the time, tools, and technology they need to succeed.

These themes serve as guideposts for the beginning of an ongoing conversation about how Yale can best live up to its mission. This semester, I will create a process to engage the community in deeper discussions about these themes—on campus and around the world as I begin to travel more to meet alumni.

I look forward to seeing many of you, perhaps at a For Humanity Illuminated event, class reunions, or another event. For those unable to attend these gatherings, I would love to hear from you. I encourage you to go to my website (http://president.yale.edu) and share your thoughts on how we can continue to nurture and grow the university we all love.