The real measure of a university’s value

The real measure of a university’s value

The sun sets over the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus in late 2021. (Courtesy of UNO) Public universities are in a perception crisis. A 2025 Pew survey found 70% of Americans say higher education is heading in the wrong direction. But if your only interactions with universities are through the latest headlines you see, who can blame you? People are rightfully asking hard questions: What is the purpose of higher education? Where is the ret…