By Dr. James Thrasher

Ivy League alumni and donors are disgusted and demanding change. They have had enough. The good news is that there is a way forward and it’s buried in a bit of higher education history.

Today, billionaires are reassessing and pulling donations. The Wexner Foundation, a long-time donor to Harvard, has informed the university that they are “no longer compatible partners.” Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan has encouraged UPenn alums to cease sending donations. Columbia alum and billionaire Leon Cooperman, CEO of Omega Advisors, has suspended donations.

Why?

The apparent reason for these concerns is that these institutions have lost their way. Donors, alumni, and current and prospective students have lost their trust in institutions of higher education. Something has to change.

How does meaningful change take place at institutions of higher education, change that will restore this lost trust? Is it even possible?

The short answer is yes. But not without two essential components: firm commitment to a governing board initiative and great sacrifice by the fearless individuals who carry out the directive.

A flagship Christian college, Grove City College and its leaders may serve as a case study for these wealthy philanthropists who are demanding change.

More than 50 years ago, Sun Oil Company (Sunoco) Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, J. Howard Pew, demanded change at his alma mater, Grove City College. Pew realized the college had diverged from its historic 1876 founding identity as a Christ-centered institution. With a vision to return to its truth-anchored mission, Pew brought in a new president, Charles S. MacKenzie, with a mandate from the board for change. One of his first orders of business was to find the right person to lead the Office of Student Affairs. That man was the late Dr. Ross Foster.

In 1969, Foster accepted a philosophy teaching position at the college. He and his wife left behind a tumultuous Temple University for Grove City College. Foster recalled those years, saying, “In the late ‘60s, most campuses throughout the United States were in turmoil. The effects of change in our society began to permeate our campus, and student unrest was manifested in a rejection of the Judaic-Christian values that had long been part of Grove City College. Mr. J. Howard Pew and other members of the trustees decided to recapture the college’s historic Christian values by turning the college in another direction.”

The struggle to re-establish the college’s identity was extremely difficult. MacKenzie recalled the early days of his presidency as being “very turbulent years, as colleges everywhere struggled for their identity. The struggle was intense on our campus.”

Foster made incredible personal sacrifices by inaugurating sweeping changes on the campus, which, unsurprisingly, were met with derision and defiance. These changes resulted in constant challenges, including student protests, regular suspensions for drugs and alcohol, car crashes in which students were killed, serious housing violations, a fatality on campus due to an accidental shooting, off-campus housing challenges and alcohol parties, major dorm and campus damage issues, revoking fraternity and sorority charters, callouts by the state police, late-night riots — and the list goes on.

MacKenzie said, “Ross Foster was faithful and went all out to support the college’s historic identity. I thank God that Ross was deeply committed to Grove City’s values and was unswerving in his loyalty to the heritage handed down to us.” MacKenzie had questioned whether “Christian values would have survived on our campus if it had not been for the courage and faithfulness of Ross Foster and others who stood firm for what was right. Ross always will stand out in my memory as among a select group of unsung heroes who have given their lives to move the college toward greatness.”

Beyond the realm of student conduct policies, Foster also impacted the spiritual life of the campus. This was evidenced by his role in helping to create the Religious-Philosophic Dimension of Life course of MacKenzie’s new humanities core curriculum. Former faculty member Dr. Andrew Hoffecker, who was instrumental in writing and implementing this new curriculum, looked back on those transformational years by saying, “the '70s witnessed dramatic changes at Grove City College. Ross played a significant role in what swept the campus. For several years before I came to the campus, Ross labored to establish an evangelical witness among the students. He insisted there be a difference between a simply church-related college and a truly Christan institution, showing his commitment to the implication of the gospel for the curriculum.”

Moving ever forward, Foster endured nearly overwhelming personal attacks and roadblocks. Yet, he persevered, with an unwavering commitment to the college’s historic Christian values and educational ideals. It is these same values and ideals that spawned Western Civilization and the founding of our nation.

So yes, there is hope for today’s leading institutions of higher education to recapture their historic founding missions. It has been done before. J. Howard Pew had a vision; Rev. Dr. Charles S. Mackenzie had a mandate; and Dr. Ross A. Foster was given a mission. May today’s change agents find inspiration in these men’s lives, partnership, and mutual commitments.

Dr. Jim Thrasher is the Senior Advisor to the Vice President for Student Recruitment and the coordinator of the Institute for Faith & Freedom’s working group on calling.