Higher Education: Civic Mission and Civic Effects

This consensus paper explores the civic effects of attending college and the benefits of various approaches to civic learning in higher education. The authors represent the fields of political science, psychology, economics, philosophy, sociology, research in higher education, and women's studies. The report: emphasizes that colleges and universities have a civic purpose; explores profound changes in the civic mission of universities since 1900; examines that somewhat ambiguous evidence about the effects of college attendance on students' civic knowledge and behavior; recommends certain approaches to teaching civic education at the college level; discusses some obstacles to civic education; and outlines an agenda for further research. (CIRCLE)