The famous child psychologist Erik Erikson talked about generativity versus stagnation in middle age. (Childhood and Society, 1950). Generativity involves the need for individuals to guide the next generation. This may take the form of successfully raising children and mentoring and teaching the next generation.

Faculty members and administrators at American universities seem devoid of effective generativity and leadership. They are failing their students, their institutions, and America. Leadership by a college professor requires more than excellent research, publications, and preparation of lectures. 

For decades, universities have been evolving away from the free exchange and discussion of ideas about charged topics such as Marxism, socialism, communism, fascism, Islamism, Democracy, and religious faiths and theologies, or lack of faith, and toward radical indoctrination with applied Marxism, antisemitism blurred with antizionism, anti-Israeli bias, and recently, pro-Hamas Islamofascism conflated with the pro-Palestinian statehood cause. Many university professors, rather than leading lively debate and exchange of ideas seem to give subliminal or overt support for one side of the issue, often the violent radical action slogans. Rather than moderating thought and debate, they spearhead the radical action, interpersonal violence, or civil disobedience.

University administrators are not providing firm, safe-space boundaries for study, vigorous discussion, and debate but fecklessly wait for rebellious, inappropriate protest behavior to escalate to personal threats, assault, and intimidation of peers that have gone far beyond effective enforcement of personal safety and dignity. Effective learning and intellectual, spiritual growth cannot survive in the atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

Adolescents and young adults will live and even die for worthy causes and leaders. Youths need mature adult leaders who provide noble ideals, goals, and spiritual values. An important corollary is adults’ value being admired and respected by youths. It helps adults to imagine and create good things for their personal legacy, and the future of their community. Such adult leadership is intellectual and spiritual in nature. For authentic ideals and values to endure, they must be taught by patient example… not preached. They best transcend the importance of a leader’s personal wealth, power, or prestige. These are crucial forms of the power, mystery, and vulnerability of love as leadership.

When a healthy group, large or small, has an ethical, rational, strong, and caring leader, it functions smoothly. An effective political or academic leader helps facilitate rational decision-making within the group. The leader must exhibit incorruptible honesty, objective empathy, realism, and strength. Such shared academic leadership cultivates it in student members of the group, so they develop respect for each other in the university community. In these times of great stress, healthy leadership matters even more. Think of New York City on 9/11 when leaders and people pulled together to help victims of the terrorist attack. Student rioters on American university campuses have become terrorist attackers. Where have all their leaders gone?

Image: Montecruz Foto