Politicized Confidence in Higher Education

Session Abstract: Public confidence in U.S. colleges and universities has declined sharply in recent years, with fewer than 1 in 3 Americans expressing strong confidence, and nearly as many expressing very little or none. Though there are likely many reasons underlying this trend, including the overall decline in trust in institutions, one emerging explanation is perceived political bias and growing ideological homogeneity within the academy. Drawing on nationally representative survey data from American adults, this presentation will demonstrate how perceptions of ideological bias consistently shape the amount of confidence many Americans have (or lack) in colleges and universities. As colleges and universities face challenges related to enrollment and increasing scarcity of funding, these findings shed light on how concerns about ideological bias may influence public confidence in higher education, and underscore the importance of addressing skepticism to rebuild confidence among a diverse public.

Keywords: Confidence, ideological homogeneity, political bias