How Universities Can Lead in Addressing Inequality

Urban Institute:

The 2018 Paul Offner Lecture

The Urban Institute, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin–Madison Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, hosted the 2018 Paul Offner Lecture, featuring Rebecca Blank, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, discussing inequality and higher education.

The twentieth-century growth of the college-educated workforce fueled US economic growth, but economic growth has lagged and benefits have become more unequal in recent decades. A college education has become more important for economic success, yet the economic gap between higher- and lower-skilled workers has widened political and social divides. In opening remarks and in conversation with Urban Institute President Sarah Rosen Wartell, Chancellor Blank will speak about how universities can be more accessible to a diverse population of students and help them acquire a college degree.