The Lack of a College Degree Is a Public-Health Crisis. Here’s What Higher Ed Can Do About It.

We can’t tackle rural social and economic issues without first understanding them and perhaps reflecting on our own rural biases. This reminder wasn’t always necessary. The traditional land-grant missions of many flagship state universities — the University of Wisconsin, Texas A&M University, the University of Missouri, Washington State University, and the University of Georgia, among many others — included embracing the goals of public engagement, service, and information outreach. Professors were rightly viewed as public servants of both taxpayers and students.