A recent Gallup poll found that college students have a positive view of their institution’s leadership, contradicting the general public’s declining trust in higher education. The poll, conducted by the Lumina Foundation and Gallup, surveyed 3,801 currently enrolled associate and bachelor’s degree students between the ages of 18 and 59.

Trust in School Leaders

According to the findings, 55% of college students believe their school’s administration usually makes decisions with students’ best interests in mind. Additionally, 12% of students say leadership acts in their best interest ‘all of the time,’ while 43% say ‘most of the time.’ Meanwhile, about one in three students (35%) say their school acts in their interest ‘some of the time,’ with roughly one in 10 saying leadership ‘rarely’ (9%) or ‘never’ (2%) does.

The survey revealed that students attending top-tier institutions are slightly less likely to believe their school prioritizes their interests. Despite this, students across the board expressed significantly higher confidence in campus leadership than in elected political officials.

Broader Context

The findings come on the heels of broader Gallup polling that showed public confidence in U.S. higher education dropping back down, erasing a brief post-pandemic recovery as concerns over campus politics, rising tuition, and degree value intensify. Just 38% of U.S. adults currently maintain a ‘great deal’ or ‘quite a lot’ of confidence in higher education.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.