Higher ed’s hurricane season.
When Walter Kimbrough calls leading a college in today’s climate “like riding out a hurricane,” he’s not speaking metaphorically—at least, not entirely. The longtime HBCU president, now interim leader of Talladega College, knows a thing or two about steering institutions through storms, both literal and political.
On the latest episode of Campus Docket, co-hosts Eric Kelderman and Scott Schneider sit down with Kimbrough for a wide-ranging conversation on crisis leadership, culture wars, and how higher education can better model civic dialogue in a post-truth world.
Kimbrough’s reflections are shaped by decades in leadership, including his tenure at Dillard University following Hurricane Katrina. That experience, he says, informs how institutions must navigate today’s existential threats, such as the federal scrutiny targeting elite universities, growing public skepticism of DEI efforts, and free speech tensions amplified by political polarization.
“There’s a real danger in remaining silent,” Kimbrough says. “Higher ed has to be the place where we learn to argue both sides, model that behavior, and call out disinformation when we see it.”
He’s candid about the failings of institutions too, acknowledging that many DEI programs lack clear goals or measurable impact, making them easy targets for critics. He argues for internal accountability and more creative pedagogy to challenge assumptions and promote ethical thinking, including his own classroom experiments using hip hop and court cases.
The conversation also turns deeply personal. Kimbrough and Schneider swap stories about New Orleans, where culture seeps into every exchange, from strangers calling you “baby” to the character-filled eateries like Neos. It’s a reminder that place and personality matter in education too.
In a moment when many college leaders feel pressure to lay low, Kimbrough’s message is clear: Now is not the time to retreat. “If Harvard loses,” he warns, “it’s bad for everybody.”
The Docket
- Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina (2023)
- Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that race-conscious admissions programs at public universities violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
- The 2023 decision effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions nationwide.
- Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (2023)
- Supreme Court ruled that Harvard’s use of race in admissions violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
- Additional Legal Concepts and Entities Referenced
- Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024)
- The Clery Act (1990)
- Title III (Language Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Students Act)
- The Pell Grant
