University of Minnesota: Gabel to Advise Carnegie Foundation on National Classifications

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education (ACE) announced today that U of M President Joan Gabel accepted the invitation to serve on the Carnegie Classifications Institutional Roundtable. The Roundtable will offer expert perspective as part of updates to the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education.

For nearly 50 years, these classifications have been the nation’s leading framework for clustering diverse U.S. higher education institutions in like terms so that their work and impact can be understood in relation to each other. The effort to update the Carnegie Classifications around their 50th anniversary in 2023 will be the most significant update in its history.

“I am honored by the invitation to join the discussion about updating the Carnegie Classifications. I look forward to hearing perspectives from my colleagues around the country and providing input that represents our experiences at the University of Minnesota and throughout higher education,” said Gabel. “These classifications are foundational to many resources students and their families use when planning for college. Efforts to strengthen these classifications will bring more clarity and meaningful information to that critically important decision process.”

Gabel is joined on the Institutional Roundtable by college and university presidents from throughout the country who represent an array of institution types and campuses. Beginning this November, they will come together to examine the incentive structures underlying classification systems and how the current iteration of classifications has affected decision-making on campuses. They will also be asked to explore how a new “social and economic mobility” classification might be formulated to better capture the range of diverse missions in U.S. higher education. A full list of members is available on the ACE website.

Working in parallel to others advising on these updates, it’s expected this group’s work will be done over the next 12 to 18 months, with release of updated Carnegie Classifications coming in time for 2024 reporting.

Gabel continues to be a sought-after contributor in statewide and national discussions about higher education and its role in graduating qualified students, developing the workforce and driving economic growth. She currently serves as Vice Chair for the Council on Competitiveness, and Chair of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities’ Commission on Economic and Community Engagement. She also contributes to the Fulbright Scholars CIES Advisory Board, MBOLD, the Medical Alley Association and the Minnesota Business Partnership.