Why Higher Ed Needs Moral Courage Now

Moral courage is the leadership skill higher education desperately needs today.

In an environment full of complex challenges and competing values, standing up for what’s right—even when it’s risky or unpopular—is non-negotiable.

Moral courage means acting ethically despite opposition, inconvenience, or personal cost (Kidder, 2005).

I’ve been reading a lot about moral courage lately as I develop a course on ethical leadership, and it’s clear that true moral courage isn’t just about speaking up for yourself.

Moral courage is:

✨ Advocating for others, especially when they can’t

🛡️ Standing up for what’s right, even when it’s risky to do so

Moral courage requires:

🔥 Integrity

💖 Compassion

🛡️ Resilience

Research shows that leaders who deeply embody their values are more likely to act with moral courage (Sasse et al., 2022). Yet, it’s often hard to know the right path forward—and even harder to take it.

In higher education leadership, moral courage means making tough decisions that uphold freedom of speech, intellectual freedom, academic liberty, constitutional freedoms, and civic discourse, even when those choices come with risk.

Moral courage isn't easy. But it’s essential. Especially now.

Are you ready to lead with moral courage?