Huh? What is the evidence that it is elitism in academia that keeps them from being nimble and adaptive? I think many of these institutions lack the vision to adapt (and don’t want to be nimble). This has nothing to do with elitism- it’s poor leadership.
I have a friend who is a senior administrator at a “lower tier” public institution. Her university is thriving. They went to an online hybrid model years before Covid and Zoom (basically the old fashioned “professor tapes the lecture, students watch the video” ) and so now it is institutionalized even as the technology has gotten better and even as professors now realize they can integrate slides and more captive communication into their classes. They proliferated all the disciplines that the elite institutions (contrary to your point) won’t touch- BS in Forensic Science, BA in Criminal Justice, BS in Public Safety. You won’t see the elites go near these subjects. You can question why someone needs a BA in Criminal Justice to get a job as a probation officer-- but the reality is that some jurisdictions require a degree, and so a kid might as well get one cheaply from a public institution rather than from for-profit colleges (which practice predatory financial and some unethical behaviors).
This institution is thriving. They are nimble and have adapted to market forces. Someone wants a BA but works fulltime? Lots of classes at night or online. Someone is commuting from home, has no dorm to crash in during the day but has a three hour gap between one class and the next? Ample lounges, private study rooms, a conference center (not fancy, but with small offices, conference rooms with doors that shut) for students to use instead of the dorm room they don’t have and can’t afford.
It can be done. It isn’t elitism that holds an institution back- it’s lack of vision.