Well, folks, it looks like college isn’t just about late-night ramen and regrettable tattoos anymore. U.S. colleges are slashing majors left and right, and the humanities and social sciences are getting the axe. If you think your undergrad days were rough, imagine navigating a campus where you can’t major in classics or French anymore. Let’s dive into the mess that colleges like West Virginia University (WVU) are in and why it matters to you and your patriotic heart.
West Virginia University: Cutting Deep
West Virginia University plans to cut 9% of its majors, all foreign language programs, and 16% of full-time faculty due to a $45 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2024.
WVU is the largest and only R1 university in West Virginia, a beacon of educational hope particularly for rural students. Yet, the institution’s financial mismanagement and overly optimistic enrollment projections have left it hemorrhaging money. President E. Gordon Gee’s cuts even extend to profitable programs like the World Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics department. One could argue that Gee’s focus on financial considerations reflects a bias against liberal arts education, undermining the broad education students should be receiving.
Wider Scope: National Trends
WVU isn’t alone in this academic purge. Colleges across the nation are facing financial strain, prompting similar cuts. Miami University, for instance, is also planning significant reductions, specifically in its humanities programs. Each of these programs has 35 or fewer students enrolled, including majors like American Studies, French, German, and Latin Education.
Financial Rationales and Consequences
“The university attributes the decline in humanities enrollment to students choosing majors perceived to lead to better jobs, fewer international students, competition with other universities, and students bypassing higher education.” WKRC Local 12
You don’t need a Ph.D. to understand why these schools are making these “hard decisions.” With rising tuition costs and job market shifts, many students are opting for more “practical” majors like business and computer science. But let’s not forget that these humanities and social sciences programs provide significant socioeconomic mobility. Cutting them could stifle students’ abilities to rise above their circumstances.
Liberal Arts under Siege
Even conservative politicians like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticize liberal arts for being too ideological, putting further pressure on an already strained segment of higher education. Simmons University and Lasell University are also feeling the pinch, cutting liberal arts majors due to low enrollment and financial constraints. Yet selective colleges like Williams and Colby are bucking the trend with increased applications and investments in the humanities.
Commerce vs. Culture
You may be wondering why all this matters. It’s not just about keeping Shakespeare on the syllabus. Liberal arts education is crucial for developing critical thinking, creativity, and ethical understanding. Moreover, it prepares students for diverse careers and democratic participation. A well-rounded education isn’t just a luxury; it’s essential for the intellectual and cultural health of our nation.
Colleges and Consulting Firms: A Bad Match?
It’s also worth noting that colleges often hire consulting firms to manage these cuts, which usually means favoring tech industry-related majors over liberal arts. This is part of a broader trend where universities, increasingly influenced by market needs, look more like corporations than institutions of learning. President Gee’s decisions at WVU, for instance, have left many questioning his legacy and his commitment to education.
The Real Impact
So, what’s the bottom line? Sure, universities need to balance their books, but not at the expense of robbing students of a comprehensive education. A nation’s strength isn’t just measured by its GDP but also by its capacity for critical thought, cultural appreciation, and ethical reasoning. Cutting humanities and social sciences isn’t just trimming the fat; it’s cutting to the bone of what makes education valuable.
In the end, we need to ensure that our educational institutions aren’t just churning out worker drones but are cultivating thinkers, creators, and leaders. After all, isn’t that what makes America great?
Stay tuned, folks. This saga is far from over.
Sources
- https://www.inc.com/associated-press/what-it-means-for-students-when-colleges-cut-majors.html
- https://slate.com/human-interest/2023/08/west-virginia-university-cuts-programs.html
- https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/08/10/metro/liberal-arts-colleges-humanities-presidents-desantis/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/03/us/liberal-arts-college-degree-humanities.html
- https://local12.com/news/local/miami-university-cuts-programs-amid-financial-challenges-low-enrollment-money-finances-humanities-enrolled-undergraduate-program-art-history-american-french-german-latin-fiscal-societal-political-leaders-school-university-teachers-controversy-minor
- https://stateline.org/2023/12/15/flagship-public-universities-likely-to-cut-more-humanities-staff-especially-in-rural-states/
- https://www.masslive.com/news/2011/11/colleges_across_us_defend_huma.html
- https://voltedu.com/education-administration/college-closures-surge-amid-financial-strain-demographic-shifts/
- https://www.highereddive.com/news/alverno-college-cut-14-majors-financial-exigency/719154/
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Professional-track degree programs exist inside the humanities. But they get no support from the university because they're assumed worthless by association, and no support from the humanities dean because they're assumed unaligned with a liberal arts tradition. https://t.co/C0raDPZgm1
— Dylan McLemore (@voiceofD) December 19, 2023
