A liberal arts education, an integral part of the American collegiate system, helps mold students into well-rounded, globally conscious citizens with a more complex understanding of society’s needs and challenges. Despite the historic relevance of liberal arts curriculums, majors in the humanities and social sciences have been scrutinized in recent months by politicians and school administrations alike.
Catalyzed by sweeping budget cuts and fiscal shortcomings, debate has emerged concerning the practicality of liberal arts majors. Despite the perception that these majors lack real world application, they remain a crucial part of the American collegiate tradition.
Coupled with public university overcrowding and underfunding, concerns about the allocation of state funds and subsidies have caused politicians to express their growing disdain with equal state support of all areas of study.
[quote]By introducing bills in which state institutions would charge less for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degrees than those in the liberal arts, the governors of Florida, North Carolina and Texas have effectively communicated liberal arts majors are a waste of state money. [/quote]
Many administrations are already choosing to allocate their academic resources for STEM programs in lieu of the liberal arts. Emory University recently made major cuts to its journalism and visual arts programs. Trinity University, St. Mary’s University and the University of the Incarnate Word are doing away with their liberal arts majors in favor of professional and “high demand” degrees, namely business administration.
On the state level, this reallocation of funds will lead to a slippery slope that could potentially diminish the role of liberal arts programs so much that they become obsolete.
As a private university, Elon would not be directly affected by cuts to state university funding or decreases in subsidies based on major. Elon’s embrace of the liberal arts continues to garner support as one of the essential elements of the school’s growth. Elite, private liberal arts universities feel the least pressure to change. That being said, liberal arts curriculums at smaller and less endowed schools are more likely to fall victim to this shift in higher education.
The move away from liberal arts degrees and toward “job producing” degrees comes conveniently in a time of job uncertainty. As more students perceive a shortage of jobs, they abandon their interests in the arts in favor of job security.
But this line of thought is misguided, given that liberal arts majors have a wide range of core skills and, more importantly, they know how to solve problems. In the past two years alone, more than half a dozen Rhodes Scholars have come from public institutions in the United States, all of which offer degrees in the liberal arts.
Former Whitman College president Thomas Cronin’s definition of the liberal arts as “freeing us from prejudice, dogmatism, and parochialism, from complacency, sentimentality and hypocrisy, from sloppy reasoning and careless writing” is especially telling of their importance.
At Elon, the liberal arts curriculum prepares graduates of all majors to communicate, research, think critically and assume leadership roles. Recognizing the importance of a diverse education, Elon requires students in traditionally professional majors, such as business and engineering, to take liberal arts classes. Elon recognizes the importance of combining elements from both areas to help students develop varied skill sets.
Elon’s curriculum serves as a model for educational ideals in this country. Cutting liberal arts programs is not only misguided — it also has the potential to stifle higher learning for years to come.