Scott Walker tried to turn the University of Wisconsin into a career-preparation institution. No more of this “search forvtruth” stuff.
Happily, Walker was defeated by Tony Evers, thevstate’s Superintendent of Instruction.
But this article suggests that Walker’s ideas will prevail anyway.
The University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point just went through a process of planning for the future. In the early form of the plan, the following majors would be cut: geography, geology, French, German, two- and three-dimensional art, and history.
At a time of budget cuts, administrators decided to cut the majors where demand was lowest. Students increasingly want education that prepares them to get a job.
In the spring of 2018, administrators offered a plan “to add majors in chemical engineering, computer-information systems, conservation-law enforcement, finance, fire science, graphic design, management, and marketing….
“Fierce backlash to the proposal from students, faculty, and alumni pushed the administration to reconsider its original plan. By the time the final proposal was released in mid-November 2018, it was less expansive, though still forceful. Six programs would be cut, including the history major. The university seemed to be eyeing degree programs with low numbers of graduates, and nationally, the number of graduates from bachelor’s programs in history has had the steepest decline of any major in recent years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.”
Dis Scott Walker win the ideological war? Will the University of Wisconsin produce graduates who can get a job but know nothing about fascism?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Walkers view is still the view of Wisconsin Universities. Like K-12 schools a narrow view of education continues. Critical thinking requires a wide view of the world not a narrow view
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and the more narrow the view, the easier to manipulate “tribal” thinking
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majors would be cut: geography, geology, French, German, two- and three-dimensional art, and history.
Yeah, who cares whether Americans know where the countries we are invading are, understand earthquakes so we can build earthquake resistant buildings, understand different cultures, understand and appreciate art and design or understand history so we don’t repeat the war crimes of the past?
As long as we have monkeys who can write computer code, what more could our society possiblly require?
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i will be curious to see what all the other extension campuses do – back when the state colleges merged with Madison, specific campuses kept certain programs rather than share them across the board – ie journalism stayed at Eau Claire & Madison campuses but left the LaCrosse campus (which had just instituted a physical therapy major, now considered one of the best programs in the nation) – if the basic studies courses still have minimum undergraduate requirements, minors could be offered in liberal art content areas & students could choose to attend the campuses that offer majors (for their last 2 years) – it could work, but unhappily it removes one of the strengths of academia – communicating with people from a wide variety of walks of life & varied passions & interests!
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While I don’t support former Governor Walker, and I agree that losing the arts and humanities is a mistake, it is important to understand that the UW system includes 13 freshman and sophomore campuses and 26 total campuses. It is hard for universities to be everything to everyone, and in the case of UW Stevens Point it has always been a more science focused institution so it is not out of character to continue moving in that direction. Additionally, UWSP does maintain one of the best Arts programs in the state.
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One would think that geology majors should have job opportunities in the oil industry, but possibly that is not a major career aspiration in WI. Sadly, it appears that the liberal arts there are not only devalued by right-wing ideologues, but the students themselves are voting with their feet.
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It’s a slippery slope.
Your objectivity is rational. That’s where even a minute “maybe they (gop) have a point on this one” is scary (because they want to kill anything intellectual).
So they cut humanities majors on a science campus like a medical school… maybe no geography majors… professors leave and then they reduce courses… then eliminate any arts or history requirements.
Heck.. they rationalize.. Why does someone working on AI, programming, or chemical anything need to study history & ethics?
Sanford McDonnell – yes of the McDonnell-Douglas fighter jet world – spent decades inspiring Character Education programs in schools across the country. His concern for integrity, honesty, and character in the corporate and publc world prompted his work. (www.character.org). The GOP would probably denounce him today.
There are more Einstein posters on humanity and peace than science.
It’s a slippery slope. Maybe a little on the conspiracy theory side? You make the call. Germany did.
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I’ve worked with a lot of techies and i would argue that they need humanities more than anyone else. Certainly not less.
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Years ago liberal arts graduates were valued for their versatility and world knowledge. Today companies do not want to train or invest in workers. They expect potential employees to be up to speed on day one.
My brother and I would be dinos in the new society. He was a history major that learned human resources in the army. He had a business career in human resources. I was a French major that took education as electives in order to be certified in my state where I started out teaching French. Then, I got my master’s degree in ESL. One of the reasons I was hired for my job was that I could speak French because the main immigrant group in the district was Haitian. In college I helped lots of business students meet the language requirement of the university. Overall, they were a rather dense lot.
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Diane, the students may not need to major in history to learn about fascism … this knowledge might come from “life experience” 😉.
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Life experience is not enough. Everyone should learn how to recognize fascism and its historical roots.
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I’m joking…
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If we never learn history, we will be doomed to relive it again and again and to remain in our “places” in society. What made the richest people/families in America…….economic, social down turns, wars etc. allowing them to buy low to sell high when the time is right. No history = the dumbing down of Americans.
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This is hard to fathom even from an career-path/ employment angle. But then, UWSP is not really claiming hi-tech employers are looking for skills w/zero humanities background. Successful IT is the application of tech to ideas. Innovations come from creativity. Employers want both & say so. The campus is trying to operate on 23% fewer inflation-adjusted dollars than a decade ago, & has a tuition freeze in place;. The decision is based on $-&-cts enrollment stats.
Admin says they can provide career-skills w/core humanities background w/o the majors. They claim the impact will be minor; maybe they’ll lose a few specialized upper-level courses. More likely the challenge will be providing hi-qual humanities profs/ core courses w/n that paradigm. Perhaps they can manage it by rotating in profs from Madison…
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Not claiming the end to humanities. Am beyond fortunate to be a public school Latin teacher in my 35th year—in test-obsessed Florida, no less. My very wise administrators allow me to use Latin for test prep., to build academic vocab. and to teach humanities. I view teaching Latin as reform in my Title I neighborhood school. Learn, Wisconsin!
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Blessings on you, Kelley Ranch!
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Kudos to you! I almost became a classics major myself as I had four years of Latin in high school.
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I am an engineer by profession. I am gung-ho for the liberal arts and humanities. I am also 1000% for the teaching of foreign languages in the early grades. An engineer, who has language skills, is in high demand. Many (not all) engineers have difficulty with writing. An engineer with writing skills, is also in high demand.
The jobs and careers in the mid-21st century, are going to technical, and will require some post-secondary school training. This education, whether in college or vocational/technical school must include a basic grounding in the arts and humanities.
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