Colleges and universities must reinvest in humanities education

BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD AN OPINION

In 2008, the Great Recession led to a sharp decline in humanities graduates and a corresponding increase in STEM degrees. The cause is simple: economic crises push people to seek financial security, which is more often associated with STEM fields. Historically, downward trends in the economy often lead to a decline in students seeking liberal arts degrees. In the stagflation of the 1970s, for example, the pursuit of humanities degrees plummeted, but eventually grew when the economy did. This time, however, student interest in liberal arts may never recover.

While there was a dip in humanities majors due to the pandemic, the economy has slowly begun to grow since 2021. However, instead of working to foster engagement in liberal arts majors, colleges and universities have taken a different approach: cutting the programs altogether.

At least 20 institutions across the country have taken steps to cut humanities programs or faculty positions, with one of the most notable being Marymount University. The Marymount administra- tion’s proposal to cut 10 degrees and programs, including theology and English, has sparked uproar from both students and professors, and rightfully so. Universities’ utter disregard for the importance of a humanities-focused education is a dangerous and irresponsible attitude that will leave many graduates unequipped with vital skills.

Receiving a broad education in the liberal arts may not be the choice for everyone, but it is an incredibly valuable tool. Students exposed to the humanities generally display greater openness to ideas, increased understanding of others, and lower exhaustion compared to those undergoing a more rigid education.

Those well-versed in the liberal arts also learn unique capabilities that are essential for our world to function. English majors practice critical thinking, psychology majors develop empathy, and history majors are able to make important connections between the past and the present to excel in problem-solving. It is essential that colleges and universities acknowledge the value of such skills and continue to invest in programs that offer students these learning opportunities.

The decline of humanities ma- jors is also a cyclical phenomenon—students’ decreased interest in the liberal arts leads colleges to cut those programs which, in turn, pushes students away from the humanities and into science and mathematics. While students should always pursue their true interests, the valid concern remains that many are choosing STEM fields in the hopes of a more financially-stable future. It is worrisome that some students believe success can only be achieved in STEM fields and even more alarming that colleges are and making this belief a reality. likely to guarantee high-paying job offers after graduation, liberal arts majors generally surpass them after a few decades. financial reasons is often unsustainable; many students face a tough reality check while pursuing these majors, resulting in roughly 40 percent of students planning engineering and science majors ending up switching to other subjects or failing to get any degree.

According to the New York Times, 40-year-old male STEM graduates make an average annual salary of $124,458 while their humanities counterparts make $131,154. A large reason for this is that in their careers, liberal arts majors often migrate into leadership positions that require more nuanced communication and problem-solving skills. Abilities like these are timeless, while knowledge in STEM can quickly become obsolete as industries constantly adapt to new technology and information.

According to the Pew Research Center, 71 percent of Americans believe that jobs in STEM have higher salaries than those in other fields. The notion that STEM jobs will always be more lucrative is a concerning misconception. While many STEM fields such as engineering and computer science are

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By the time that many in the STEM field amass the experience needed to gain leadership, their skillset is no longer applicable to the field. There are always new developments that are difficult to catch up with, explaining why over half of STEM graduates no longer have jobs in the industry once they reach age 40.

Often, the STEM field is not all it is dreamt up to be. The competitive environment ignites anxiety, depression, and overwhelming stress for people who go into the field just for money instead of passion. Solely choosing STEM for

None of this is to say that the humanities are inherently better than the STEM field in any way. They are just different. Each educational focus can be the correct choice for a student, which is why students should always have that choice. When colleges and universities take away the option to study humanities, they are denying students the option to pursue their passions. Some students may be misguided in making the choice to pursue STEM, but schools enforce those beliefs by simply removing liberal arts majors as if those degrees are not valuable or useful in the real world. With new knowledge and discoveries constantly emerging, the scope of education should be expanding, not narrowing. Students deserve the option to study what interests them, and colleges should be making that choice for them.