"What is a University Without a History Major?" The articleaccompanying this recent headline in The New York Times describes the self-imposed plight of UW-Stevens Point, and the withering of smaller public universities across the country. It was one of the five most-read stories of that day.
The background for the Times article was a UWSP plan to no longer offer majors in history, English, political science, philosophy and Spanish. There would be a "re-imagined curriculum." The stated purpose was to save money. Students aren't that interested anymore in the humanities, is the claim.
Like Brexit, the changes at UW-Stevens Point, I am sure, seemed a good idea at the time. Imaginations like this Orwellian bit were offered up: The study of philosophy would be replaced by "offerings in applied ethics."
from Madison.Com
Ambassador Loftus served as U.S. Ambassador to Norway from 1993 to 1998. He is an international consultant specializing in Norway. He has also consulted foundations that assist Parliaments in developing democracies, and complete projects with the new Hungarian Parliament, the Parliament of Thailand, the National and Provincial Parliaments of Pakistan, the Parliament of Latvia, the Parliament of Turkey and the Parliament of Macedonia.