This makes me so sad, but there were several interesting bits in the article.
One professor was quoted as mentioning the cyclical attacks on academia, with reference to the Scopes trial in the 20s and the Red Scare in the 50s, and now the current attacks as related to some people’s perceptions of CRT. As I hadn’t heard this perspective before, it gives me something to chew on.
Mullenix said 72% of Miami students cluster in 30 majors, out of the university’s 130 total majors. In thinking about how to reorganize staff and resources, the university started by looking at the major programs with fewer than 35 students over four years.
This stat is hardly surprising when the vast majority of students come on CC asking for some iteration of CS, finance/business, or engineering, but it is sad to me. Although I understand many reasons why it has become increasingly so, it reflects a lack of curiosity and exploration in a variety of fields, particularly when it is just an undergraduate degree, rather than a degree in a particular field, that is a jumping off point for a professional career.
It appears that Miami will be aiming to continue to incorporate the various liberal arts fields through certificates, honors programs, etc, so not completely eliminating them like at WVU. Will be interesting to see what they come up with.