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Liberal Arts/Humanities


Liberal arts still relevant

Lawrence, Kan., Journal World - Column
March 7, 2012

My most frequent encounters with Baker University people are in class. Every year a number of Baker graduates decide to come to Kansas University to go to law school, and I have the good fortune to have some of them as students in one of the classes I teach. And it is good fortune, for I have found that Baker students are virtually always hardworking and well prepared. I have been especially impressed over the years by Baker graduates' writing skills. These days, the "liberal arts" and especially the humanities are under attack. To my mind, this criticism is wrong-headed.

Spare the Change

Inside Higher Ed
March 6, 2012

With enrollment shrinking, Columbia administrators undertook a "prioritization" campaign that, if adopted, would expand some departments while condensing, consolidating or eliminating others. Many of the changes are in the arts and culture fields for which the college is known. A final decision about the plan is expected this summer. In the meantime, students and faculty members have come out against the plan, saying it overreaches and threatens to erode the 12,000-student liberal arts college's unique identity as a media and arts institution.

Don't hamstring liberal arts

Scranton, Pa., Times-Tribune - Editorial
February 22, 2012

Mr. Obama and other government officials must be careful on how they assess college performance in terms of job placement. Whereas it is reasonable to expect that an engineering graduate would work as an engineer or in a related technical position, for example, that is not necessarily the case with a wide array of other degrees. The working world is full of college graduates in fields not directly related to their degrees, but that doesn't mean that their educations were in vain.

When There's More To Winning Than Winning

NPR - Morning Edition
February 22, 2012

Cory Weissman didn't get a chance to play much basketball before suffering a stroke during his freshman year at Gettysburg College. But as a senior, for at least one game, the ball was in his court. (Commentary by Frank Deford)

Liberal learning: Only for the elite?

Washington Post "College Inc. Blog" - Guest Post
February 22, 2012

It is an approach to education that focuses on the development of capacities such as writing, effective communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical reasoning. We need these skills on an everyday basis - whether we're trying to effectively communicate with our cell phone companies about a billing issue, or trying to think critically about strategies to best shape the personal and professional lives we hope to lead. Yet, these capacities are not solely needed for our private lives.  We need these capacities when reading the newspaper, casting our vote, and considering our contributions to the greater good.

The liberal arts: Back to basics

Pittsburgh, Pa., Tribune-Review - Editorial
February 4, 2012

A new survey should prompt renewed focus on a fundamental higher-education truth: The skills that liberal-arts studies instill - critical thinking, logical reasoning, clear writing - are crucial for success. Those who have such "general skills" can better adapt to various jobs and life challenges - an edge over those who don't. That's a result of both those skills and the self-discipline needed to master them.

Why a Liberal Arts Education Matters

New York Times - India Ink Blog
February 1, 2012

Well, what is it going to be: engineering, medicine or commerce? Most 12th-grade students in India are faced with this question, as they struggle to fit themselves into one of a few narrowly defined boxes. Heaven forbid someone might enjoy reading both Newton's laws and Plato's dialogues! Plato is clearly a waste of time with no practical, remunerative value. Or is it?

The Liberal Arts as Guideposts in the 21st Century

Chronicle of Higher Education - Opinion Piece
January 29, 2012

It would be wrong to assume that because it has such ancient roots, this kind of education is outdated, stale, fusty, or irrelevant. In fact, quite the contrary. A liberal-arts education, which Louis Menand defined in The Marketplace of Ideas as "a background mentality, a way of thinking, a kind of intellectual DNA that informs work in every specialized area of inquiry," lends itself particularly well to contemporary high-tech methods of imparting knowledge.

Liberal arts education lends an edge in down economy

USA Today
January 25, 2012

Recent college graduates who as seniors scored highest on a standardized test to measure how well they think, reason and write - skills most associated with a liberal arts education - were far more likely to be better off financially than those who scored lowest, says the Social Science Research Council, an independent organization. It found that students who had mastered the ability to think critically, reason analytically and write effectively by their senior year were three times less likely to be unemployed than those who hadn't; half as likely to be living with their parents; and far less likely to have amassed credit card debt (37% vs. 51%).

Sundance 2012: Josh Radnor's 'Liberal Arts' gets ovation at premiere

Los Angeles Times
January 22, 2012

Standing ovations are rare at the Sundance Film Festival, but "Liberal Arts" got one here on Sunday. The film, directed, written by and starring "How I Met Your Mother" lead Josh Radnor, came to the festival with a low profile. Radnor plays Jesse, a thirtysomething pining for his days at Kenyon College (which the actor actually attended). While visiting an old professor at Kenyon, Jesse meets Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen), a bubbly, idealistic sophomore. While Zibby is thrilled to be embarking on a romance with an older guy, Jesse's unease over the age difference begins to complicate things.

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