Reclaiming Funding and Benefits for the Liberal Arts

2017 ◽  
pp. 49-56
Author(s):  
Hilary Burt
Keyword(s):  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Economic Environment ◽  
Stem Programs ◽  
Stem Disciplines ◽  
Arts Programs

The current focus on promoting STEM disciplines is, on the surface, an understandable reaction to the present economic environment. But a defense of the liberal arts does not need to be blind to today's economic and educational climates. In fact, now is the time for liberal arts academic programs to modernize and develop. Just as it is clear that proponents of STEM programs should recognize the value of creative and comparative thinking fostered by the broader educational fields, the time has clearly arrived for the liberal arts to also recognize, and be infused with, more practical, tangible training. In addition to enhancing graduates' preparedness for the workforce, these tactics would also buttress the argument for continued funding of liberal arts programs by appealing to the current desire to allocate resources to practical disciplines.

Alumni Evaluate Poly Sci Courses

1983 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 15-16
Author(s):  
Frank Whelon Wayman
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
The Political ◽  
University Of Michigan ◽  
Job Market ◽  
Arts Programs ◽  
The University

The political scientists at the University of Michigan, Dearborn, concerned about what becomes of political science majors in today's job market, have completed a survey of the occupational status and quality of life of recent alumni. This paper examines the potential contributions of that survey as a model for future evaluations of political science programs and other liberal arts programs. In the paper, I will discuss the design of the study, its findings, and the lessons that might be useful to those who would wish to do such studies on their own campuses.DesignThe University of Michigan, Dearborn evaluation was done primarily by, and for the benefit of, the political science faculty. Thus, the evaluation was tailored to particular faculty interests and concerns.

Revising the Declension Narrative: Liberal Arts Colleges, Universities, and Honors Programs, 1870s-2010s

2014 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Kimball
Keyword(s):  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Liberal Arts Colleges ◽  
Liberal Arts College ◽  
Honors Programs ◽  
College Mission ◽  
The Past ◽  
Diversity In Higher Education ◽  
Arts Programs ◽  
The U.S

This article examines the prominent narrative asserting that liberal arts colleges have continuously declined in number and status over the past 130 years. Bruce A. Kimball identifies problems in this declension narrative and proposes a revision positing that the decline of liberal arts colleges began only after 1970. Further, he maintains that the fraction of the U.S. population enrolling in collegiate liberal arts programs has remained surprisingly consistent over the past two centuries. That same fraction continues after 1970 because universities began to replicate the liberal arts college by establishing honors programs, and student enrollment after 1970 shifted from liberal arts colleges to the new subsidized honors programs in universities. Kimball concludes that this shift does not ensure that the fraction of enrollment in collegiate liberal arts will continue to remain consistent in the future. There is reason to doubt the long-term commitment of universities to supporting honors programs devoted to the traditional liberal arts college mission of fostering culture, community, and character, although this mission grows more important and complex as access to and diversity in higher education increase.

Computer Science Accreditation and Liberal Arts Programs

1986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Cannon ◽  
Robert D. Cupper ◽  
John F. Dalphin ◽  
Greg W. Scragg ◽  
Ted Sjoerdsma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Arts Programs

scholarly journals Real STEM: An Interdisciplinary STEM Program

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Robert Mayes ◽  
Kent Rittschof ◽  
Bryon Gallant ◽  
Charlie Martin
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Academic Career ◽  
The United States ◽  
Career Pathways ◽  
Missed Opportunities ◽  
Critical Reasoning ◽  
The Real ◽  
Stem Programs ◽  
Stem Disciplines ◽  
Competency Based

The integration of STEM programs within the educational framework through the establishment of STEM-designated schools and academic/career pathways is a national trend in the United States. The goal of implementing STEM in grade 6 to 12 schools is to prepare students for the demands of the 21st century, while addressing future workforce needs. Often, however, the STEM disciplines are taught within silos independent of each other. Students miss the opportunity to participate in the interrelationship between the STEM disciplines, resulting in missed opportunities to build critical reasoning skills. The Real STEM project focused on the development of interdisciplinary STEM experiences for students. The project was characterized by sustained professional development which was job-embedded and competency-based, and focused on the development of five STEM reasoning abilities within real-world contexts. To accomplish this we promoted inclusion of tasks that drew on multiple STEM disciplines, embraced the use of authentic teaching strategies, and supported development of collaboration through interdisciplinary STEM professional learning communities within the school and STEM experts from the community. The four tenets of the Real STEM project are presented, research on impact on teacher practice is provided, and school and teacher takeaways are discussed.

scholarly journals Strategies And Initiatives That Revitalize Wesley College STEM Programs

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-208
Author(s):  
Malcolm J. D'Souza ◽  
William K. Kroen ◽  
Charlene B. Stephens ◽  
Richard J. Kashmar
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Student Support ◽  
Academic Excellence ◽  
Demographic Diversity ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
Stem Programs ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Minority Serving Institutions

Church-related small private liberal arts baccalaureate minority-serving institutions like Wesley College have modest endowments, are heavily tuition-dependent, and have large numbers of financially-challenged students. In order to sustain the level of academic excellence and to continue to build student demographic diversity in its accessible robust Science and Mathematics (STEM) programs, the faculty sought federal and state funds to implement a coordinated program of curriculum enhancements and student support programs that will increase the number of students choosing STEM majors, increase their academic success, and improve retention.

scholarly journals Exploring the alignment between postsecondary education programs and earnings: An examination of 2005 Ontario graduates

2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 93-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristyn Frank ◽  
David Walters
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
College Graduates ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Post Secondary Education ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
College And University ◽  
Technical Programs ◽  
Arts Programs

This study examines the influence that field of study and level of post-secondary education have on the earnings of recent graduates in Ontario. Graduates of trades, community college, and university programs are compared. Results suggest that graduates of applied and technical programs obtain higher earnings within two years of graduation than graduates of liberal arts programs. University graduates also fare better than college and trades graduates, whereas male graduates of trades programs are found to obtain higher earnings than college graduates. This study provides updated information for policy officials involved with allocating government funding to post-secondary education in Ontario.  

scholarly journals The Publishing Patterns Of Mid-Career Economics Doctoral Graduates

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Heinrich ◽  
Russ Kashian
Keyword(s):  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Liberal Arts Colleges ◽  
Graduate Programs ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Doctoral Graduates ◽  
International Labor ◽  
Economic Association ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Rich ◽  
History Of Literature

We present publication data for seasoned graduates of 120 economics Ph.D. programs.  The data show that while publishing output is highly concentrated among the graduates of top programs, the inclusion of a wider pool of academic journals provides an opportunity to visualize the publishing potential of second and third tier programs.   This paper’s distinctive methodology concurs with the rich history of literature that determines the top tier of academic programs.  However, expanding the list to the full EconLit database allows a glimpse at the publishing trends of the lesser ranked programs.  This provides an opportunity for small regional and liberal arts colleges and universities to evaluate graduate programs according to their distinct needs.  In addition, inclusion of field designations (such as international, labor, monetary, etc) as grouped by the American Economic Association classification allows insight into the potential for specialization among programs.

Alumni Evaluate Poly Sci Courses

1983 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 15-16
Author(s):  
Frank Whelon Wayman
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
The Political ◽  
University Of Michigan ◽  
Job Market ◽  
Arts Programs ◽  
The University

The political scientists at the University of Michigan, Dearborn, concerned about what becomes of political science majors in today's job market, have completed a survey of the occupational status and quality of life of recent alumni. This paper examines the potential contributions of that survey as a model for future evaluations of political science programs and other liberal arts programs. In the paper, I will discuss the design of the study, its findings, and the lessons that might be useful to those who would wish to do such studies on their own campuses.DesignThe University of Michigan, Dearborn evaluation was done primarily by, and for the benefit of, the political science faculty. Thus, the evaluation was tailored to particular faculty interests and concerns.

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