Letter to the Editor:
Florida is the latest state to propose offering incentives for college students toward “high demand” majors, including STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and health care fields (“To Steer Students Toward Jobs, Florida May Cut Tuition for Select Majors,” news article, Dec. 10).
This makes sense, particularly for businesses struggling to find employees with the skills to succeed in today’s high-tech economy. But American competitiveness also depends on students’ acquiring a wide range of general knowledge that provides critical thinking and communication skills that will enable graduates to take up new jobs—jobs that we can’t imagine today.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person held 11 different jobs between ages 18 and 46. Employer surveys, moreover, show that graduates lack basic competencies that a liberal arts education provides.
Gov. Rick Scott is correct: Florida’s higher education needs reform. However, the push for vocation-specific majors should not absolve education leaders from the obligation of ensuring a rigorous liberal arts foundation.
ANNE NEAL
President, American Council of Trustees and Alumni
Benno Schmidt, an extraordinary educator and an extraordinary friend to ACTA, has died. We deeply mourn his loss. There are few who brought such versatility of vision and intellect to the most important issues in education. He was a fierce and consistent defender of campus freedom of expression, deeply committed to the First Amendment and […]
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is delighted to welcome the Madden Center for Value Creation at Florida Atlantic University and the Center for Great Books & Human Flourishing into the Oases of Excellence network. Oases of Excellence are outstanding programs at colleges and universities across the country that are dedicated to educating […]
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