Tyler Austin Harper on How to Fix American Universities
Jan 6, 2024
auto_awesome
Tyler Austin Harper, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Bates College, discusses the state of academia, the decline in humanities majors, and the importance of genuine free inquiry. They also explore plagiarism accusations and conservatism backlash, the pros and cons of tenure, and the decline of interest in humanities courses at elite universities.
The rhetoric of diversity in elite institutions often masks a lack of real structural change, prioritizing demographic representation over addressing rising tuition rates and student debt.
The financial model of universities, especially elite ones, has become unsustainable, compromising their ability to maintain principles of free speech and intellectual inquiry, and reinforcing a focus on prestige and endowment size over education and student welfare.
To restore universities as places of intellectual inquiry, there is a need for significant structural change, addressing rising tuition rates, providing adequate financial aid to underprivileged students, and challenging the culture of luxury and opulence on campuses.
Deep dives
The Hypocrisy of Anti-Racism
The rhetoric of diversity and anti-racism in elite institutions often masks a lack of real structural change. Institutions prioritize demographic representation over addressing issues like rising tuition rates and student debt. The focus on performative actions, like slapping Black Lives Matter slogans on websites, belies the fact that these institutions are built on massive endowments and financial exploitation of students.
The Failure of Current Financial Model
The financial model of universities, especially elite ones, has become unsustainable and fuels the need for wealthy donors and tuition hikes. This in turn compromises the institutions' ability to maintain principles of free speech and intellectual inquiry. The reliance on rankings like US News and World Report further reinforces the focus on prestige and endowment size, rather than a genuine commitment to education and student welfare.
The Need for Structural Change
To restore universities as places of intellectual inquiry and better serve students, there is a need for significant structural change. This involves addressing rising tuition rates, providing adequate financial aid to underprivileged students, and challenging the culture of luxury and opulence on college campuses. Universities should prioritize education over PR strategies and prioritize the well-being and intellectual growth of all students.
Challenging the Notions of Equity and Anti-Racism
The current understanding of equity and anti-racism often falls short of addressing the deep structural issues in education. Merely striving for equal representation among students or faculty does not address the broader issues of income inequality or financial exploitation. Genuine anti-racism should focus on dismantling systemic barriers and creating opportunities that truly level the playing field for all students.
Diversifying Elite College Campuses and US News Rankings
Diversifying elite college campuses often draws from the upper strata of minority populations due to the benefits it offers to the US News and World Report rankings. Colleges aim to achieve diversity without tapping into their endowment or incurring additional costs. Some colleges, like Columbia, have chosen to withdraw from US News and World Report rankings to gain more flexibility in their spending and decision-making.
Decline in Humanities Enrollments and Shift in Student Priorities
There has been a decline in humanities enrollment at many universities, with students expressing initial interest in humanities but later switching to social sciences or computer science. One factor is that certain majors, such as English, may not lead to immediate high-earning careers like STEM or economics. Additionally, universities have dropped general education and humanities requirements, causing students to miss out on discovering their interest in humanities. The way humanities courses are framed has shifted to a more critical approach, focusing on problematic aspects of texts rather than emphasizing their aesthetic merits. This shift may contribute to the decline in enthusiasm for humanities among students.
Yascha Mounk and Tyler Austin Harper discuss the state of academia and the resignation of Harvard President Claudine Gay.
Tyler Austin Harper is a writer and an assistant professor of environmental studies at Bates College.
In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Tyler Austin Harper discuss how universities can reclaim their status as sites for the free exchange of ideas; why enrollment in the humanities has declined; and the ways in which the new progressive ideas concerning identity remain influential on campus and in our society.
