University Daily Kansan, October 19, 1981
Page 3
Student appeal for LA&S degrees shrinks
By TERESA RIORDAN Staff Reporter
The race for business and engineering degrees and the dwindling demand for liberal arts majors leaves many people wondering whether the need for a new generation has been made extinct by a new generation of economically pragmatic students.
While undergraduate professional schools such as business, journalism and architecture have enjoyed soaring enrollment in the past decade, the demand for liberal arts degrees such as English and history has been shrinking
ARE KU PROFESSORS and administrators alarmed at this seeming trend away from the liberal education? consciously.
"Even if the number of majors in liberal arts is decreasing, the professional schools are requiring more
liberal background in their requirements," said William Conboy, chairman of the future studies committee.
"We assume that a liberal education will always be the core of any major. It provides general ways of perceiving the world and allowing us to build on how technology changes our world."
Anthony Genova, chairman of the philosophy department, said that the difference between students of today and those of a century ago was as great as 'night and day.'
"There was no hurdle of trying to show the relevance of studyingummarizes what we ask them, it's the pay-off." You don't have to justify computer science.
This generation is practical and money-oriented, Genova said, but he is confident that the previous attitude toward the humanities will return.
"It always does," he said.
Railways does, he has. Maiors in areas such as the classics,
language and history were more attractive to students of the '60s and '70s because they did not think those areas compromised their values to the military industrialism of the Vietnam War, Genova said.
"Computer science and business have been the popular majors in the past year or two, but the turn is already starting in the other direction, although the shift isn't very impressive yet," he said.
JIM CAROTHERS, associate professor of English, who has taught English to KU since 1970, said that the school took a hard line as a practical mentor for their careers.
"Students 10 years ago studied American or English literature for its own sake, for the pleasure and enlightenment. Now students see it as a way to advance in their careers," Carothers said.
He said he did not particularly mind the shift in motivation because "I'm
glad to have students interested in my subject area for whatever reason."
But, he said. "Students had a greater sense of intellectual excitement and vitality that I don't find today ... students are more somber now."
THE DEAN of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Robert Lineberry, is optimistic about the state of liberal arts at the University.
"Liberal arts are alive and well and hiding at KU," he said.
He said the broad inquiry of a liberal foundation did not preclude specialization at the undergraduate level.
Lineberry sees the decrease in liberal arts majors as part of the changing world.
"People who 40 years ago would have been classics majors are now majoring in computer science . . . it will look as radically different in 40 years as the current curriculum looks from the 1940s," he said.
on campus
TODAY
THE KU BRIDGE CLUB will meet at 6 in the Trail Room of the Kansas University.
THE UNIVERSITY FILM SOCIETY will present the film "A Tribute to an Artist" at 7 p.m. in Dauidor Auditorium.
TOMORROW
THE INTERVARSITY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP will present Bill McErioy speaking on 'The Modern Maturity of the Church' in the Regionalist Room of the Union.
KU JAZZ ENSEMBLES II AND III will perform at 8 p.m. in Swarthout Hall.
THE CAMPUS RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE, sponsored by the Panhellenic Association and the Interfraternity group 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Union Ballroom.
THE CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST will meet at 7 p.m. in the Jawhawk Room of the Union.
THE TAU SIGMA STUDENT
DANCE CLUB will meet at 7 p.m. in 242 Robinson Center.
THE ART EDUCATION ASSOCIATION will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Arts Center, Ninth and Vermont streets.
THE STUDENTS ANTI-NUCLEAR ALLIANCE will hold a Non-Violence Training Workshop at 7:30 p.m. in the Walnut Room of the Union.
THE CAMPUS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP will hold a Bible study and fellowship at 7:30 p.m. in Parlors A and B of the Union.
THE DEATH AND DYING SUPPORT GROUP will meet at 8:15 p.m. in the St. Lawrence Catholic Center, 1631 Crescent Rd.
The Kansan welcomes announcements of events on campus or sponsored by campus groups. Availability of space dictates the number of announced events each day. Submit announcements to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Flint Hall.
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