Is there too much focus on STEM? (Liberal Arts strikes back)

[Ian Curtis]

Today on CNN, there is an editorial from the president of Wesleyan on how focusing on STEM may be a bad thing. It is certainly interesting to see how others might view the mission that many here feel so passionately about. It's a very interesting read.

Originally Posted by "'Why Liberal Arts Matter' by Micheal S. Roth

But in our own land we are running away from the promise of liberal education. We are frightened by economic competition, and many seem to have lost confidence in our ability to draw from the resources of a broadly based education. Instead, they hope that technical training or professional expertise on their own will somehow invigorate our culture and society.

Many seem to think that by narrowing our focus to just science and engineering, we will become more competitive. This is a serious mistake.

I don't think STEM awareness is a threat to liberal arts, and I think the fact that they might view it as such is a little silly. On the other hand, the fact that some of them view it as a threat seems like a major indicator that there is some sort of culture shift going on here...