Association of American Universities Reinvigorating Reinvigorating the Humanities and Education Enhancing Research on Campus and Beyond Reinvigorating the Humanities Enhancing Research and Education on Campus and Beyond Association of American Universities ork Avenue,ork NW 1200 New Y Washington, D.C. 20005 Association of American Universities 550 Suite Reinvigorating the Humanities Enhancing Research and Education on Campus and Beyond Edited by Katherine Bailey Mathae and Catherine Langrehr Birzer Association of American Universities The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an organization of sixty-three leading public and private research universities in the United States and Canada. The association was founded in 1900 by a group of fourteen PhD-granting universities in the United States to strengthen and standardize U.S. doctoral programs. Those goals have been accomplished. Today,the primary purpose of AAU is to provide a forum for the development and implementation of institutional and national policies promoting strong programs in academic research and scholarship, and in undergraduate, graduate, and professional education. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Reinvigorating the humanities : enhancing research and education on campus and beyond. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Humanities –– Study and teaching (Higher) –– United States –– History. 2. Humanities –– Philosophy. 3. Learning and scholarship –– United States –– History. 4. Educational change –– United States –– Case studies. I. Association of American Universities. AZ183.U5R45 2004 001.3’071–– dc22 2003027437 LOC Control Number: 2003027437 Copyright © 2004 by the Association of American Universities All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Copies of this book may be obtained from: Association of American Universities 1200 New York Avenue, NW,Suite 550 Washington, D.C. 20005 202-408-7500 Fax 202-408-8184 Book design by Fletcher Design, Inc./Washington, D.C. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Executive Summary rom Socrates’time on,liberal arts educa- suggestions formed the basis of early discussions with tion has been understood to produce a a small group of university representatives. Issues of general learned competence that allows interest during these early conversations included dis- a student to be both a better human cipline strength, the erosion of the canon, multi- and being and a better citizen. The breadth interdisciplinary initiatives in the humanities, campus- Fof this liberal arts curriculum stands in contrast to the based humanities centers, recruitment, and data much narrower vocational curriculum. needs. Among the projects proposed were two litera- More recently,the humanities have been caught in ture searches (one on the national infrastructure for the a conflict between over-simplified aristocratic and dem- humanities and one on the impact of information tech- ocratic notions of liberal arts education. Under the for- nology on the humanities) and a survey on humanities mer, the liberal arts are viewed as being distinctly not activity and best practices at AAU institutions. useful; under the latter, they are seen as providing ideas The survey of best practices in the humanities at of value to all citizens. Indeed, scholars and university AAU universities was conducted in the summer of administrators need to bear in mind the value of the 2002. While most responded at that time, some con- humanities in the education of all of a university’s tinued to submit material over the next year. All mem- This report is students, the usefulness of this knowledge in the profes- ber universities are represented in this report. intended to sional lives of those students, and society’s need for a Far more examples were provided than could actu- further prompt a common base of understanding and an educated reexamination of ally be used in this report. Those included are divided the humanities citizenry. between the main body of the report and Appendix 1. on university Recently,those closely involved with the humani- Those in the main body describe unique or particularly campuses, to ties—scholars, university administrators, academic successful approaches, provide insights into how the identify steps that society officials, and others—have begun separate program was actually created or implemented, and rep- some institutions reexaminations of established traditions and expecta- resent a range of institutions within AAU. Appendix 1 already have taken, and to propose tions, leading perhaps to defining a new role for the includes additional examples under each recommenda- future action. humanities in the university and in society.This report tion. These too were limited to those which contained is intended to further prompt that reexamination of the unique or particularly successful elements that could be humanities on university campuses, to identify steps used by other universities. that some institutions already have taken, and to pro- It also should be noted that two Canadian univer- pose future action. sities, McGill University and the University of Toronto, are members of AAU and participated in this Project History project. Although much of this report—particularly the statistical section—is written from a U.S. perspective, While many universities have considered and adopted the Task Force recognizes that Canadian universities ways to improve humanities on their own campuses, face many of the same challenges and opportunities as the AAU Executive Committee felt that AAU member universities in the United States.As a result,many of the institutions would benefit from a survey of trends and policy recommendations contained in this report will issues related to the humanities at major research uni- apply to universities in Canada as well. versities and a sharing of successful practices. A wide range of initiatives are reinvigorating At the Executive Committee’s request, AAU humanities scholarship, teaching, and outreach. The established in late 2001 the Task Force on the Role following recommendations were developed by and Status of the Humanities. The late John D’Arms extracting from institutional reports those factors iden- provided early written input and guidance, and his tified as critical to success. III REINVIGORATING THE HUMANITIES: ENHANCING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ON CAMPUS AND BEYOND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recommendations AAU’s Task Force on the Role and Status of the Humanities strongly encourages member universities 1. University presidents and chancellors should to form campus-based task forces to plan ways to bol- make the humanities a major focus in institution- ster and reinvigorate the humanities in academic and al strategic planning, and should regularly national life.The Task Force suggests that scholars and emphasize to the university and the broader com- administrators explore ways to clarify and communi- munity the fundamental importance of the cate the mission of the humanities, enhance research humanities. and teaching, and further integrate the humanities into 2. University presidents, provosts, and humanities all scholarly pursuits of knowledge, regardless of the deans should seek out, enlist, and support faculty discipline. Perhaps it is also time both to revisit John leadership in building strong humanities pro- Henry Newman’s The Idea of a University and to grams, and should provide mechanisms for eval- emphasize that universities have a fundamental uating and selectively funding faculty-driven responsibility to educate people so they can contribute initiatives. effectively to society. 3. Universities should strengthen the recruitment and placement process for humanities graduate students and should seek ways to encourage Context undergraduate students to study the humanities. 4. University presidents, provosts, and humanities The humanities at the beginning of the twenty-first deans should provide flexible structures for inter- century face new challenges and opportunities. For action and collaboration across humanities disci- many years, the humanities suffered from both low plines, and among the humanities and the social investment and the absence of structures to support and natural sciences and the professional schools. effective engagement around issues of central concern. 5. Universities should promote successful programs Funding shortages, employment crunches, and cultur- in the humanities inside and outside the institu- al clashes had created obstacles for humanistic work. tion, and build partnerships with K-12 schools However, new facility programs, recruitment of new and other educational and cultural organizations. faculty, and renewed administrative support for the 6. Universities should seek new opportunities to humanities have created a more upbeat atmosphere. strengthen foreign language and cultural instruction. Humanities faculty are creating bridges between tradi- 7. University presidents, provosts, and humanities tional disciplines, working with information technolo- deans should support the development and use gy to create new tools and new reference materials,and of digital information and technology in the working with their communities to communicate the humanities. value of the humanities to the world outside. 8. University presidents, provosts, and humanities The infrastructure upon which the humanities rely deans should take responsibility for sustaining for support is based predominantly in the universities. the vigor and quality of humanities scholarship The