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The Decline and Fall of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Program at Oklahoma State University

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The Decline and Fall of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Program at Oklahoma State University THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE INTERDISCIPLINARY HUMANITIES PROGRAM AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNNERSITY By JANE A. WATKINS Bachelor of Music Education Truman State University Kirksville, Missouri 1970 Master of Arts Truman State University Kirksville, Missouri 1975 Educational Specialist University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri 1985 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION December, 1996 COPYRIGHT by Jane Aileen Watkins December 1996 THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE INTERDISCIPLINARY HUMANITIES PROGRAM AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Thesis Approved: Dean of the Graduate College 11 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the spirit and soul of interdisciplinary humanities programs, in particular to Oklahoma State University, secondly, to all land-grant institutions and thirdly, to all institutions ofhigher learning in the United States of America. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to offer my sincere gratitude to the individuals who assisted me in this project and during my course work at Oklahoma State University ( OSU). In particular, I am sincerely grateful to Dr~ Deke Johnson for serving as Chairman of my committee, for his wise counsel and advice, and for his unwavering commitment and dedication to the completion of my program at OSU. In addition, I am indeed indebted to Dr. Martin Burlingame and Dr. Kyle M. Yates, Jr. for their expertise in the writing of the dissertation. Also, I wish to extend my appreciation to Dr. Cecil W. Dugger for serving on my committee, for his patience throughout my doctoral program and for his assistance with the final manuscript. I also extend my appreciation to Dr. David S. Webster for his scholarly, theoretical knowledge and service throughout my doctoral program. I would like to acknowledge the contribution many individuals made to this project. I am especially grateful to OSU President emeritus, Dr. Robert B. Kamn:1, for his insight, understanding, and, in particular, inspiration. I also extend my thankfulness to Adelia Hanson for her invaluable resources, plethora of historical documents and rewarding intellectual stimulation. To the administrators, faculty members, staff and students involved in the OSU interdisciplinary humanities program for their participation in this research study, I express sincere thanks. Without their involvement this research would not have been possible. 1V To my fellow OSU graduate students in higher education, I demonstrate appreciation for making this program and research project an educational, as well as a socially enriching experience. I also appreciate Marsha Redmon, Administrative Assistant to the Head of the Division of Science at Truman State University in Kirksville for her excellence in keyboarding abilities, formatting the manuscript and countless hours ofwork. You made the ending go smoothly. My deepest appreciation is extended to my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Watkins, for providing moral encouragement, sacrifices and financial support as I completed this research project I extend a thank-you to all of these people. Last, but most important, I thank God for his spiritual guidance, continual emotional support and orchestration of circumstances which made the completion of the goal possible. V TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. TIIE RESEAR.CH PROBLEM ..................... ................... ............ ......... ......... ... 1 Introduction .................................................·......................................... 1 Purp9se of the Study............................................................................. 6 Need 'ror the Study . .. .. .. .. 6 Research Questions . .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Assumptions .................. , .. ;, . .. .. .. .. 17 Delimitations . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 Limitation .................. , ............... ,. ... .. .. ... ... .. 19 Definitions . .. ... .. .. .. 19 Summary .............................................................. , ... :........................... 21 II. TIIE REVIEW OF LITERATlJRE· ........... ~ ..... ,, ................................................ 22 Introduction ................................................... :~ ..................................... 22 The Hunia:nities Department at the University of Minnesota.............. 29 The School of Library Service at Columbia University...................... 35 The Sociology Department at Washington University........................ 45 Summary . .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 8 ill. METHODOLOGY .............~............................................................................. 59 Introduction ........................... :............................................................. 59 Documents . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 62 Survey Subjects . .. ... .. .. .. 62 Theoretical Context . .. .. .. .. .. 64 Research Questions . .. .. .. 70 Factors ................................................................................................· 71 Research Design . .. .. .. ... .. 72 Summary . .. .. .. .. .. 83 VI IV. AN"ALYSIS OF THE DATA........................................................................... 84 Introduction . 84 Findings ................................................................................................ 85 Post-Interview Discussion . 85 Category 1: The effects of historical and chronological elements found in the evolution, development, and flourishing of the interdisciplinary humanities program at Oklahoma State University, which related to its decline and closing .......................... ,...................................... 89 Category 2: The evidence ofvision or the lack ofvision in leadership which concerned the significance of the m. t erdi sc1p. lin ary humamu.es ·..: program .................................... 168 Category 3: The impact of declining institutional :funding appropriations and subsequent budgetary allocation restrictions upon the College of Arts and Sciences................. 183 Category 4: The effects of student enrollment and student credit hours in the various disciplines . .. .. 192 Category 5: The effects of utilization of the concepts of populist democracy upon the issue of anti-intellectualism versus liberal learning . 199 Category 6: The emphasis upon scholarly academic research, and graduate and professional education versus the teaching of undergraduate students and a liberal, general education . 206 Category 7: The competitive aspect between the specialist and the generalist . 214 Category 8: The effects of increasing stress on accountability by state and federal government officials concerning a cross-disciplinary, integrated program in which a valid and reliable testing instrument was never fully developed ....................................................... 221 · Category 9: The effects of turf guarding and competition between and among departments . 230 Category 10: The effects of interpersonal conflicts, personalities, and academic and institutional politics ........... 240 Summary .............................................................................................. 246 Vll V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .............................................................. 247 Introduction .......................................................................................... 24 7 Discussion ........................................................................................... 248 Category 1: The effects of historical and chronological elements found in the evolution, development, and flourishing of the interdisciplinary humanities program at Oklahoma State University, which related to its decline and closing....................................................... 248 Category 2: The evidence ofvision or the lack of vision in leadership which concerned the significance of the interdisciplinary humanities program . 263 Category 3: The impact of declining institutional :funding appropriations and subsequent budgetary allocation restrictions upon the College of Arts and Sciences ...... ,................ , ................................................... 265 Category 4: The effects of student enrollment and student credit hours in the various disciplines........................ 267 Category 5:· The effects of utilization of the concepts of populist democracy upon the issue ofanti- intellectualism versus liberal learning.................................... 268 Category 6: The emphasis upon scholarly academic research, and graduate and professional education versus the teaching of undergraduate students and a liberal, general education ........................ , ........................... 270 Category 7: The competitive aspect between the specialist and the generalist................................................... 271 Category 8: The effects of increasing stress on accountability by state and federal government officials concerning a cross-disciplinary, integrated program in which a valid and reliable testing instrument was never :fully developed .................................... 273 Category 9: The effects of turf guarding and competition between and among departments ....................... 275 Category 10: The effects of interpersonal conflicts, personalities, and academic and institutional politics . 277 Observations .................................................................................................... 279 Conclusions ....................................................................................................
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