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Liberal Education: External Influences and Internal Conflicts
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14559 |
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Section : |
MODERN THOUGHT
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3 / 1988 |
6,119 Words |
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Ciriaco M. Arroyo
Ciriaco M. Arroyo is Emerson Hinchliff professor of Hispanic
studies and comparative literature at Cornell University |
Attitudes toward American higher education range from self complacent pride to outright criticism. The former is usually expressed in festive speeches and the reports of university presidents to faculties and boards. These addresses should not be dismissed by the objective critic; although in general they are not sufficiently extensive and analytical, they contain valid information that is important for a balanced appraisal of higher education in America. While complacency must be avoided if a zest for constant improvement is going to be maintained, it is necessary to appreciate the many positive aspects of our system of higher education to determine the areas that need change. The U.S. News and World Report of October 26, 1987, made the following statement, which I fully accept: "Whatever the criticisms of U.S. education, in any list of world-class universities most of the entries come from among America's 200-odd 'national' universities." And a few pages earlier: "It is this richness and variety that has made U.S. higher education the envy of so many students in other countries and why this year more than 300,000 of them are enrolled in American colleges and universities." Anyone familiar with European universities will accept these statements without hesitation. And yet....
Higher education and academic life in America seem to be suffering from a profound crisis of identity and purpose. The system's critics, who point to its visible deficiencies, are perhaps less numerous than its admirers, but they tend to be more rigorous and systematic in their approach. The most conspicuous critic during the last year has been Allan Bloom, author of The Closing of the American Mind. If doubts linger as to the precise meaning of his title, the subtitle is apt to dispel them: "How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished
... (1997 of 38146 Characters)
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