The headline in a recent New York Times article caught my attention: “Cuts Hit Bone as Pandemic Saps Colleges.” The first sentence in the piece hit me right in the gut: “Ohio Wesleyan is eliminating 18 majors.”

I know Ohio Wesleyan University well. I worked there as Director of Admissions from 1971 to 1975. Moreover, I had first-hand experience with the journalism department, one of the majors being dropped. One summer, while serving as Director of Admissions, I took a course in magazine article writing from the department’s chairman Verne Edwards, a masterful teacher and mentor. Students in the course had to write three “real” articles and send them to three “real” magazines. I wrote a piece entitled, “The College You Want May be Looking for You” and got it published by Parade Magazine, which had a circulation of 18 million at the time and paid me $500 for the piece. That success helped steer me to a career writing admissions and fundraising materials for colleges and independent schools around the country.

Career opportunities for newspaper journalists have dropped drastically in the last dozen years, as the internet has become the main news source for many people. I can understand Ohio Wesleyan’s decision because of that sad trend. America is the ultimate loser if newspapers continue their downward slide, and ordinary citizens come to rely even more on the internet or cable television and radio talk shows to get their “news.”

For many Americans, Sean Hannity (Fox News) and Rush Limbaugh have become the go-to news sources. Hannity’s conspiracy theories and Limbaugh’s rantings are not real news; they’re entertainment shows designed to get attention and maximize ratings. They epitomize the dumbing down of America; the refusal to deal with nuance; the willingness to cast truth and civility aside. Where are you when we need you, Walter Cronkite?

Sadly, too many people today won’t accept the opinions of real experts if those opinions clash with their political biases or religious beliefs. For example, the overwhelming majority of scientists believe that climate change is a real phenomenon, but many Americans, egged on by “conservative” politicians, prefer to dismiss it is a “liberal hoax.” Too many Americans have been willing to ignore the warnings of infectious disease specialists like Dr. Fauci in their impatience to get their lives back to normal. Too few Americans grasp the importance of preserving a system of checks and balances in a government that espouses democratic principles.

It seems to me that we need to get back to basics, back to the phrase, “We hold these truths to be self-evident.” Schools as well as colleges and universities must help us do so.

And that brings me to the bigger point. In many ways, colleges and universities have brought on the current crisis themselves. Tuitions have been rising faster than the cost of living for decades. The you-have-to-get-a-college-degree mindset has pushed too many young people to go to four-year colleges when they might be better served going to a career-focused trade school or a local community college. Too many students graduate from college with enormous debts.

The COVID-19 challenges will hasten the demise of many colleges and universities, mainly those with low endowments. That’s sad news, indeed, for the students, faculty, staff and graduates of those colleges. On the brighter side, the pandemic might force leaders at the remaining colleges and universities to do some serious soul-searching in the process of asking, “Who are we?” “Why are we here?” and “How can we best prepare our students for an uncertain future?” It should also force more students (and their parents) to ask themselves: “Is college the best next step for me after high school?” And if so, “What college can best serve my needs?” (Hint: It’s not necessarily the most prestigious one or the one with the best football team.)

I can think of no better way to end this piece than to quote the brilliant sage Ralph Waldo Emerson: “This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.”

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns. dtreadw575@aol.com. 

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.