Elected officials have recently urged states to move public education funding from the humanities to STEM-related fields.
These legislators, such as Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, want taxpayer money to go to more job-friendly majors in fields important to the economy. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 15 states offer bonuses for degrees in higher-demand.
In May 2014, the Obama administration proposed earnings after graduation as one of the measures of rating the United States’ colleges and universities. According to The New York Times, salaries of top earners in the liberal arts match only those of the bottom earners in STEM fields.
These proposals have angered educators, especially those who teach in the humanities. Reduced funding for these majors could mean that only those who can afford to attend private colleges and universities will be able to study the liberal arts.
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