Fine post John. Your writing is always thought provoking.
You wrote: “As STEM programs take an increasing share of the student enrollment, how do the faculty structures respond?” I just don’t see this—at my institution—as being true. Business, Music, and Art seem to be doing well. Science (particularly physics, my area) struggles much more to attract students. I am not a social scientist (note the term science there) but at Christian liberal arts institutions the sciences are poorly understood and appreciated. (The great majority don’t even offer a physics degree.) I encounter colleagues outside the sciences who don’t even really understand what science is, which is sad.
It is my guess that at large R1 schools the STEM fields are taking an increasing share of student enrollment, but our Christian university has a different culture and dynamic. It is my dream to see the majority of students at least see and appreciate the deeply human value of physics and to appreciate physics and mathematics for the creative, enriching disciplines they are. But at 67 years of age I know I’ll not see it—I haven’t seen it since I left my R1 school to teach in small Christian schools.
Non-science faculty, by and large, don’t appreciate or even comprehend what science is. Most would be fine with science dropping from the Core. That’s just a sad fact. The fearless Christian university would value science as much as literature or the arts.
I agree with your last point about non-science faculty not understanding science. I also have anecdotal evidence of science faculty being somewhat unaware of the values of humanities.
The shift in STEM enrollment was Rosenberg's example from Macalester. However, I can attest to many Christian liberal arts schools that have been chasing what they think is a STEM market. Social science and Humanities programs have shrunk or been folded into more generic areas fo study while the institution invests in expanded STEM offerings: nursing, engineering, sports medicine, physical therapy, and the like. The subsequent enrollments in those areas might not be huge (except for maybe nursing) but the institution is being reshaped to pursue new markets.
Hmmm. The whole "STEM" classification is interesting in itself. I, personally, don't view nursing, sports medicine, physical therapy, as fitting within that umbrella, though others feel that it does. I do see that when I go to teach my non-STEM classes there are 30+ students, and when I go to my STEM classes it drops by at least half, and my upper-level physics is in the single digits.
I haven't time for any deep analysis but looking at a jr/sr physics numbers for some other Christian schools I see: Samford 5 students, Harding 3, Biola 37, Azusa Pacific 2, Cedarville 8, Covenant 0, Mercer 4, Hope 9, Wheaton 15, Taylor 3, Carson Newman 9, Union 3... these are numbers that distress me. It would be interesting to calculate percentages for each school, etc, but I suggest they'd be rather low. Were it not for premeds and pre-engineers there would be few chemistry and physics programs period--especially in Christian schools. I suspect that only a handful of Christian colleges would offer a physics degree.
And as we are now seeing a drop in college students, some of the first cuts will come to physics majors and chemistry majors. EGR, Nursing, Pre-med students will be serviced by our Christian colleges no matter what.
Hard to say about Math as Math attracts some CSC students, Business students, and future teachers.
Sorry for the rambling. Thank you, John H and John K, for your comments. God bless.
This is really interesting, and coming from a non-denominational college, something new (STEM struggling). I wonder if this happens at other Christian colleges? It runs counter to the "STEM will get you a job" discourse being promoted (outside as well as inside colleges). If that discourse is true, graduates of Christian colleges should be less employable, or employable with lower salaries, or whatever STEM is supposed to offer. That suggests another possible wedge between Christian and non-Christian America. Great.
Fine post John. Your writing is always thought provoking.
You wrote: “As STEM programs take an increasing share of the student enrollment, how do the faculty structures respond?” I just don’t see this—at my institution—as being true. Business, Music, and Art seem to be doing well. Science (particularly physics, my area) struggles much more to attract students. I am not a social scientist (note the term science there) but at Christian liberal arts institutions the sciences are poorly understood and appreciated. (The great majority don’t even offer a physics degree.) I encounter colleagues outside the sciences who don’t even really understand what science is, which is sad.
It is my guess that at large R1 schools the STEM fields are taking an increasing share of student enrollment, but our Christian university has a different culture and dynamic. It is my dream to see the majority of students at least see and appreciate the deeply human value of physics and to appreciate physics and mathematics for the creative, enriching disciplines they are. But at 67 years of age I know I’ll not see it—I haven’t seen it since I left my R1 school to teach in small Christian schools.
Non-science faculty, by and large, don’t appreciate or even comprehend what science is. Most would be fine with science dropping from the Core. That’s just a sad fact. The fearless Christian university would value science as much as literature or the arts.
Thanks again John and God bless.
I agree with your last point about non-science faculty not understanding science. I also have anecdotal evidence of science faculty being somewhat unaware of the values of humanities.
The shift in STEM enrollment was Rosenberg's example from Macalester. However, I can attest to many Christian liberal arts schools that have been chasing what they think is a STEM market. Social science and Humanities programs have shrunk or been folded into more generic areas fo study while the institution invests in expanded STEM offerings: nursing, engineering, sports medicine, physical therapy, and the like. The subsequent enrollments in those areas might not be huge (except for maybe nursing) but the institution is being reshaped to pursue new markets.
Thanks for engaging.
Hmmm. The whole "STEM" classification is interesting in itself. I, personally, don't view nursing, sports medicine, physical therapy, as fitting within that umbrella, though others feel that it does. I do see that when I go to teach my non-STEM classes there are 30+ students, and when I go to my STEM classes it drops by at least half, and my upper-level physics is in the single digits.
I'm rather physics-focused, as that's what I teach, and the latest report from AIP notes a 4.5% drop in physics degree between 2021 and 2022 and physics enrollment numbers are expected to continue to decline. https://www.aip.org/statistics/reports/roster-astronomy-departments-enrollment-and-degree-data-2022
I haven't time for any deep analysis but looking at a jr/sr physics numbers for some other Christian schools I see: Samford 5 students, Harding 3, Biola 37, Azusa Pacific 2, Cedarville 8, Covenant 0, Mercer 4, Hope 9, Wheaton 15, Taylor 3, Carson Newman 9, Union 3... these are numbers that distress me. It would be interesting to calculate percentages for each school, etc, but I suggest they'd be rather low. Were it not for premeds and pre-engineers there would be few chemistry and physics programs period--especially in Christian schools. I suspect that only a handful of Christian colleges would offer a physics degree.
And as we are now seeing a drop in college students, some of the first cuts will come to physics majors and chemistry majors. EGR, Nursing, Pre-med students will be serviced by our Christian colleges no matter what.
Hard to say about Math as Math attracts some CSC students, Business students, and future teachers.
Sorry for the rambling. Thank you, John H and John K, for your comments. God bless.
This is really interesting, and coming from a non-denominational college, something new (STEM struggling). I wonder if this happens at other Christian colleges? It runs counter to the "STEM will get you a job" discourse being promoted (outside as well as inside colleges). If that discourse is true, graduates of Christian colleges should be less employable, or employable with lower salaries, or whatever STEM is supposed to offer. That suggests another possible wedge between Christian and non-Christian America. Great.