How Austerity is Killing Higher Ed (and What We Can Do About It)

At the end of a particularly difficult year, a professor and the reporter found themselves standing in line, dressed in academic robes. The colleague, who was retiring, remarked that the reporter would not feel less "sick-hearted" or "desperate" once he was no longer bogged down with the "godawful job." The reporter pondered this after the meeting, and later realized that the "austerity" mentality was deeply ingrained in the higher education system.

Austerity, the article explains, is a common thread among those in power. They describe ruin as "rescue," and propose massive structural divestment as a "techno-visionary lurching in the vague direction of some noble future." The article comments on the prevalence of buzzwords like "resilience," "outcomes," "rightsizing," "strategic planning," and the "crown-prince of the current grim hour," "metrics."

The author appreciates David Hollingshead's recent piece titled "Humanists Have Done Nothing Wrong." Hollingshead criticizes the wrongdoings of scholars from the humanities, who are often targeted by "dyspeptic editorialists, nitwit champions of some never-not-regressive 'common sense,' sun-damaged congresspeople, and Atlantic writers."

The author rejoices in Hollingshead's bold stance, but notices that two words are notably absent from the piece: "labor" and "union." This absence does not diminish the article's impact, the author argues. While the humanities may not be the authors of this situation, they are certainly its critics. However, the article raises concerns about the impact of austerity on the humanities, suggesting that the sustained decimation of higher education has led to a lack of appreciation for humanist participation and functionaries.