The humanities are a vital part of the engine that keeps a liberal arts institution such as Keene State running.
Despite this, many across the education sphere seem intent on devaluing the arts, keeping these fields of studies isolated and struggling for support that is allocated elsewhere in the meantime. UNH leadership recently has provided some uncomfortably close-to-home examples of this by making moves to cut significant portions of its humanities programs and resources. One of the casualties was the on-campus Museum of Art, according to an article by Torey Akers for The Art Newspaper.
Since the 2000s, there has been a push for a greater focus on fields encapsulated in the acronym “STEM,” standing for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Even more recent is the push to expand this acronym to “STEAM,” with the added letter standing for the arts.
Opponents of STEAM claim STEM itself is too new to support the introduction of the arts, according to an article by Krystal DeVille for STEM Education Guide. This argument strikes me as misdirecting. There is no legitimate reason why the arts should be left out without support just because scientific fields have also been in need of support. Surely the education system has enough resources to support both sides of this coin. If not, it would seem to me a long hard look at that system is required and very likely a great deal more drastic reform action.
Keene State students do have multiple spaces on campus dedicated to the arts, such as the Redfern Arts Center, the Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery and the Carroll House Gallery. These spaces should not be taken for granted, however.
The Equinox previously reported the Carroll House Gallery was inactive for a full semester. Just because UNH is primarily a research institution does not mean our liberal arts college is safe from having our humanities programs put at risk. It takes an active and continuous effort on the part of the community to protect these valuable resources, and that effort is better spent in solidarity with our colleagues in the sciences rather than competing with them.
I do not believe arts and sciences have any grounds for competition, only collaboration. Both are essential for a healthy and functioning society, and that should be the basis upon which STEAM is built up.
A Boston Globe article by Steven Porter reported that UNH officials plan to eliminate the school’s English/Journalism major. Perhaps obviously, I find this alarming as a Journalism major here at Keene State and an editor for The Equinox.
Even outside of my personal connection to the matter, however, this plan shows that UNH leaders have no intention of ceasing down the path of reducing the presence of the humanities at their institution. It is the responsibility of everyone with a stake in Keene State’s future, whether they be a student, alum, faculty member or concerned community member, to make heard the significance of the “A” in STEAM to protect the arts from being bled dry of resources with the other three letters of the acronym set up as scapegoats.
Charlotte King can be contacted at
cking@kscequinox.com
