A Voice in the Wilderness In Defense of "Mere Conservatism"

Are Colleges and Universities Failing to Properly Prepare Students?

Professor of Economics at George Mason University, Walter E. Williams, is worried about the current state of education at American colleges and universities.

When parents plunk down $20, $30, $40 and maybe $50 thousand this fall for a year's worth of college room, board and tuition, it might be relevant to ask: What will their children learn in return? The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) ask that question in their recently released publication, "What Will They Learn: A Report on the General Education Requirements at 100 of the Nation's Leading Colleges and Universities."

ACTA conducted research to see whether 100 major institutions require seven key subjects: English composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics and science. What ACTA found was found was alarming, reporting that "Even as our students need broad-based skills and knowledge to succeed in the global marketplace, our colleges and universities are failing to deliver. Topics like U.S. government or history, literature, mathematics, and economics have become mere options on far too many campuses. Not surprisingly, students are graduating with great gaps in their knowledge -- and employers are noticing."

Read the rest of Williams' column here.  And for more on education from Walter Williams (and Thomas Sowell and John Stossel), check out the video below as the case for school vouchers is eloquently made.