Eric Kaler calls this a "turbulent time." As president of the University of Minnesota, he knows that everyone is worried about the cost of college. And that the U itself is under pressure to change with the times.
What might that mean for the liberal arts? For online classes? For tuition?
Kaler offered some thoughts about the challenges facing the U as it embarks on a yearlong process to develop a new strategic plan for the Twin Cities campus.
His comments have been edited.
Q. Are the liberal arts falling out of favor?
A. I think the downfall of the liberal arts that you can read about in the press is a little overwrought. The fact [is] that American higher education remains the best in the world — people still come to the U.S. to get a great education. The core of that is the liberal arts.
[Business leaders] say they need employees who communicate well, who work well with others, who understand different cultures, who can adapt to changing circumstances. All of those are what a liberal arts education gives you. So that says to me that the core of what we do is important.
Having said all of that, I do think that there's an expectation from students and their families that when you graduate from the University of Minnesota, that you have a set of skills that enables you to be employable.
