Major Misunderstandings
Faculty union leaders would have you believe that the humanities are going away at the University of Vermont ["Major Fallout," January 27]. That's not the case. The reality is that even after the College of Arts and Sciences' plan is implemented, thousands of students will still be able to take classes in classical civilization, Latin and religion, among other disciplines.
All that is happening is that some majors, minors and master's programs that attract very few students, and require significant resource commitments, will be phased out. Students currently in these programs will be able to complete their chosen degree. Even once the majors are retired, there are courses within each major that will continue to be taught. The enrollment in each one of the majors proposed for termination amounts to less than half of one percent of the college's total student enrollment of approximately 4,650 students. UVM will still offer a comprehensive liberal arts education. Nearly a third of the remaining 44 majors and more than a third of the remaining 52 minors will be in the arts and humanities.