I signed the petition to save the Humanities and the Arts at Stony Brook University because I’m trying not to feel completely hopeless.
Because when the university releases a new financial plan, I can guess what was cut without looking.
Because the root of the word university means “the whole” and Stony Brook continually shows it cares only about a portion.
Because the Dean of Arts and Sciences is supposed be an advocate for the arts and the sciences.
Because the university doesn’t think I do “research” because it happens in a library and not a lab.
Because that’s ridiculous.
Because STEM classes are held in the new Humanities building and humanities classes in the old Physics building.
Because purposely making classes in certain majors difficult to enroll in and then claiming no one is enrolling is a blatant abuse of power.
Because I want my degree to be from a school that values the degree it is giving me.
Because education that forces people into technical or vocational training is a recipe for an oligarchy.
Because running the school “like a business” isn’t license to label certain degrees as negligible.
Because students of the humanities are encouraged to think more deeply, leading us to see when those in power are wrong and to do something about it.
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