Liberal Arts in the Doldrums

Dr. Hampton's timely book provides many great examples, anecdotes, and stories about the importance of a liberal arts foundation for future businesspeople, educators, health professionals and others. Families, students, politicians, and the public will welcome his recommendations for infusing the key skills of decision-making, critical thinking, communicating, and problem-solving more explicitly into the college curriculum. The real-world exercises and cases are compelling. This book is a great read. It reminds us that an impactful liberal arts education can help shape morality, cultural understanding, and civil discourse in today's challenging and complex world. -- Mary Kate Naatus, PhD, Associate Professor, Saint Peter's University, and Director of Research, Ignite Institute
John Hampton's book reviews the issues facing higher education from a variety of viewpoints: psychology, logic, external review boards, and risk management. The thrust of the treatise is to promote critical thinking so students are prepared to make sound decisions as they pursue their goals for a successful life. Questions prod professors to consider the "sage on the stage" method of teaching and engage in an interactive process to stimulate critical thinking. The professoriate is in a difficult position; one that requires instructors to jump through hoops dictated by archaic practices. Is holding the Ph.D the best way to prepare a person to inform others? This is a call to re-examine the "way it's always been done. -- Joan Coll-Reilly, PhD, Emerita Professor and former associate dean, Seton Hall University
In his effort to influence higher education reform, Dr. Hampton addresses certain misguided practices in the liberal arts. In his third book, he proposes changes to the undergraduate curriculum and the need to redirect the focus of the professoriate. As a very-satisfied, Psychology 101 student of Professor James Maas at Cornell University, I totally understand Dr. Hampton's comments. As a finance professional and part-time professor, I find the book to be a mixture of enlightening, unfortunately realistic, and hopeful suggestions for the future. If his well-conceived ideas are implemented, the liberal arts curricula and professoriate can be improved, perhaps significantly. -- Michael J. Wynne, PhD, Senior Managing Director at Mid-Market Securities, LLC, and Adjunct Professor, New York University
Jack Hampton's treatise on the state of liberal arts in higher education is sobering. It provides hope that wind will again fill the sails of this course of study and move it out of the figurative Doldrums. Restoring its value will require all of us - academics, employers, students and parents of future graduates - to apply the critical thinking fostered by the liberal arts. I am grateful that my family and teachers encouraged me to major in the liberal arts, not because of an arrogant belief that it is superior to others, but because it exposed me to diverse subjects and perspectives. Jack's book is a welcome call to arms to promote truth and discern facts from beliefs. Are we up to this challenge? Let's hope so. -- Regis Coccia, President, Wordsmith Strategic Communications LLC