Cuts and Threats to Philosophy Programs
CategoryThe Reinstatement of an Undergraduate Philosophy Program
In 2019, Janet Levit, the then-provost of the University of Tulsa, arranged for the elimination of the school’s philosophy major. Now, new leadership at the university has committed to rebuilding its philosophy program. (more…)
University of Roehampton Possibly “Closing” Philosophy
The University of Roehampton in London is one of several UK universities that have recently announced budget-related closures of programs and the laying off of faculty, including, reportedly, in philosophy. (more…)
Philosophy Under Threat at SUNY Potsdam
“Our department is being threatened with elimination even though by all measures, except number of majors, we excel.” (more…)
Nebraska Board of Regents Cuts Philosophy at Nebraska-Kearney
The ax came down on the philosophy major at University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) this past Friday. (more…)
How Does Your University Count Double Majors?
The philosophy major program at the University of Nebraska, Kearney (UNK) is facing elimination, mainly over issues of low enrollments and numbers of majors, and one issue of contention between UNK’s Department of Philosophy and administration is how students double-majoring in philosophy and another field should be counted. (more…)
Save Philosophy at Bloomsburg
“In its desperate need to scapegoat something other than its own misadventures overbuilding, over-spending on everything but education… BU finds itself unable to fulfill its central mission: educational opportunity across that wide swath of disciplines that define a university.” (more…)
Nebraska at Kearney Philosophy Major May Be Eliminated (Updated)
The philosophy major at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) “is being considered for discontinuation.”
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Devastating Cuts at Laurentian University To Philosophy & Many Other Programs
Following years of extraordinary mismanagement by administrators, Laurentian University is attempting to address its current financial insolvency by eliminating a shocking number of academic programs and tenured positions. The Department of Philosophy and several of its faculty are among those slated for elimination. (more…)
The Battle for Philosophy in Serbian Schools (guest post)
Recently, the Serbian government eliminated philosophy from its required courses in high schools, replacing it with a set of electives (one of which is “logic and ethics”), and raising concerns not just about the education of students but also about those responsible for teaching the philosophy courses losing their jobs. (more…)
Western Oregon Plans to Cut Philosophy Major & Minor
Western Oregon University (WOU) is planning to eliminate several degree programs, including its philosophy major and minor, and laying off half of its philosophy faculty. (more…)
To Help Avert University’s “Hunger Games,” A Philosopher Steps Down
Philosopher John Sutton will be voluntarily stepping down from his position as professor in the Department of Cognitive Science at Macquarie University as a way of helping his colleagues avoid a “Hunger Games”-style plan imposed by the university to cut faculty. (more…)
Guilford College Plans to Cut Philosophy Major — and 19 Others (updated)
Carol Moore, the interim president of Guilford College in North Carolina, has announced plans to “phase out 19 of its 42 academic majors,” including philosophy, and “cut 27 faculty positions, or 30% of its full-time faculty,” according to the News & Record. (more…)
Cabrini University to Cut Philosophy Major
Cabrini University, a Catholic College in Pennsylvania, has announced that it is eliminating several programs, including its philosophy major. (more…)
Midgley on Dummett & Strawson on Closing Philosophy Departments
He told me flatly that it was wrong in principle to try to preserve all these provincial academic departments. Philosophy, he said, was a serious and highly technical subject which should only be studied at its own proper level. Any less professional approaches to it were useless and might even do harm. (more…)
Philosophy Threatened at Baker University
The administration of Baker University in Kansas has decided that in order to address the financial difficulties it is facing owing to the pandemic, its students should no longer be able to major in philosophy. (more…)
Cuts at Ithaca College Include Philosophy
Following up on a fall announcement of pending faculty and program cuts, the administration of Ithaca College has released a draft proposal specifying who and what is to be eliminated. (more…)
Can Small, Non-Mainstream Philosophy Departments Flourish?
“It has been painful to witness the end of a programme in which we invested so much of our energy and creativity, a programme that was praised by students and external examiners, that featured innovative modules and assessments, that defied being classified as either European or analytic, that was for the larger part run by two women, neither of whom identify as ‘Wh..
Philosophy Threatened at University of Evansville (updated)
Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, the president of the University of Evansville, thinks it is a good idea to make sure future students at the school cannot study philosophy there, or computer science, or history, or music, or political science, or physics, or… well, the list goes on. (more…)
Philosophy Under Threat at St. Mary’s College
The administration at St. Mary’s College of Maryland is considering eliminating the school’s philosophy programs. (more…)
Protesting Cuts to Philosophy Departments Can Make A Difference
Recently announced plans to cut philosophy programs at the University of the West of England at Bristol (UWE) and Adrian College in Michigan have been reversed. (more…)
Philosophy Canceled at Southwest Baptist University
Is the administration at Southwest Baptist University (SBU) scared of philosophy? (more…)
Philosophy Under Threat at Adrian College
The Department of Philosophy, Religion, and Leadership at Adrian College in Michigan is one of three departments targeted for elimination by the administration of the university. (more…)
Update on Philosophy at Carthage College
Last month, John Swallow, the president of Carthage College, proposed a plan that would restructure the school, closing several departments, including philosophy. He has now decided on which parts of the plan to follow through on. (more…)
Australian Philosophers Object to Proposed Tuition Hikes for Philosophy Students
In June, Australian Minister of Education Dan Tehan announced a proposal to “double down on our core mission of educating Australians for the jobs that will be in demand in the future” that would lower university costs for science, engineering, information technology, nursing, etc., but raise costs for those studying philosophy and other humanities fields by 113%. (..
Philosophy Department and Others Targeted by Cuts at Canisius College
John J. Hurley, the president of Canisius College, a private liberal arts college in upstate New York, has announced that the school plans on laying off faculty, many tenured, including members of the Department of Philosophy. (more…)
Philosophy Threatened at Carthage College
John Swallow, the president of Carthage College, a liberal arts college in Wisconsin that bills itself as “widely recognized for excellence,” has announced an academic restructuring plan that eliminates the school’s Department of Philosophy and, possibly, its philosophy major and minor. (more…)
Philosophy Survives at Illinois Wesleyan
Today the Board of Trustees of Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) met to decide on their proposal, announced last month, to eliminate various programs and departments at the school, including philosophy. Not all programs survived, but philosophy did. (more…)
Philosophy at Illinois Wesleyan Threatened – Updated With Link to Petition
The Board of Trustees at Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) has proposed eliminating the school’s Philosophy Department, along with some other departments. (more…)