For the last couple of weeks I've been gearing this column toward rock music, but today the subject being discussed is in no way, shape or form related to rock 'n' roll.
Instead, I'm interested in talking about the changing perception of Virginia Tech from a school only renowned for its engineering and architecture programs to one that is embracing the liberal arts. So my question is this: Why do other schools still refuse to recognize Tech as a viable institution for the liberal arts, and what can be done to change this?
Last weekend I went with the International Relations Organization at Virginia Tech to the Georgetown National Collegiate Security Conference where schools around the country come to Washington, D.C., and debate various topics; mine was the U.S. Strategic Planning Commission for the military.
Most of you out there would be more familiar with this if I referred to it as Model UN, which is much more widespread in high schools throughout Virginia.
The point is that there were a ton of colleges represented, but Tech was barely a blip on the radar. Even though the effort was made to put in the research and time necessary to succeed on these debate committees, we didn't have the sheer numbers to compete with the Ivy League, William and Mary and UVa delegations.
The irony was firmly in the back of my mind that we have an undergraduate population of 23,041, of which I'm sure a healthy percentage participated in Model UN or debate, or have an active interest in current events.
Even though for four weeks prior to the conference we'd discussed strategy at the IRO meetings in the Multicultural Center at Squires at 8 p.m., something was lost in translation. This is my primary example of what needs to be changed at this school in order to foster a more holistic liberal arts reputation, and show the Ivy League what's been coming to them.
No longer should students sit idly by and be content with this great institute languishing in a corner of the world of collegiate education; it's time to take the intellectual offensive.
While returning to the Georgetown Conference, I was talking with a couple of new friends I'd made in my committee. They might not have laughed outright when I told them of my English and pre-law major intentions at Tech, but there was a palpable sense of confusion that I would study such subjects at a technical institute.
The idea that seems to be often ignored is that Tech is a polytechnic institute, one that incorporates nearly all aspects of education into one college environment. Everyone here knows the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences here is rapidly expanding, but this information does not seem to be conveyed as a legitimate force to the rest of academia.
As a presumptuous freshman, I have no doubt that students can change this by moving from the ground up, starting at the club level and expanding academic programs to include plenty of extracurricular but educational options. Tech already has more than 600 student organizations; now students need to do something to spread its influence.
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Virginia Tech has long suffered from having only a small number of student groups--with equally small memberships, that seek to bring intellectual stimulation to the campus. I started the "Freethinkers at Virginia Tech" to combat part of this problem. Hopefully your opinion piece will shake a few people into doing a deeper search into the intellectual life of the Virginia Tech campus. Thanks.
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"No longer should students sit idly by and be content with this great institute languishing in a corner of the world of collegiate education; it's time to take the intellectual offensive." Is this really an issue? You don't go to a bowling alley if you want to play golf do you? Virginia Tech is and always has been a technical college. You have the opportunity to go to any school you want to, and if your focus is liberal arts then go to a school known for liberal arts, not a science and engineering college. Here's an intellectual discussion for you; why do people always try to change things that they're not satisfied with, when the real problem is that they made the wrong choice. City people move to the country and complain that it smells like cows and their neighbors shoot guns. What did they expect? People buy overpriced houses they can't afford, and complain when they end up upside down and in forclosure. Virginia Tech is not "languishing in a corner". It is a very well respected technical college, and any engineer will tell you, "don't fix it if it ain't broke."
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DK -- "Here's an intellectual e-discussion for you": Why do people always resist change? One of the reasons that Va Tech has become a great school is that it has always "seen" the future and adapted to it. When I pursued my MA and EdD at Tech, I was proud to do so because of its academic reputation. Although I am probably much older than you, the idea that Tech was an engineering school was passe to me even then. Tech was growing beyond that description 20 years ago! If Tech were content to remain only a science and engineering school, it would not attract the student applications and nationally acclaimed professors (such as Nikki Giovanni in English) that it does. And certainly you must agree that science and engineering thrive on change and we would "languish" in stasis and ignorance if we followed the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Promotion of intellectualism is a mutually beneficial endeavor in the modern interdisciplinary world.
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While I agree that pursuing change isn't a bad thing, I (as an engineer) would like to see our efforts into promoting and expanding our science, engineering, and technical programs instead. As DK pointed out, this is a technical college. How many technical colleges other than VT are there in VA? Maaaaybe GMU? When I realized that I had to go in-state to afford school, and I knew I wanted to do engineering, I realized my choices had been whittled down to... VT. While all my friends going in to liberal arts could choose to go to UVA, William and Mary, or a slew of smaller schools. I like the idea of expanding our abilities in terms of our technical programs; they bring prestige to the university and it's something you just can't get anywhere else in VA.
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Rebecca, people resist change because too often it's driven by idealism, bears no fruit, and ends up worse off than it began. I have no problem with Tech growing and providing a respectable liberal arts education, but I think it's absurd to be upset that VT is not at the forefront of liberal arts education... Science and Technology thrive on continuous improvement and new ideas, but change in the context of this discussion is counterproductive in my opinion. Something I think engineers are good at is recognizing the purpose of something and how well it performs. A toaster is good at making toast, but it makes a terrible vacuum when compared to... a vacuum cleaner. You can make a better toaster, or you can make a better vacuum cleaner, but trying to combine the two will likely result in poor performance of both of the functions. Can Tech serve both purposes well? I think it can, but would be more productive to concentrate its resources on improving its strengths.
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Point of information. Virginia Tech has actually been "Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University" since 1970, meaning we are self-designated as a comprehensive research university. We have not been a technical college for nearly 40 years. http://www.vt.edu/about/about-university.html
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Believe it or not, DK, the liberal arts also thrive on continuous improvement and new ideas. Suggesting that VT simply leave the liberal arts by the wayside because 'it isn't something the school is known for' would require a re-evaluation of the nature of both intellectual and scientific development over the course of history. I mean, think about it - computers haven't been around for forever. And yet, the school has invested a wealth of its resources in developing computer science and computer engineering programs. Why shouldn't other areas of study receive the same sort of support? Is it because they are 'less lucrative?' Serve a 'lesser purpose?' I'd have to disagree with both assertions - it is folly, of course, to measure the value of a profession solely in terms of the money involved (otherwise, VT ought to drop all academic courses and seek only to turn out competent athletes!). Incidentally, the liberal arts provide an intellectual release which actually encourages productivity - so even if you don't study philosophy, music, visual art, or any other liberal arts field, chances are you benefit from them anyway.
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Kyle, I think we agree completely. I already said, "I have no problem with Tech growing and providing a respectable liberal arts education, but I think it's absurd to be upset that VT is not at the forefront of liberal arts education... " My issue is with the author's claim that VT is "languishing in a corner of the world of collegiate education" just because the liberal arts curriculum doesn't compete with established liberal arts colleges. I think you'd find that those college's engineering programs don't hold a candle to VT, and likely never will.
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