Mark Edmundson's On The Uses Of A Liberal Education

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Mark Edmundson wrote his essay titled “On the Uses of a Liberal Education” in 1997. As an English professor at the University of Virginia, Edmundson experienced a front-row view seat to the changes that were happening around the university. Throughout his essay, Edmundson gives his views and thoughts of how the college experience and expectations of those attending college have changed over the decades around the university he teaches and around the world. While these changes that Edmundson observes were probably somewhat of a shock during the seventies, these changes are needed to make the college more competitive in todays fast-past society. We live in a generation where making life easier is considered better.
Edmundson argues that colleges
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Edmundson refers to the colleges as to looking like a “retirement spread for the young” (43). Many colleges choose to spend money on new construction of attractions like fields for football and track teams or aquatic centers for swim teams. Colleges are also renovating places like dorms and adding small amenities like mobile vendor carts and latte carts to draw in the young people. I have not had much experience in the on-campus life, but what little time I have spent at Butler’s campus was in the library taking a test. For me, I found the Library Latte/Smoothie/Coffee Bar to be a nice bonus to have wile I was testing. These added amenities are things that help make the college experience a little …show more content…
According to Edmundson, universities are trying to stay attractive by loosing up (44). Professors are grading softer so that students will attend their classes. This change attracts more students because many students are looking for an easy way to get through the college years. Professors are also choosing to hold back on confronting students so not to offend them. Another change that Edmundson reports is that departments are changing the requirements that students must have before they reach graduates status. I wonder what kind of response Edmundson might have to that fact that many colleges have added on-line courses to their schedule. I am sure this would be a huge no-no in his thoughts, but on-line classes have made it easier for those in rural America to enroll and attend college.
All in all, Edmundson shares some very excellent points, or changes, that I have never really considered myself. While most of these changes may have seemed to Edmondson as invasions of the college experience, I don’t agree that the changes are a bad thing. With each new idea brought up by Edmondson, there seems to be significant results that occurred because of them. Had colleges rejected the changes being made to bring in the youth, the colleges would have seen a decline in attendance, which could of lead to

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