Chuck O'Connor

So what’s your major?”

Ask that question on an average campus, and less than 1 in 10 students will answer something like music, art, theater, dance, film, design, or creative writing. And if they do, the usual reply is, “Hmm … that’s nice,” or “That sounds, um, fun.”
Let’s face it, the ranking of the academic species according to the most popular undergraduate majors goes something like this: business management, business marketing, business this or business that. Coming round the bend and still placing are education, the social sciences, the humanities, and, if you are pretty good at math, then science and engineering. Throw in a few pre-professional tracks like pre-med or nursing. And the arts usually fall somewhere toward the end of the list.

OK, I get it, the business of America is business, and there are many who would like it if universities were more like businesses themselves. A career in the arts is about as crazy a business model as you can find. Call it the Un-Business Plan. Talk about the Hail Mary pass of career choices! And guess what: That’s what makes the arts so essential on college campuses today. Continue reading →