America’s professors — who largely preach the value of diversity — have become much less politically diverse.
In 25 years, we have seen an more than 40 percent increase in professors who identify as liberal. Liberal professors now outnumber conservatives 5-to-1.
60 percent of professors now identify as “liberal” or “far-left” according to a survey from the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA. In 1990, that percentage was 42 percent, and in that 25 year span, the amount of professors identifying as conservative dropped six percent.
What impact is that having on students?
In 2009, HERI found that the number of students who identified as liberal increased 9.2 percent from their freshman year to their senior year.
The slight good news is that, despite the overwhelming liberalism of their professors, the students surveyed in 2009 were still significantly less liberal than their teachers. But, a nearly 10 percent increase in liberal students should still give America pause.
Parents and taxpayers alike should be concerned that their money is going to a university system with professors more motivated by political ideology than by trying to help their students’ future employment prospects.
While professors have become more liberal, the return on investment of a college education has stalled. Instead of investing in innovation and vocational training (and maybe some new professors), colleges are burning millions on luxury amenities on campus.
For conservative parents, they probably care more about their students’ job prospects than simply hiring more conservatives. But, all Americans should wonder: do they go hand-in-hand?
The National Small Business Association found that small businesspeople are much more likely to identify as right-leaning, with 47 percent identifying as Republican, libertarian, or Tea Party, compared to just 22 percent who identify as Democrats.
Hiring those who do (businesspeople), versus just those who teach (academics), could both balance out the ideological makeup of university faculty and bolster graduates chances of success in the real world.
As campus protestors demand more faculty racial diversity — arguing that faculty should reflect the overall population — maybe our nation should demand more ideological diversity.
