Letter to the Editor: PSU Lacks Respect for its Community

Jessica Karspeck

Contributor

3/6/25

What a disappointment and disservice to the students and faculty who have worked tirelessly throughout the years to build and complete their degrees. Not only is this proposal absurd, but it would eliminate the majors we need most with the current state of our world. Higher education is not merely about career training- it is about cultivating well-rounded, informed individuals. 

Cutting the humanities would strip away valuable learning opportunities, shifting Plymouth State University away from its role as a center for higher education and making it more like a narrowly focused trade school. How can this institution pride itself on offering a “comprehensive education” while dismantling core humanities departments that foster critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills? President Birx claims changes need to be made, but this decision will only hurt the financial status of this university. If they are concerned about enrollment dropping, they are in for a rude awakening when those numbers triple, not to mention the students who would transfer if this plan became solidified. 

As someone who once praised this university, I am now embarrassed to be associated with an institution that disregards the very faculty and students who have shaped its legacy. A school that does not respect its hardworking community does not deserve our loyalty.

Sincerely,

Jessica Karspeck

Class of 2026