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Jay Schalin's Point of View article on the report of the UNC Tomorrow commission ("Misguided agenda for universities, Jan. 1) is distressing and shortsighted, and not just because it fails to recognize the importance of education at every level for the future of our state. More troubling is an approach it shares with the commission and with many other recent reports on education -- the view that the purpose of education is primarily, maybe even exclusively, "work force preparation."Sure, that's important, but in today's world so are three other things: readiness to participate in a democracy, understanding of global context and, not least, ability to think broadly, critically, creatively.For these purposes, the study of history, political institutions and practices, global societies, human values, literature and the arts is essential. Paradoxically, if we neglect them, we risk losing the creativity and adaptability that are our best hope for success as individuals and as a society.W. Robert ConnorPresident, The Teagle FoundationHillsborough(The writer was formerly director of the National Humanities Center in Research Triangle Park.)
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