ASU Responds to Students' Criticisms

The administration at Angelo State University responded to the worries of their students published in an article by San Angelo LIVE! on Wednesday, in which students stated that their ASU Bachelor has not prepared them for the future.

Brian May, the president of the university, said, “The university degree does not guarantee you a job.”

He explained that an undergraduate degree should teach students critical thinking skills and prepare them to enter the workforce through the broad knowledge gained from their studies.

May said, “The overwhelming majority of your training is your first job.”

He stated that most employers are seeking to employ people that are trainable in their direct field. May said that receiving a college degree proves to employers that a person has the capability to be trained. 

The students quoted in the article also made mention of the lack of practical experience on the university’s behalf, stating the emphasis in their degree plans lies too heavily on theory-based education.

For those in college looking to find hands-on experience, May said, “...internships are key.” He added, “We have somewhere around 200 internships on this campus each year.”

However, while internships are available, they are not a requirement for every degree plan, which Vice President of Academic Affairs Nancy Allen explained as an issue of independent objectives. Not all students pursing the same degree are pursuing the same career, Allen said.

“It very much depends on the degree and the discipline...and it very much depends on the purposes of the degree,” she stated.

Allen said that the current design in place for the higher education system throughout the U.S. was established hundreds of years ago in order for students to have a choice that suits the concentration they are pursuing. 

Of the requirements of degrees Allen said, “They should not be cast broadly. They must be narrow and specific to each concentration.”

Although the administrators stated that there will be no changes to curriculum made in response to the recent issues brought up by students, May said, “I completely sympathize with those students’ comments. Trust me, I am concerned when they say things like that.”

He said, “We have to as an institution be open to change. Students are changing, attitudes are changing, the world is changing. So we have to be on top of that.”