Joint Statement: COVID-19 and the Key Role of the Humanities and Social Sciences in the United States

08/13/2020

Dear ACLS Community,

I am pleased to share an important statement on behalf of the humanities and social sciences in institutions of American higher education that I am glad to have helped develop.

On behalf of the thousands of students, faculty, and members of scholarly societies devoted to the study of humanity, we call on all leaders of institutions of higher education to uphold the central importance of the humanities and the social sciences as you make important decisions that will shape the institutions under your stewardship for years and perhaps generations to come.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT HERE

The signers – including myself and many of our learned societies, as well as the leaders of a variety of academic organizations, libraries, and research centers across the country – attest to the value of humanistic study and research and offer their support to administrators making difficult budgetary decisions this academic year.

Together we are stewards of a terrifically rich, thought-provoking, civically valuable array of fields and disciplines. While we face challenging times, we value your commitment and efforts and thank you for your continued support on behalf of our scholarly community and humanistic knowledge itself.

Best wishes,

Joy