InsideHigherEd reported bad news yesterday on funding for history departments in the United States. Here are some of the numbers (specific and vague) derived from an AHA survey of history departments compiled by Robert Townsend:
1. The AHA sent surveys to 110 history departments and received responses from 63.
2. Two-thirds of that 63 are experiencing budget cuts (so 42?).
3. (a) 5 departments reported being relatively untouched (but according the number above it should be 21, yes?).
(b) 15 characterized their cuts as “modest.”
(c) The rest (either 42 or 27?) I guess are experiencing severe cuts? Perhaps the 15 + 5 equals roughly the 1/3 that are not being characterized as facing cuts, leaving the 43 others in severe mode?
4. “Most departments reported freezes on hiring.”
5. “Most departments reported salary freezes.”
6. “Departments with graduate programs generally said that they had cut slots for students.”
7. “Other cuts included non-academic staff positions, travel, and supplies (especially paper).”
I hope this will not be the case, but I fear the last line means that we’ll see folks backing out of the Second Annual USIH Conference this fall. – TL
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