Deep in the heart of "dumbing down"...

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Don't plan to major in physics if you enroll at Midwestern State University.

Effective immediately, new MSU students will be unable to choose the major that hones in on Legendre polynomials, Bessel functions, Fourier transforms, electromagnetic fields, quantum mechanics and relativity.

To save money, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board voted unanimously Thursday to shut down MSU's physics major and to phase out or consolidate five more of the 13 state undergraduate physics degree programs that it called "underperforming."

MSU has graduated seven physics majors in the past five years — too few to meet the state's new standard of 25 in a five-year period.

I've commented on this before in Scientific American regarding the actions of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (an oxymoron): in my 4.5 year matriculation to North Carolina A and T State University, 3 gentlemen graduated the Physics department May of 1981; I was the singular graduate in December 1984. Therefore, my Alma Mater could not achieve this Draconian, bare-faced libertarian criterian.

Nor, could any physics department - majority or minority institution.

Asia: India, China, Korea et al specifically are kicking our collective academic assets (pun intended). Austerity measures are anathema to STEM goals, and crowding more kids into colleges that for personal and financial reasons they planned not to attend will not increase the numerical graduation rates in Physics departments! That will not change the world economy, nor bring skilled labor back to US shores. That takes vision and political will, not stunts with employment figures and election cycles.

Without jobs, an economy or a future for our youth, there will simply be more demonstrations...

Closing/Dwindling Physics programs will lead talented professors to seek employment in more enlightened environs. That expected Exodus will affect engineering and science programs that stake their accreditation renewals on viable Physics departments existing on the Lone Star state's campuses. Texas is a large state, and has sway on the purchase of books and educational policy.

This is a "lose-lose" scenario for the state of Texas, and the nation...it should not be mimicked.

Times Record News-Witchita Falls: State's decision on physics classes affects MSU: University will no longer offer it as major