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activists, and civic leaders committed to advancing economic opportunity, individual liberty, and the rule of law in America and its great cities.  \nDecember 2025  \nCorrecting the Core:  \nUniversity General Education Requirements Need State Oversight  \nNeetu Arnold  \nPaulson Policy Analyst  \nManhattan Institute  \nIntroduction  \nUniversities across the U.S. are struggling to rebuild public trust, as many Americans are concerned about politicization and the return on investment of a college degree. At their best, universities impart knowledge and skills that students can apply both as informed citizens and in their careers. They are places of innovation, where research-driven students gain firsthand access to innovative technologies that shape our economy and drive our country’s success.  \nBut universities have abused their role as custodians of students and stewards of taxpayer dollars by blurring the line between education and activism, especially in introductory course work orin required courses necessary to fulfill general education requirements. One way to restore trust is for universities, as well as the public officials responsible for oversight at the state level, to revisit those general education requirements that students must complete at public universities.  \nThis report looks at ways to reduce politicization in general education courses and streamline the options offered to students. Key points:  \n• Revisions to general education requirements in Florida, which this brief uses as a case study, reduced activist-oriented courses and streamlined options for students.  \n• Diversity requirements, whether embedded in general education programs or stand-alone graduation mandates, remain present in 12 states with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) bans on the books.  \n• As public institutions funded by taxpayers, universities must ensure that general education courses are academically rigorous and broadly applicable, as opposed to advancing one political worldview.  \nThe report concludes that state lawmakers must take a more active role in revisiting general education requirements in order to restore trust in higher education.  \nCorrecting the Core: University General Education Requirements Need State Oversight  \nBackground: General Education Requirements  \nUniversities require general education to ensure that all graduates possess a standardized base of knowledge common to all students. This base is intended to cultivate within students a broad understanding of the fields of human inquiry and how various disciplines create, interpret, and apply knowledge. When executed well, students develop an appreciation for distinct methods, questions, and evidence that shape various fields of study by engaging in subjects outside their majors. They also have the opportunity to see where the various fields of human inquiry overlap. This kind of exposure builds intellectual flexibility so that students can engage responsibly with information in a pluralistic society.  \nThe advent of general education followed the rise of modern universities. Prior to general education requirements, American colleges followed a strict and narrower curriculum rooted in classical studies. Universities focused on subjects such as Greek, math, and theology.1 Students took the same courses with little flexibility for specialization or electives. But with the rise of professionally oriented programs driven by industrialization and the increased access to higher education through the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862, universities began to prioritize practical and vocational skills.2  \nYet the move to electives and specialization created its own set of challenges. University leaders noticed that students were increasingly disengaged from broader forms of knowledge and intellectual engagement. As former University of Chicago president Robert Maynard Hutchins put it: “The a","cbCaibqcaQ5xE1Db","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaibqcaQ5xE1Db","pdf",286512,16,"English","# Introduction\n# Background: General Education Requirements\n## Purpose of general education\n## Historical development\n## Current shortcomings\n# Report findings and key points\n## Florida revisions as case study\n## Diversity requirements and DEI bans\n## Need for state lawmakers to intervene","[{\"question\":\"What problem does the brief focus on regarding U.S. universities?\",\"answer\":\"It focuses on universities struggling to rebuild public trust as general education requirements blur education with activism, particularly in introductory and required courses.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the report propose restoring trust in general education?\",\"answer\":\"It argues that state-level oversight should revisit and update general education requirements so courses remain academically rigorous, broadly applicable, and aligned with widely shared civic and intellectual values.\"},{\"question\":\"What does the brief highlight as a key case study example?\",\"answer\":\"It highlights revisions to general education requirements in Florida that reduced activist-oriented courses and streamlined the options available to students.\"}]","Correcting the Core: University General Education Requirements Need State Oversight - Issue Brief | PDF",1792054080]