CUNY Boosts Humanities Support Amid National Enrollment Declines

In an era where humanities majors across the United States are experiencing sharp enrollment drops, the City University of New York (CUNY) is charting a different course. While many institutions grapple with budget cuts and program eliminations, CUNY has launched targeted initiatives to bolster its humanities offerings. This strategic push comes at a critical moment, as national data reveals a decade-long decline in humanities bachelor's degrees, with only 161,000 awarded in 2024 despite the field's enduring value in fostering critical thinking, cultural awareness, and ethical reasoning.

CUNY's response underscores a commitment to preserving liberal arts education within a public university system serving over 240,000 students, predominantly from underserved communities. Recent overall enrollment gains—up 3 percent year-over-year into 2025—provide a stable foundation, allowing investments in humanities amid broader national pressures favoring STEM and vocational programs.

National Trends: A Shrinking Share for Humanities

The decline in humanities enrollment reflects multiple factors: shifting student priorities toward job-ready skills, rising tuition costs, political debates questioning the field's utility, and demographic changes reducing the traditional college-age population. According to recent surveys, undergraduate enrollment in humanities courses stood at 5.6 million in fall 2023 across 14 disciplines, but bachelor's completions have fallen steadily since 2014. Elite universities like the University of Chicago have even suspended art history graduate admissions for 2026-27 due to funding shortages.

Public institutions face acute challenges, with layoffs and restructurings widespread. West Virginia University slashed humanities faculty, while fears of 'existential threats' loom at scores of campuses. At CUNY, however, humanities remain integral to general education requirements, with cohort-based models closing equity gaps for students of color and first-generation learners.

CUNY's Flagship Response: The Gary Schwartz Endowed Scholarship

Leading the charge is Macaulay Honors College, CUNY's selective honors program, which announced the Gary Schwartz Endowed Scholarship for Advanced Study in the Humanities in April 2026. Funded by a $250,000 endowment from founding director and retired classics professor Gary Schwartz, the scholarship targets undergraduates eyeing doctoral paths. It offers two annual awards: up to $7,000 for research, fieldwork, study abroad, and graduate preparation; and $3,000 for experiential learning like internships or professional placements. First recipients arrive in 2027-28.

Schwartz, with 52 years at CUNY, aimed to counter national 'attacks' on the field: 'The humanities have been whacked... I wanted to provide real firepower for committed students lacking financial backing.' CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez praised it as vital amid shrinking graduate support outside STEM: 'Nationally, support for arts and humanities at the graduate level seems to be shrinking.'

Broadening Support: Humanities Alliance and Beyond

CUNY's efforts extend further through the CUNY Humanities Alliance, a Mellon Foundation-backed program training graduate students for community college teaching. Recent grants include $1.25 million to Lehman College for the Bronx Food Humanities Program (launched February 2026), partnering with Bronx Community College to explore food justice via interdisciplinary lenses. Past Mellon awards, like $5 million for humanities internships at City College and $3.15 million for Graduate Center initiatives, underscore sustained philanthropic commitment.

The 2026-2034 Master Plan integrates humanities into experiential learning for 60 percent of undergraduates, including paid internships, undergrad research, and a new Ph.D. in Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies. Digital humanities gains traction via Macaulay's MA and online expansions reaching working adults.

Stakeholder Perspectives: Faculty, Students, and Leaders Weigh In

Dean Dara Byrne of Macaulay Honors highlights preparation gaps: 'Even talented first-gen students need mentors to see humanities careers beyond coursework.' Faculty emphasize long-term value: Schwartz advises, 'Pursuing a Ph.D. is a first step for serious scholars with long lives ahead.' Students benefit from holistic advising bridging academia and professions like policy, nonprofits, and tech ethics.

CUNY's diverse demographics—77 percent students of color, 54 percent first-gen—amplify impact. Programs like SEEK and Black Male Initiative embed humanities in equity-focused support, boosting retention from 53 percent six-year bachelor's rates.

Why Humanities Matter: Careers and Societal Impact

Beyond academia, humanities grads excel in versatile roles: law, business, media, public service. CUNY embeds career connections, scaling apprenticeships and credentials. Amid AI's rise, skills in analysis, communication, and ethics are irreplaceable. The Master Plan projects 80,000 community college and 150,000 senior undergrads by 2030, with humanities sustaining NYC's cultural economy—80 percent of grads stay local.

Challenges persist: FY2026 budget requests $13.4 million for STEM/Health/Arts majors, but humanities-specific lines are bundled. Philanthropy fills gaps, as state per-student funding lags 17 percent since 2008.

Comparisons and Lessons from Peer Institutions

Unlike cuts at West Virginia or Chicago, CUNY's model blends access and excellence. Similar boosts elsewhere—Mellon grants nationwide—signal pushback. CUNY's tuition-free majority (two-thirds undergrads) and debt-free three-fourths enable risk-taking. Lessons: targeted endowments, alliances, interdisciplinary fusion.

Inside Higher Ed details the Schwartz scholarship, highlighting its timeliness.

Future Outlook: Sustainability and Expansion

CUNY's Master Plan eyes 2030 growth via online (287 programs), P-20 pipelines, and AI-infused general education. Humanities enrollment stabilization hinges on marketing career ROI, equity supports, and funding wins—like 17 percent state boost to $2.48 billion. Projections: offset demographic cliffs with migrants, adults. Experts foresee humanities rebound if public systems like CUNY lead.

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Actionable Insights for Students and Faculty

• Explore Macaulay Honors for merit aid and humanities depth.
• Leverage Humanities Alliance for teaching paths.
• Pursue experiential opps: internships yield 20 percent retention boost.
• Advocate: Join CUNY Rising Alliance for funding.

CUNY exemplifies resilience, proving humanities thrive with investment. As national declines persist, its model offers a blueprint for public higher ed's future.

CUNY's 2026-2034 Master Plan outlines long-term strategies.