Welcome additions

The decision to create separate schools of business and education at Hopkins is a tremendous and positive step for the University. Two significant holes in the institution will soon be plugged and there is little doubt that, in due time, both programs will emerge as leaders in their respective fields. Our thanks go out to William Polk Carey, whose donation has made this addition possible.

Initial reports suggest that the Carey School of Business is going to be a standout in the world of business education. The University has made the right choice by requiring that students studying in the business program earn undergraduate degrees in a field other than business.

Rather than producing graduates who know only business -- as is the case at other five-year BA/MBA programs that offer a business major -- the school will instill an in-depth business education within a liberal arts context. By doing so, the school will be training MBAs who are specialists in a variety of other fields.

We hope that the Carey School will open its doors in a timely fashion. Allowing current sophomores and freshmen to take advantage of its offerings seems a worthy goal.

We also hope that, operating in conjunction with the Hopkins hospital system, the Carey School will direct significant effort toward improving this country's inadequate health services industry, perhaps by encouraging public health majors to take advantage of the undergraduate program. Far from simply producing a new generation of millionaires, the Carey School will have the opportunity to make a positive difference in society at large. Of course, those millionaires won't hurt either -- particularly when it comes time to seek alumni donations.

The establishment of a school of education also comes to our great surprise and delight. Less is known about that new program's plan, but we are confident that it will soon be producing fine educators and important research. A great deal of excellent scholarship on the subject of education already occurs in Hopkins' humanities and social sciences departments and the presence of a school dedicated to the field cannot help but enhance their endeavors.

However, while a Hopkins school of education will surely perform vital research, it must also be tasked with infusing the ailing schools of Baltimore City with capable professionals. Initiative aimed specifically at improving Baltimore City public schools should be a central focus of the school.

We also recommend that the school offer teaching certificate programs for Hopkins undergraduates so that they can accept teaching jobs upon graduation. There is no question that many Hopkins students will register.

With these new schools, Hopkins' standing as an institution will rise and its academic mission will be substantially furthered. Today, the future of the University looks a bit brighter.