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AAU Humanities

Humanities

The humanities are crucial for students from all backgrounds. In a humanities education, students learn how to think critically and use problem-solving skills. Researchers in the humanities also help us preserve and understand our own history. The art and culture of our country is protected by those working in the humanities. This helps us to remember our past and prepare for our future.

Today more than ever, our country faces complex challenges. Universities are working to ensure the health and safety of all Americans. A strong humanities education is needed to meet those goals. AAU urges Congress to invest in and protect the humanities, so that Americans can celebrate the fabric of our past, while taking on the challenges of our future.

Learn more about AAU's work on the humanities:
 

NEH Budget Request
Fact Sheets

National Endowment for the Humanities AAU FY21 Funding Brief

AAU urges Congress to provide at least $170 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities in FY21.
Humanities Indicators
Reports

Report Highlights: The Humanities in American Life

Released in November 2020 by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, this report provides insights from a nationally representative survey of the public's attitudes and engagement with the humanities. 

Search our Key Issues Library

Browse recent items or search for a specific topic or document.

Date

AAU Joins Letter Opposing Proposed Rule Changes to NRC and FLAS

AAU, along with 15 other higher education organizations, joined a comment letter led by ACE to the U.S. Department of Education regarding the proposed rules for the National Resource Centers (NRC) Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.015A, and the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.015B.
Letters | Humanities

FY25 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Appropriations Talking Points

A humanities education provides individuals from all disciplines with the critical thinking and problem-solving knowledge and skillsets needed to address complex health, security, climate, and societal challenges.
Agency Budgets | FY24 | Federal Budget | Talking Points | Humanities | National Endowment for the Humanities

AAU FY22 Funding Priorities Table

This table represents the current status of FY22 appropriations for AAU’s funding priorities at the Departments of Education, Energy, and Defense as well as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, AFRI, and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
Fact Sheets | Federal Budget | FY22 | Humanities | Appropriations Tables | National Institutes of Health | Department of Defense | Department of Energy | NASA | Department of Education | National Endowment for the Humanities | Agriculture & Food Research Initiative

National Endowment for the Humanities FY22 Funding Brief

A robust humanities education is critical to cultivating a broadly-educated workforce ready to compete in the knowledge-based, global 21st Century economy. From the basic building blocks of early education, to the highest levels of academic attainment, humanities fields provide individuals from all disciplines, including science, technology, engineering, & mathematics (STEM), with critical thinking, problem-solving, communi-cation, and analytical skills, competencies, and the expertise needed to fill public, private, and non-profit sector jobs. AAU urges Congress to contin-ue the long-standing practice of funding NEH at the same level as the National Endowment for the Arts.
Federal Budget | FY22 | Humanities | Issue Brief | National Endowment for the Humanities

AAU Summary of the President's FY22 Proposed Budget

An overview of the President's proposed budget for FY22, including summaries and analyses for individual agencies.
Federal Budget | FY22 | Humanities | Analysis | National Institutes of Health | National Science Foundation | Department of Defense | Department of Energy | NASA | Department of Education | National Endowment for the Humanities | Agriculture & Food Research Initiative

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