The moral bankruptcy of abolishing the Honours Programme

With the proposed budget cuts at the national level, Utrecht University will have to cut back on its expenditures. The Humanities Faculty has come with a so-called ‘transition plan’ in which it outlines various measures it will take to decrease costs. One of those is getting rid of the Honours Programme.  

I would personally cut back on a host of other things before touching the Honours Programme, such as cutting back on the money going to Article Processing Charges and decreasing the amount of managers and coaches. Yet the decision itself is not what bothers me. The justification for why specifically the Honours Programme will be cut lays bare the moral bankruptcy of the Humanities Faculty. In the transition plan one can read the following: “Relatively a lot is provided within the Honours program for a very small group of students, and it no longer aligns with inclusive education (‘everyone is excellent’).” 

Particularly jarring is the second part of that sentence: “no longer aligns with inclusive education (‘everyone is excellent’). If one ever needs an example of modern use of doublespeak, look no further. To excel implies that one exceeds normal performance; Olympic athletes excel compared to other athletes – they are faster, stronger, have more endurance or have some other attribute not shared by the vast majority of other athletes, let alone the average Joe. We value the virtues that are needed to achieve these great feats: perseverance, pride, productiveness, and many others. Many of our own students performed great feats during the last Olympics.   

There can be many different ways in which students can excel. Students can not only excel in sports, but also in other extracurricular activities, for example by starting their own successful company or by joining the board of their student association. It’s a good thing that Utrecht University facilitates these different ways in which students can excel. It allows them to explore their interests and to make the most out of themselves, while also providing the university with various benefits such as reputation, financial gains, and a strong community.  

During times of financial hardship, universities might not be able to facilitate all these different ways in which students can excel. This is fine, but one shouldn’t pretend that all students are equal. There will be students who apply themselves more to intellectual pursuits and who will come up with more creative or interesting ideas than their peers, who will push themselves in the application of those ideas. Even when institutional support isn’t possible, we should morally support and celebrate the virtues and achievements of those who go above and beyond. Pretending all efforts are equal doesn’t elevate anyone; instead, it diminishes the accomplishments of those who truly excel.