Sherman, Texas -- Andy Hines will present the annual A.J. Carlson Lecture on the Liberal Arts, titled “Liberal Arts and the Right to Teach and Learn in the United States.” The lecture will take place on Wednesday, September 24, in Wright Campus Center, Mabee Hall. A reception will be held at 4:30 p.m. and the lecture will begin at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Andy Hines is the author of Outside Literary Studies: Black Criticism and the University (Chicago 2022) and the editor of University Keywords (JHU Press 2025). His writing on liberal arts education, the political economy of higher education, and the function of educational institutions has appeared in Public Books, Protean Magazine, PMLA, American Quarterly, and Pedagogy, among other venues. He is the Senior Associate Director of the Aydelotte Foundation at Swarthmore College.
The A.J. Carlson Lecture on the Liberal Arts honors the late Dr. A.J. “Jack” Carlson, who joined the Austin College history faculty in 1962. Carlson arrived at Austin College as a scholar of early modern European history and grew professionally under the influence of President John D. Moseley to become not only the Dean of Humanities but also one of the College’s leading voices in support of liberal arts education. Jack’s courageous defense of liberal arts education never weakened despite the many financial pressures confronting the College; on the contrary, the consistency of his voice remained a major influence at the College throughout his long and productive career.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow an 11:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.
