Over the next few years,as labor markets struggle,the humanities will probablycontinue their long slide in succession. There already has been a nearly 50percent decline in the portioK of liberal arts majors over the past generation,and it is logical to think that the trend is bound to continue or even accelerate.Once thedominant pillars of university life,the humanities now play little roles when students take their college tours.These days,labs are more vivid and co mpelling than libraries.