Florida colleges bursting atthe seams
By Joni James
The Orlando Sentinel
Knight - Ridder/Tribune News
Services
Too many students. Too little room.
No, it's not a rerun, just the higher
education sequel.
Less than a month after Florida's
public schools won $2.7 billion in
construction bonds to expand and
renovate classrooms, public
universities and community colleges
are beginning to sound their own
alarm.
Their spiel: The booming student
population forcing all that school
construction soon will reach college
age. And Florida's public universities
and community colleges aren't ready
for them. They say they need billions
of additional dollars for construction
if they're to serve the state's largest
ever high school graduation classes.
Despite construction on almost all
campuses, colleges haven't added
space at the same rate they've added
students. At the University of Central
Florida, for example, large classes
meet in a rented movie theater across
from campus. There aren't enough big
Critics fear court decisbn could
have chilling effect on student press
By Christine Tatum
CPS
A federal judge in Kentucky has
ruled that college administrators are
"entitled to exercise reasonable
control" over the content of some
campus publications.
While the decision only directly
impacts colleges and universities in
the U.S. District Court circuit
covering eastern Ken - ttieF); critics
fear it could lead to a crackdown
on other campus publications by
Affirmative action
draws protest at Uttiversity
of North Carolina
By Taylor Batten
The Charlotte Observer
Knight-Ridde'r/Tribune News Service
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.- As hundreds
of angry and determined students
protested, the nation's leading critic of
affirmative action took center stage at
UNC Chapel Hill Tuesday and
denounced racial preferences as
undercutting' America's quest for
equality.
Ward Connerly, the University of
California regent whO almost single
handedly ended affirmative action in
California last year, entered the fray
at UNC just as the university system
considers abolishing long-standing
race- based policies.
"Once the public understands the
way in which race is used, the extent
of the use of race ... then I think the
handwriting is on the wall for the
doom of affirmative action as we
knotv it," said COnnerly, who is black.
The spotlight, though, was less on
Connerly and more on the 250
students, black, white and other colors,
who filled the student union, and re
created a scene from the civil rights
battles of the 19605.
Fists pumping, feet stomping, they
chanted. Some were artgty. Some were
smiling in the cohesiveness of their
message. Leaders took turns shouting
into their megaphone and waiting for
the thunderous response.
"What do we want?"
"ACCESS!"
"When do we want it?"
"NOW!"
Then:
"No University Without Diversity!
No University Without Diversity!"
They came not only to denounce
Connerly, but to send a message to
university system President Molly
classrooms on campus. And though
UCF is going through a building
boom, it is also adding thousands
more students annually.
"We have supported the K- 12 effort
and let that he a priority," Board of
Regents Chairman Steve Uhlfelder
said. "Now the focus needs to he on
higher education."
It's not the first time higher
education has tried to persuade
lawmakers to spend more on
construction, which currently gets
money through the state's
utilities tax
Numerous attempts, including one
last year, to expand that tax to include
more utilities- such as cable bills- fell
flat.
Earlier this year, the Governor's
Commission on Education
resurrected a recurring proposal- to
increase the amount of tax money
going w higher education
construction from 40 percent to 60
percent. Such proposals have been
unpopular in the past because they
would take money away from public
school construction. But higher
education advocates argue public
schools have other ways to raise
school-officials nationwide
"This is going to have an effect
on student media around the
country," said Mark Goodman,
executive director of the Student
Press Law Center. "There's no way
legitimate news coverage won't fall
victim to this."
The recent decision violates
students' First Amendment rights,
Goodman said.
"[The judge] completely ignored
that the Supreme Court has also
Broad. Broad, responding to at least
three cdurt decisions across the nation
striking down racial preferences, has
ordered .university system leaders to
examine all race- based admissions
policies and scholarships. Those of
questionable legal ground will
changed.or abolished.
"The law of the Supreme Court kf
the United States is that race can bi a
factor," junior Ali Fischer yelled toile
throng of students. "(Broad) is
obligated as a representative oflhis
university to follow that law!"
A handful of students seeking tlend
affirmative action milled about.
"More highly qualified peop are
being turned down for the s e of
racial diversity," said Nathan Lowe,
a junior from Wadesboro who s vice
chairman of the conservative Itudent
1
group Common Sense. "Affiltative
action deflects attention away from
the major problem: Our Oublic
education system is in shambles."
Connerly was expected to ti)eak to
a mostly sympathetic crowillpf about
500. But organizers allowed more
than 100 protesters in right *fore the
speech'), fueling a hostile rebe,ption.
They hissed while ConAerly was
int4oduced. Cheers and bobs collided
as he took the stage, and later during
a question-and-answer session.
Connerly, 58, has emerged as the
country's most vocal and influential
enemy of affirmative action. In 1995,
he persuaded California's regents to
end all race-based hiring and
admissions at public universities. The
next year, he led the campaign for
Proposition 209, which banned racial
preferences in state government.
At the heart of the polarized groups
squaring off at UNC Tuesday is a
confounding issue being played out
across the nation: Do blacks and other
National Campus News Thursday, December 11, 1997 The Behrend College Collegian - Page 7
construction money, inc'ding
property taxes, that cone* and
universities do not.
College and university leads also
have asked the state to let use
tuition revenue to back comuction
bonds. But the Legislature I:th't go
for that idea three years ago
That any proposal can bsold in
Tallahassee this spring is oubtful.
Many politicians say the ding isn't
right. Not only are lawme-rs road
weary from last monti special
session on public schoof but both
the state university syscti and the
community colleges diviOn may be
without top leaders at Ili time.
Searches are under Ay to replace
Chancellor Charlie Rol as well as
Clark Maxwell, thqcommunity
college executive diritor who will
retire at the end of theear. Reed will
become chancellor )r California
State University in Mrch.
"It might be prernare," said Rep.
Lee Constantine,R-Altamonte
Springs. "For us to s'there and tell a
leaderless organizagp how they're
.•
going to build forte next decade
may not be wise." '
In the next dozekVears, more than
said that copges and universities
are uniqulPlaces where free
"...lt 1s reasonable
for thedministration to
want he yearbook to
focuskiainly on K.S.U."
/udge Joseph M. Hood
exprion should be protected," he
said.
critic
,minorities need special treatment to
overcome past and maybe current
discrimination? Or do such
preferences breed resentment, and
insult the very groups they aim to
help?
Connerly has a vision for America,
one in which race doesn't matter. The
civil rights legislation of the 19605,
he said, aimed to eliminate race as a
factor in American life. Somewhere
along the way, it re-entered.
The language in Proposition 209,
which bars discrimination or
preferences based on race, is
strikingly similar to the Voting Rights
Act of 1964, he said.
"In the 19605, I think there would
have been a parade in my honor if I
tried to get my nation to embrace this
policy," Connerly said.
Minorities may still face
discrimination, Connerly said.
"But practicing it and
institutionalizing it on the part of one
group to (help) another is not the way,
I will submit to you, that we're going
to get there," he said.
Connerly became visibly irked
during a 30-minute question-and
answer session as he was challenged
again and again.
One woman repeatedly demanded
to knqw why Connerly didn't oppose
admissions preferences for athletes or
students whose parents attended a
given school.
"I can't give you a response because
your qheering squad keeps jumping
in," a frustrated Connerly said.
Connerly, saying blacks still mainly
interact with blacks and whites with
whites, said diversity on today's
campus is shallow.
When diversity is achieved without
preferences, he said, "It will be much
sweeter, and much more enduring."
200,000 additional students are
expected to want to enroll in the
state's 28 community colleges and 10
public universities. Officials estimate
they'll need nearly $3 billion just in
the next five years to expand
campuses, despite adding distance
technology so students can learn from
home or remote sites.
The utilities tax, however, is
expected to provide only $l.l billion.
During last month's special session,
the Legislature voted to let
community colleges sell bonds
backed by their $l-per-credit-hour
fee for capital improvements. But the
fee, which raises just $6.4 million
annually, won't go far toward the $1.5
billion community college leaders say
they need.
"That bubble of students will go
through K-12 but once," said Paul
Gianini Jr., president of Valencia
Community College. "But they're
going to stay in our community
colleges and university system
forever because people need to come
back for new training ... Right now,
we don't have places to put them all."
Students at Kentucky State
University made similar arguments
after school officials refused to
distribute their yearbook. Officials
said they disliked the book because
it didn't include the school's colors
or captions under several
photographs, and failed to focus on
university activities.
"If you allow school officials to
use colors and captions as
justification for taking books off the
shelf, think of how easy it'll be for
them to censor whatever they want
for whatever reasons they want,"
Goodman said. "If they want
nothing more than a public
relations sheet for the school, then
they should be producing the
yearbook and not pretending its a
student publication."
But Judge Joseph M. Hood said
the university has a right to review
the annual publication. In his
decision, he cited the U.S. Supreme
Court's 1988 ruling in Hazelwood
School District v. Kuhlmeier,
which states school officials have
the right to censor articles in the
student newspaper that are deemed
contrary to the school's educational
mission. Generally referred to
today as "Hazelwood," the case and
the ruling remain at the center of
debate over student expression in
secondary schools.
"...It was reasonable for the
administration to want the
yearbook to focus mainly on
K.5.U.," Flood wrote.
Student journalists at North
Alabama University say they
already fear their school's
administrators will use Hood's
decision to justify prior review of
the campus newspaper.
"They want our faculty advisor to
look at all copy before it goes out
the door," said Tyler Greer,
managing editor of the "Flor-Ala."
"The potential for our advisor to
receive pressure from people above
her to take things out of the paper
or make unnecessary changes is
definitely there, and this case just
makes their argument stronger."
School officials, however, said
they do not plan on using the recent
ruling as justfication for censorship
of the campus paper. Instead, the
adviser says she reviews the paper
before it goes to press for grammar
and spelling errors only. "No one
here would stand for that," said
Mary Jennings, faculty adviser for
the "Flor-Ala."
Job market best
decade, survey finds
Unemployment is at
4.7 percent, the
lowest in 24 years
More than 70 percent of
employers surveyed said they
planned on hiring more college
graduates in 1998 than they did
this year.
A booming economy, low
inflation and a labor shortage will
add up to lots of job opportunities
and decent starting salaries for
college graduates, said Camille
Luckenbaugh, the NACE
information director.
"The unemployment rate is 4.7
percent, the lowest in 24 years,"
said Luckenbaugh. Because of the
low unemployment rate,
employers are having a harder
time filling their positions with
experienced employees, she added.
"This has created a trickle-down
effect," she said. "Employees can't
find experienced employees so
they're hiring new college
graduates."
Overall, hiring will be up 19.1
percent for new grads, according
to Job Outlook '9B, the NACE's
annual forecast released in
November. For the report, 1,529
employers were asked to complete
a survey about their hiring
intentions, and 421, or 21 percent,
did. Of those employers who
responded, more than 25 percent
said they expected to maintain
current hiring levels. Only 3.1
percent of employers said they
planned to hire fewer grads.
"This is the best job market in
recent years,"., said-Rradley:
Richardson, author of
"Job Smarts: SO Top Careers."
"Companies are having a hard
time finding quality employees, so
they're offering more things, like
benefits or other perks."
To snag qualified candidates,
employers are traveling, to
campuses more to recruit new
hires, according to the survey.
More than half of the employers
reported an increase in campus
visits, and overall, campus visits
are up 8.8 percent.
Luckenbaugh said that in the
past, employers could take a
"wait-and-see" approach to
recruitment Otiell,.inade job
offers later in the recruitment
season. This year, employers who
wait risk coming up empty, she
added.
"Those who have traditionally
hired from the campus are elbow
to elbow with those who are
turning to inexperienced
candidates to round out their
workforces," Luckenbaugh said.
Stiff competition isn't the only
worry employers face.
Preliminary data from NACE's
most recent student survey show
that 60 percent of 764 students
responding said they would renege
on a Job offer if a better one came
along.
Most in demand are graduates
with computer skills, said
Luckenbaugh. Entry-level
computer science and computer
engineering grads can expect to
collect paychecks that are 6.3
percent higher than last year.
Computer science majors will earn
an average 'of $38,475 annually,
while computer engineers will pull
down an average starting rate of
$39,593.
However, the biggest anticipated
increase in starting salaries is
expected to be for liberal arts
majors, who will see their starting
pay increase an average of 6.5
percent. While the $28,875 starting
salary of the average liberal arts
major lags considerably behind
"in- demand" disciplines such as
engineering and computer
science, the size of the increase
"shows just how strong demand
is [for new hires] across all
industries," said Luckenbaugh.
Job opportunities for liberals
arts majors are most plentiful
with insurance and
merchandising firms, she added.
Business grads can anticipate
a starting salary of $29,784, a 5.5'
increase from last year's salary.
These grads, like many liberal
arts students, will find jobs
openings in insurance and
merchandise companies.
The salary increases for 1998
are in sharp contrast to 1992, the
year in which the NACE
recorded the worst job market
of the decade. Then, 41 percent
of the majors surveyed showed
a decrease in starting salaries,
said Luckenbaugh.
Whether employers are
looking for computer
programmers, accountants or
retail managers, most say they
are interested in hiring
candidates who have integrity,
are motivated and who are good
communicators. Employers also
said they don't have time to
spoon-feed new employees.
"Employers said they want
someone who has honesty,
motivation, teamwork and
interpersonal skills. They also
want someone who has done
research on the company and is
able to ask intelligent questions
about it during an interview,"
Luckenbaugh said.
Even though 1998 promises to
jobsseeker's market,
Richardson advised students to
remain flexible with their job
choice.
"Don't pigeonhole yourself;
don't limit yourself," he said.
"You're not locked into any
industry if you remember that
there are common positions in a
multitude of industries."
Other findings from the NACE
survey include:
* Despite the strong demand
from employers for graduates
with computer science training,
statistics from the U.S.
Department of Education show
the number of graduates earning
computer science degrees has
dropped 43 percent from 1986.
At the same time, the Bureau of
Labor Statistics predicts a 70
percent growth in computer and
data processing jobs by 2005.
* The South leads all other
regions in job market growth.
Employers there said they will
hire 27.3 more new graduates
than they did last year. The West
came in second, with employers
reporting a 22.8 percent increase
in new hires. Midwest employers
plan to hire 16.2 percent more
grads. Although the Northeast
lags behind all other regions,
employers still anticipate hiring
10 percent more new grads than
In 1996-97.
* The market also is strong for
two-year graduates. Fifty-four
percent of respondents indicated
that they hire two-year degree
graduates. The most hotly
recruited students are
engineering technology and
computer science students.
* The Internet is growing in
popularity as a recruitment tool
among employers. This year
more employers ranked Internet
job postings above newspaper
advertising in a list of their
favorite recruiting tools.