Academic Jobs Blog

Southern Methodist University law school plans to pay employers to hire its students

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 11:48:12 +0000

A new career development strategy being used by the Southern Methodist University law school is described as both a creative way to get students hired and a “shameless” way to boost the school’s profile in the annual law school rankings conducted by U.S. News & World Report.

Here’s how it works: The law school is offering to pay employers up to $3,500 to give its students internships or opportunities that might lead to a full-time job. The school’s thinking is that if employers participate in the program called “Test Drive” by hiring an SMU law student for a few months, they will be sold and want to hire the student permanently.

The program first made headlines on the popular legal industry blog, Above The Law. Author Elie Mystal blasted Test Drive, describing it as a “shameless attempt to game the U.S. News rankings.”

But despite the harsh words and accusations, he also acknowledged that the Test Drive concept might even work. If more SMU students are hired “nobody will care why the school decided to go in this direction,” he wrote.

Test Drive received more national attention when Wall Street Journal reporter Ashby Jones conducted a Q&A with the law school’s dean, John Attanasio, which can be read here.

The success or failure of the law school’s program will take a bit of time to measure. In the weeks ahead we will know if any employers participated. And within 9-12 months we will know if any of the students were offered full-time jobs based on how they performed during their test drive.

We are certain that competing law schools – and maybe even U.S. News & World Report – will be watching closely.

Should More Colleges and Universities Offer 3-year Bachelor’s Degrees?

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:28:29 +0000

Should more colleges and universities consider offering bachelor’s degrees in three years? USA Today examined the issue and found that the idea might be gaining momentum. More schools have started 3-year degree programs and a handful of others are considering giving students the 3-year baccalaureate option. But the idea also has plenty of critics. CLICK HERE FOR FULL THE STORY

Obama’s Second Budget Gives New Hope to Leaders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

admin — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:11:17 +0000

The leaders of the nation’s historically black colleges and universities breathed a sigh of relief last week when they learned that President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2011 budget includes a $30 million funding increase for their financially struggling schools.

Last year, many black educators were shocked by what they considered to be substantial cuts to black colleges and other educational institutions dedicated to select minorities, such as Native Americans, in Obama’s first budget proposal.

“The United Negro College Fund and the entire community of minority-serving institutions were disappointed at last year’s budget proposal, which recommended a decrease from previous funding levels,” fund President Michael Lomax said in a written statement analyzing Obama’s latest budget. “The increase – $30 million higher than last year’s levels – proposed in the budget that has just been released shows that the administration was listening.” READ FULL STORY

Obama on College, Student Loan Reforms: “No One Should Go Broke Because They Chose to Go to College”

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:44:45 +0000

Video excerpts highlighting the higher education and K-12 reforms that were key elements of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address:

The Number of Students Taking Online College Courses Continues to Grow at a Meteoric Pace

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:26:29 +0000

For job seekers looking to teach college and university courses, the world of online teaching might be a good place to look for employment now and in the future. In a story this week U.S. News & World Report reported that online college education is expanding—rapidly. More than 4.6 million college students were taking at least one online course at the start of the 2008-2009 school year. That’s more than 1 in 4 college students, and it’s a 17 percent increase from 2007.

Two major factors for the soaring numbers in the 2008-2009 school year are the sour economy and the possibility of an H1N1 flu virus outbreak, according to the seventh annual Sloan Survey of Online Learning report, titled “Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States in 2009.” But, the survey’s authors say, there is a lot more work to be done, and there’s huge potential for online education to expand, especially at larger schools. CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY >>

Why Many College Professors Tend to Be Liberal and What it Means for Conservative Faculty Members

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:16:02 +0000

Are college and university faculties bastions of liberalism? And if so, why do so many college professors and academicians tend to lean left when it comes to their political ideologies? Is a strong left-leaning profession discouraging conservatives from seeking teaching jobs in higher education and pursuing academic careers?

New York Times writer Patricia Cohen explored the issue in a recent article entitled “Professor Is a Label That Leans to the Left”

According to one researcher she interviewed: “The irony is that the more conservatives complain about academia’s liberalism, the more likely it’s going to remain a bastion of liberalism.” READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

10 Creative Ways to Find Hidden Jobs and Employment Opportunities During the Holidays and Beyond

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:25:07 +0000

The year is winding down. The holidays are fast approaching. It would be easy to let your job hunting efforts fade, taper off and disappear entirely.

Don’t let that happen.

The holidays and the upcoming new year present great networking opportunities and chances to connect with employers, friends, and associates in different and creative ways. Here is an excellent article entitled Ten Creative Places to Find the Hidden Jobs by careers expert and author Sherrie Gong Taguchi. It can inspire you and inject a jolt of energy and enthusiasm into your job search efforts. Colleges and universities are still some of the best places to work. There are thousands of academic job openings right now, and one of them will be the ideal fit for you and your career. Stay hopeful, stay active, stay connected and consider these 10 ideas: Read Full Article

A Denver College Guarantees Its Graduates Teaching K-12 Will Be Ready For Classroom

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:14:41 +0000

Metropolitan State College of Denver is so confident about its teacher education program that its graduates now come with a guarantee.

Any teacher graduating from Metro State’s licensure program who is not adequately prepared in his or her first year and requires more training can return to the classroom — for free — until the problems are fixed, said Metro State president Stephen Jordan, who announced the program Wednesday.

“We believe we are producing good teachers, and the best way to prove that is to stand behind your program,” Jordan said.

Metro State’s teacher education program graduates about 500 students every year. Most grads go on to teach in Jefferson County or Denver Public Schools or other metro-area districts.

“I love that,” said Sue Gill, director of professional development for Jefferson County Public Schools. “It’s quite a public promise. It’s a pretty gutsy marketing move.” READ FULL ARTICLE

Former Governors: Higher Education Has Slipped As A National Priority

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:53:38 +0000

Higher education has slipped as a national priority even though it is key to both the country’s economic recovery and its standing as a world leader, four former governors said yesterday, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“I think that higher education is at risk, and that message is not being communicated clearly and sufficiently enough,” former Virginia Gov. Gerald L. Baliles told a coalition of business and education leaders at a daylong conference at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Baliles was joined by former Virginia Gov. George Allen and former Govs. Robert L. Ehrlich of Maryland and Michael F. Easley of North Carolina in a panel discussion sponsored by the Virginia Business Higher Education Council. READ FULL STORY

College Presidents Say Colleges Must Lead the Way to Greater Student Creativity

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:25:19 +0000

Those in higher education must take the lead in encouraging creativity on their campuses and producing graduates capable of competing in a 21st-century society, Oklahoma college presidents said at an education summit Wednesday.

Presidents from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha, Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Tulsa Community College, Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City and the University of Central Oklahoma participated in a wide-ranging panel discussion at the Central Oklahoma campus.

On one issue all agreed: What has been the status quo in a college setting for decades won’t necessarily be effective now. Students are demanding new methods of delivery of academic material READ FULL ARTICLE