KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 / NEWS
9A
CAMPUS
Federal funds cut results in fewer jobs
Casey Burkitt, a senior from Olathe, repairs books for the library as part of his student job. According to KU Library Communications Director, Rebecca Smith, the libraries employ between 200 and 300 student work each year based on the library's needs.
**Chris Brennan/ANSWER**
Chris Bronson/KANSAN
BY STEPHEN MONTEMAYOR
smontemayor@kansan.com
With 25 percent of the University of Kansas' Federal Work Study funds set to expire, students could see a more constrictive job market as the school year begins. Making matters more difficult, August is traditionally the most competitive time of the year for on-campus job seekers.
Federal Work Study is a federally subsidized program that covers 75 percent of the salary for financially eligible students. Funds from the America Recovery and Readjustment Act increased the amount of funding last year and, consequently, work study positions. As that funding shrinks, University officials expect to see a drop in available jobs.
"We anticipate that those positions probably will not be offered again because those departments won't have those funds to rely on," said Todd Cohen, director of University Relations. "We anticipate that it will just go back to the pre-stimulus period."
The University received an extra $284,667 in ARRA funds last year, bringing its total Federal Work Study allocation to $1.63 million, a five-year high. That increased the number of work study positions available from 514 to 576. However, the University saw a slight decrease in overall on campus jobs — 3,711 in 2009-10 from 3,749 in 2008-09 — which is attributable to budget cuts.
Kendall Riley, a sophomore from Lawrence, has worked the circulation desk at Watson Library for about a year. With a job off campus, Riley said that he wouldn't expect the same flexibility with his studies that he receives at the library.
"Here I have a lot of extra time to do my homework and since you're already at the library that's the first step." Riley said. "So I guess I just wouldn't have extra money and I guess I wouldn't study as much as I
do."
Riley said that the work study job allows him to pick up a few hours of work between classes, understands about class obligations and even allows employees to choose their schedules during finals week.
He found the position on the University's jobs website, and while he applied for at least seven jobs, Riley said that only the library responded, calling him a week later.
Last year, 25.455 applications were received for 650 on-campus student hourly jobs, or more than 39 applications per job. Riley's strategy is precisely what Ann Hartley, associate director of Career Services, recommends students use when seeking on-campus jobs.
"It will pick up a lot toward the middle of August, when the students come back to campus," Hartley said. "You really do have to check every day and then just apply for everything that interests you that youd at least be qualified for."
"We try to see at least see two times or three times more people than we are going to hire to really get the right person and get the right fit." Horkman said.
Jeremy Horkman, Watson Library service desk supervisor, helps review applications and interview interested students. He said that chief among what the service desk looks for in an applicant was background in related work, interview performance, availability and, sometimes, a certain age and field of study. Like for the on-campus job market as a whole, this time of year is as busy as any for libraries. By the beginning of August, Horkman said the service desk has an idea of how many positions and hours it will need to fill due to graduation or transfers.
More than 20 percent of all applications in the last three years have come in August. Last year, that number was 5,897 in the first month of classes.
For students that find themselves overlooked, Hartley said failing to complete a resume or cover letter is one of the primary causes.
"I don't think people realize how important that is, but people really will use a cover letter and resume in addition to that application form to weed you out or to find out how interested you are in the job to take the time to write a letter," Hartley said.
As an individual conducting job interviews, Horkman's advice to students looking for jobs is similar to Hartley's.
"When they're looking for jobs, really try to align and pay attention to preferred and required qualifications," Horkman said. "If they sort of apply selectively and meet the preferred requirements they'll probably be at an advantage."
Edited by Dana Mereditn
ABROAD (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Wales, United Kingdom, this past spring. "Whereas coming back to America, if something doesn't happen according to plan, people get upset quickly and don't really go with the flow as much."
Weghorst described these recurring sentiments.
"You can see home in a more critical light," she said. "Meaning, you more closely examine things that you might have taken for granted before you left whether they be social, cultural or political aspects of life."
In 2007-2008, 262,400 students studied abroad, according to the latest numbers published by the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Educational Sciences. For most of these students the experience changed their lives and had an immensely positive effect on them, but one of the biggest transitions students face is conveying their stories of adventures and the significance of their travels to others.
Weghorst recommends that returning students set up Facebook groups or general discussion groups among other students who have traveled abroad
either with them or at other times. This allows students to compare notes on their transitional progress and experiences, and especially on the things they miss.
Educating people on how to transition back into their own social networks when they return has helped past students, and the Office of Study Abroad includes this in pre-departure mandatory meetings with students.
"When you're talking with friends back home, all they're doing is listening and asking questions," said Brian Kelly, a senior from St. Louis who studied abroad in Rome for six months last fall. "But when you talk to somebody who's done the same thing, you can relate with them and it's more like a discussion."
The Office of Study Abroad recommends that students dealing with severe reverse culture shock take advantage of counseling services offered at the Counseling and Psychological Services located in Watkins Health Center.
Edited by Joel Petterson
Nurse threatened over baby name
EVERETT, Wash. — An exconvict was jailed on a charge that he harassed a nurse who laughed at his plan to name his newborn after late mob boss John Gotti. John Keinath allegedly told the nurse back in March he would strangle her for laughing at him. He was charged with felony harassment and had been free awaiting trial but on Monday, a Snohomish County Superior Court judge ordered him held on $1 million bail.
His previous convictions include a drive-by shooting and assaulting someone with a piece of pipe.
BOOKS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
ODD NEWS
around by local police and U.S. marshals.
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. — A pit bull delivered quite a surprise in the back of a Prescott Valley patrol car. Prescott Valley police said Tuesday that an officer picked up the pit bull on Friday from an area woman who had been watching the dog.
It was unclear if Keinath has an attorney.
Though the average starting salary offer for college graduates fell 1.3 percent in the last year, the starting salary offer for engineering graduates slipped only 0.5 percent. The average starting salary offer for liberal arts graduates fell 3.9 percent, to $34,747.
The Herald of Everett reported that according to prosecutors, Keinath spent the past few months trying to trick people at Stevens Hospital into giving him the nurse's identity, and he finally learned it. That led to concerns about her safety.
BY MICHAEL HOLTZ mholtz@kansan.com
"If engineering paid similar to a teacher's salary, I may have pursued something different just because of the amount of work you have to put into an engineering degree and a job in engineering," Morrow said. "Ninety percent of the kids in engineering wouldn't be if it wasn't for high paying jobs."
store listening to what students want. University Book Shop, 1116 W. 23rd St., began a version of a book rental program in 2009, said Colby Venema, manager of University Book Shop.
-Edited by Anna Nordling
Keinath was arrested late last week after being chased
Pit bull gives birth in police cruiser
University Book Shop is offering about 5 percent more rentable titles than it did last semester. Textbooks available to rent have a rental sticker on them. The price of a rental textbook at UBS is half of the price of the buying the book new.
"As the data over the last 10 years indicates, enrollment fluctuates," Danny Anderson, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said in an e-mail. "The College, as the largest unit at KU, mirrors the overall fluctuation."
"A lot of the students I talk to see business as something that could open the doors to many types of job opportunities," said Frances Lyons, academic advisor in the School of Business. "They see business as an area where they will be able to apply what they're learned in the classroom to a particular job."
While undergraduate enrollment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences continues its five-year decline, many students are turning to professional schools for their degrees.
The officer noticed the dog appeared quite pregnant, but the woman told him she was not. She told the officers she was only supposed to watch the dog for a short time and that its owners never picked her up.
According to a survey done by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, 78.1 percent of incoming freshmen last fall said financial well-being was their top goal. It was the highest percentage since the survey first asked that question in 1966.
Last spring, enrollment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dropped by 1,455 undergraduate students from spring 2005, according University reports.
Engineering and business degrees offer more than high starting salaries. They also provide plenty of job opportunities. Employers in accounting, financial and engineering services are the most interested in hiring 2010 college graduates, according to a separate NACE study.
"For me personally, it didn't have as big of an impact," said Mitch Morrow, a senior from Lawrence in electrical engineering. "For people who are coming in right now, I think it definitely plays a part in it."
Professional school enrollment increases
"Certainly one of the very attractive things about engineering is the job market and the potential salaries you can earn," said Alexis McKinley Jones, recruitment director for the School of Engineering.
With the addition of five new majors, undergraduate enrollment in the School of Business rose 22 percent, to 1,093 students. The School of Engineering saw a 24 percent increase, to 1,607 students.
With an average salary offer of $56,367,engineering degrees account for eight of the 10 highest paying college degrees, according a study done by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Despite the allures of high salaries and a growing job market, Jones said students should choose their degree based on personal interests.
The same holds true for business degrees. Average starting salary offers for accounting and financial graduates are $50,402 and $49,703, respectively.
"We rent between 25 to 35 percent of our books, so at least a quarter of our store is rentable," Venema said.
CAMPUS
In the wake of the largest economic crisis since the Great Depression, some students feel pressured to major in a degree that offer greater financial stability and job security.
Enrollment in the smaller professional schools, such as education and social welfare, has remained consistent during the past five years.
"I tell students that it's easier to do things that you're passionate about," Jones said. "If they're not passionate about engineering it's not going to be a good fit for them."
Associated Press
Edited by Clark Goble
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform along the lakefront during the Chicago Air and Water show Saturday in Chicago
Up in the air
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Please recycle this newspaper