Record snowfall blanketing much of the Mid-Atlantic states this weekend prompted cancellations of tests, classes and meetings.

The Association of Community College Trustees was forced to cancel its National Legislative Summit after a majority of attendees were unable to travel to Washington. Summit organizers also decided to reschedule the event when it became clear that many members of Congress and government officials would not be available to meet with community college leaders.

In addition, ACT and LSAT exams which were originally scheduled for Saturday in the area were called off because of the weather. Some of the tests have already been rescheduled for later dates.

As classes were canceled throughout the region, Inside Higher Ed reports that University of Maryland at College Park students held a huge snowball fight, and students at Shenandoah University in Virginia built a 10-foot snowman. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that campus closures varied; West Virginia University, for example, canceled Monday's classes, while the University of Virginia said it would resume its regular schedule.

Louis Uccellini, a professor at the University of Maryland, noted in an e-mail to the institution's daily student publication, The Diamondback, that the snowfall "will certainly go down in the record books for the Mid-Atlantic region."

In Washington, D.C., snow accumulation was at least 26 inches, and students spent their time building snowmen and touring the National Mall. The GW Hatchet reports that at George Washington University, even students who wanted to study found the libraries closed. "We had four hours of snowball fights last night, which was a lot of fun," said sophomore John Neville.

But others recommended that students use their newly-found free time wisely:The Examiner suggested that the blizzard might be a very good time for students to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). "If you're in the Washington metropolitan area looking at the snow continuing to come down," the article said, "now may be a good time to fix a cup of cocoa and begin organizing those tax documents."

A study has found that the number of institutions recognized by the federal government as "Hispanic serving" is about to climb dramatically.

The report was released by the Latino student advocacy group Excelencia in Education last week, and found that in 2006-7, 176 U.S. colleges and universities were on the brink of becoming Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs). The federal government defines HSIs as public institutions where at least 25 percent of the full-time students are Latino, making those schools eligible for special funds from federal agencies. The "emerging" HSIs have 15 to 24 percent Hispanic enrollment.

The highest concentrations of emerging HSIs were found in California and Texas. But Deborah Santiago, the report's author and vice president for policy and research at Excelencia, was quoted as saying in Inside Higher Ed that the schools were not limited to "those places where we expect to see Latinos." Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Oregon and Utah, for example, were some of the states that had such institutions.

The majority of emerging HSIs--44 percent--were found to be public community colleges. Private colleges and universities made up 31 percent, public four-year institutions comprised 20 percent, and private two-year institutions represented 5 percent.

"Call me parochial here, but I found it surprising that so many private colleges are emerging HSIs," noted Luis Torres in Inside Higher Ed, the deputy provost for academic affairs at Metropolitan State College of Denver, an emerging HSI mentioned in the report. "When one thinks of a rather stereotypical view of Hispanics, it's that we are in the public colleges. I found it very surprising and telling and interesting. That gives us a lot of opportunities."

The report called on emerging HSIs to work towards increasing retention and graduation rates among Latino students. "In order to thrive, we must accelerate significantly the degree-completion rate of Latino students," wrote Sarita E. Brown, president of Excelencia.

The report also offered suggestions to HSIs to help serve Latino students better, including increasing the cultural competency of faculty to work effectively with Latino students, providing more need-based financial aid, and creating programs to engage Latino high school students and their families.

In a related story, the Associated Press reports that some mainstream universities are trying to attract more Hispanic students by offering Spanish translations of their admissions and financial aid material. Bryn Mawr College, for example, recently launched a Spanish version of its Web site, the University of Pennsylvania has begun to offer some college admissions sessions in Spanish, and Smith College and Wesleyan University both posted Spanish Web pages.

Even police officers are not immune from layoffs during this economic downturn.

In Arizona, the Phoenix Police Department is considering eliminating more than 350 jobs to help the city balance its budget. Officials say if the layoffs are approved, the citizens will pay the price.

"Are these cuts going to affect the service levels that we provide? Absolutely. Yes," noted Public Safety Manager Jack Harris, who was quoted by KPHO News 5. "The community is going to be safe, but they are not going to be as happy as they are today with the service deliveries because we simply can't provide those levels of services with such a large reduction in personnel."

The proposal would eliminate units such as street crimes, liquor enforcement and one auto theft squad, as well as a program for youth. Other units such as drug enforcement, homeland defense and public affairs would be downsized.

New police officers who could face the chopping block were taken aback by the news. "When I came in, they told me that the police were like the Army, they don't have layoffs," said one Phoenix police officer who was quoted in The Arizona Republic.

In Oklahoma, Tulsa firefighters saved their jobs by agreeing to a 5.2 percent pay cut and the loss of some other benefits. But the Tulsa Police union rejected a pay cut, and 124 officers consequently lost their jobs. The cuts were as a result of a $10 million-plus shortfall in the city's general fund because of declining sales tax revenues.

"We gave the union an option with salary concessions and no layoffs and unfortunately they chose to lay off several of their fellow police officers," said Mayor Dewey Bartlett, who was quoted in the Tulsa Beacon. "It has been our intent all along to address public safety first and foremost and live within our means as a city. This was the best offer for the safety of the people of Tulsa. The union has decided to put their interest ahead of those they serve. This is regrettable."

In Las Vegas, police officers are facing a similar situation. LasVegasNow.com reports that officers are opposing potential cuts as the city considers how to trim its budget by $33 million. Law enforcement officials pointed out that the North Las Vegas Police Department already employs 140 officers less than what is needed.

"If we take any further cuts throughout our department, we are going to be putting our citizens and our officers in jeopardy," said Terrence McAllister, president of the North Las Vegas Police Officers Association, who was quoted by LasVegasNow.com.

Students in California already grappling with rising tuition bills are dealing with yet another setback: Two community colleges have announced that they will be eliminating summer sessions in an effort to cut costs.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that more than 2,000 students will be affected by the cancellation of City College of San Francisco's popular summer session. College officials decided to eliminate the $4 million summer school program to help address a $12 million budget gap.

Community colleges in California lost 8 percent of their budget this year--about $520 million. But since all California colleges are slashing courses to make up for the state's budget crisis, students at CCSF will undoubtedly have difficulty enrolling elsewhere.

"Virtually every district is curtailing enrollment somehow," said Scott Lay, president of the advocacy group Community College League of California, who was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle. "It's heartbreaking."

Students reacted with shock and anger. "It's insulting, offensive and frustrating," said Alisa Vinokurova, who was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle. Vinokurova quit a full-time job to pursue a degree which will now take her longer to complete. "What am I supposed to do? Other colleges are overcrowded. This is definitely going to be stressful."

KCBS points out the situation is particularly troubling because summer session is "often the session of last resort." Students frequently depend on summer sessions to enroll in required classes that are full during the fall or spring, or to take the final classes needed to transfer to a four-year school.

Meanwhile, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reports that Cuesta College will be canceling summer school classes this year with the exception of two offerings: Classes that support the year-round Allied Health programs and classes that support the San Luis Coastal Unified School District. According to a press release, the action is being taken in response to the elimination of federal stimulus funds and the projected 2010-11 state budget.

"In an effort to bring our hours of instruction in line with our funding and to negatively impact the fewest number of students, I am supporting the recommendation to reduce the scope of the 2010 summer session," said Dr. Gil Stork, Cuesta's president and superintendant.

As state governments struggle to balance budgets and cut costs during the recession, public universities throughout the country are being forced to impose tuition hikes to make up the difference.

The Associated Press reports that according to the College Board, families are paying about $1172 to $1,096 more in tuition this year. The national average for tuition in 2009-10 is around $7,000, not including room and board.

Some of the tuition hikes the AP notes include a 15 percent increase at Florida universities, 9 percent at the University of Illinois, and 14 percent at the University of Washington.

The steepest tuition hikes are taking place in California. The University of California has raised tuition by 32 percent this year to $10,302--three times more than what was paid a decade ago. At California State University, fees similarly rose 32 percent from fall 2008 to fall 2009 to $4,026, and are expected to increase another 10 percent this year.

Even states that pledged to freeze tuition are being forced to reconsider this year. The Washington Post reports that after a four-year freeze on public university tuition in Maryland, Gov. Martin O'Malley announced that in-state students will face an increase of about 3 percent.

"It's a major concession on the part of the governor," noted Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. in the Post. He added that O'Malley would have preferred to continue the tuition freeze for another year to help him fulfill a pledge to make higher education more affordable.

But House Minority Leader Anthony J. O'Donnell pointed out that raising tuition was inevitable. He told the Post that "falsely capping the cost of tuition and subsidizing that with taxpayer dollars is not sustainable. We should have been weaning off that proposal years ago."

Meanwhile, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that University of Texas at Austin officials recommended raising tuition 5.4 percent for the 2010-11 year, from $8,936 to $9,418, and 3.95 percent in 2011-12 to $9,790. Last year, the Texas House of Representatives passed a nonbinding resolution asking universities to limit increases in tuition to no more than 3.95 percent.

State Rep. Dan Branch, who sponsored the resolution, expressed his appreciation of UT-Austin's proposal, noting it was reasonable, particularly when compared to California's tuition hikes. But State Sen. Wendy Davis felt that given the financial struggles families are facing, tuition should not be raised at all.

"I'm very, very disappointed actually by the proposal," she was quoted as saying in the Star-Telegram. "Families across Texas are making extreme sacrifices. Businesses across Texas are making extreme sacrifices. . . . It's hard for me to believe they couldn't find some purse-string tightening to accommodate a tuition freeze."

After retiring from his 20 years in the U.S. Air Force as a recruiter, Walter Medina was honored as one of the top recruiting executives while working for a personnel firm in Connecticut. Mr. Medina then partnered to establish Lighthouse Recruiting Group. He later established Walt Medina & Associates, a recruitment firm specializing in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

Interview Transcript

David Abrams: How did you get started in the field?

Walt Medina: I started well over 20 years ago. I did 21 years in active duty in the US Air Force, and during my last ten years on active duty I became a professional recruiter for the air force. I used to recruit not only the enlisted, but officers, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists and doctors into active duty for the US Air Force, which is how I learned the trade.

David Abrams: Do you find that there are a lot of nurses who initially receive their training through the military?

Walt Medina: A percentage finishes their term of enlistment in the Officer’s Program, which usually lasts four years. Then when they get out, they filter into the private sector. That applies to just a small percentage, however.

David Abrams: How do most nurses get their start?

Walt Medina: There are several ways that people can become a nurse. One is through associate's degree programs, which are usually offered as two-year programs at community colleges. After earning an associate's degree, they then take the National Nursing Exam, which is known as the NCLEX.

Once they pass that, they become a state registered nurse. The other way to become a nurse is through a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, which are offered at universities and colleges throughout the country. There are also programs for people who have other degrees and want to become a nurse. It's a condensed program, called an RN-to-MSN Program. In other words, they go to school, become a registered nurse in the process, and then take courses to go immediately into a master's program.

David Abrams: Is this option is designed for people who are considering a career change?

Walt Medina: Correct. Someone who perhaps had a psychology degree or worked in education and decided they didn’t like their previous career and now want to go back to school to become a nurse. There are programs like this offered throughout the country. For example, here in Connecticut, Yale offers an RN-to-MSN Program. It's a condensed three-year program.

David Abrams: Can you give me a breakdown of the food chain for nurses as they move up the career ladder?

Walt Medina: Generally, the lowest level of nurse is a licensed practical nurse. That's usually a one-year program, and it’s usually taught at a technical college in the local area. Once students complete that program, they have to take a test to become a licensed practical nurse.

Community colleges and technical state colleges typically offer these programs. For example, the New England Technical Institute does, and there are some technical colleges and training programs that offer it as well.

David Abrams: Are online programs offered for that?

Walt Medina: I am sure that there are, although I am not aware of any. Most of the LPNs I've dealt with in the past have been trained or attended a local technical school. I am sure these programs are now offered online, however.

David Abrams: What’s the compensation range for an LPN?

Walt Medina: They start at about $30,000 a year.

The next level is an associate's degree nurse. This is someone who attends a community college that has an accredited program through the National League of Nursing. They complete an associate's degree, which usually takes about two years. Then they take the State Licensing Exam, called the National Collegiate Licensing Exam for Nurses. This national test allows people to obtain their nursing license through the state.

Associate’s degree nurses start out as staff nurses at local hospitals or clinics, and usually will start at about $25 to $26 an hour right out of school with benefits of $50,000 a year.

After this, they can earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing, which is a four-year degree. They take the same exam they would at the associate level. There is no difference between an associate's degree and bachelor's degree in nursing in terms of the state exam.

Once they complete that, they would start at the staff level at a hospital, clinic or private practice, and then move up the chain.

The difference between a nurse with a bachelor's degree and one with an associate's degree is that those with a bachelor’s receive much more training in terms of theory. Also, bachelor's degree nurses tend to move up a little higher in terms of the management positions that are available.

David Abrams: Those with a bachelor's are probably going to have more available career opportunities, particularly in management areas?

Walt Medina: Absolutely.

David Abrams: With higher levels of education, are nurses expected to get involved with more complicated procedures?

Walt Medina: Of course. For example, let's say someone becomes a master's-prepared nurse. They get their master's degree, which is an additional year or eighteen months of training, depending on the program and specialty. Once they achieve their master's, they could choose to become a clinical specialist in critical care, for example. Here they are obviously going to be dealing with a more complex patient population, and they would obviously be in a situation to make more money.

There are also advanced practice registered nurses and APRNs, which are master's-prepared nurses essentially equivalent to doctors. They are able to assess patients, prescribe medications, and many of them work in clinics at community health centers.

A lot of hospitals and healthcare facilities tend to employ what we call midlevel practitioners, because they save the doctors a lot of time with the ordinary cases that come in. There are many different levels and layers in nursing at the advanced level that are currently being used by hospitals.

David Abrams: There are multiple environments in which nurses can work, correct?

Walt Medina: Absolutely. We have skilled nurses in multiple settings.

Right now, I am recruiting for a master's-prepared advanced practice nurse for a school-based healthcare clinic here in Connecticut. Nurses are very much in demand in schools as well. The nice thing about that particular job is that those nurses are able to follow the school calendar, and they get summers off.

David Abrams: What do you see in terms of the general demand for nursing careers right now?

Walt Medina: For the past ten years, there has been a national shortage of nurses across the spectrum and across all specialties. Nursing is the largest profession within healthcare, and the most overall job opportunities are in registered nursing.

Within healthcare, there are 2.6 million nurses in the country, 60% of which are RNs working in the hospital setting, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

David Abrams: That is a huge number. That means almost one out of every 100 people living in this country is a nurse.

Walt Medina: Can you believe that? Overall, the opportunities for nurses are excellent in the next ten to fifteen years. There is currently a national shortage for nurses across all levels.

Of course, the patient population is getting older and people are living longer, so there are certain fields in which there is going to be even a bigger demand. For example, geriatrics nursing is an excellent field to be in right now in terms of future job prospects.

David Abrams: From a nursing standpoint, what seems to be the most popular field?

Walt Medina: The most popular is in a hospital setting, certainly.

David Abrams: What kind of schedules can nurses working in hospitals expect to keep?

Walt Medina: It varies, especially geographically. Generally speaking, when a student completes a nursing degree, they are going to go in a hospital setting and work in what is called a medical/surgical unit. These are the general units that are manned 24/7, and a lot of the newer nurses obviously will work evening and night shifts. The shifts will vary depending on the hospital. There are some nurses who work 3-12, and then are off for three days. Some will work 4-10, and then are off for two days.

Generally speaking, most of these nurses work for forty hours a week, Monday through Friday, either second shift or third shift. A lot of hospitals are getting very savvy now, and they are providing opportunities for nurses to work shorter shifts so they can accommodate in that way.

The benefits are excellent, and once they complete a couple of years of working in a hospital, there is opportunity to venture out into different settings. Home health is a big, big sector right now, where nurses can work more normal hours, 9 to 5 or 8 to 4:30, Monday through Friday.

There are also opportunities within psychiatric nursing, for those who wish to sub-specialize in that area. There are opportunities to go into critical care, community health and public health nursing. Nursing is such a broad field.

David Abrams: In terms of career progression, is it unusual to see someone enter the field with a one-year LPN program and then better themselves through additional education and move up through the ranks after gaining some experience working in the nursing field?

Walt Medina: I have seen that time and time again over the years recruiting nurses.

For example, I recently recruited a nurse for a senior nursing management position. She started out as an LPN with less than two years of experience. The hospital that she worked for provided excellent benefits to include tuition assistance, where they paid several thousand dollars for her to go back and take classes in the evenings. She did that and completed her associate's degree, and over the course of time she progressed to get a bachelor's degree while still being paid by the hospital for which she was working. She completed her bachelor's, and a year and a half later, she completed her master's.

I've seen nurses go all the way from LPN to a master's level all while working for the same hospital, because once they are in an organization, a lot of hospitals and clinics provide an excellent compensation package to include tuition assistance.

David Abrams: Not a bad deal. Hospitals are paying their employees to better themselves and to improve their position within the organization by increasing their level of education. And I assume this is also going to lead to a salary raise?

Walt Medina: Absolutely, and the opportunity for advancement.

I am trying to get my daughter to look at nursing right now, as it is such a hot field.

David Abrams: Are there particular schools in the nursing industry which have a special reputation and which employers seek candidates from specifically?

Walt Medina: It varies here in Connecticut. As long as a school is accredited by the National League of Nursing Association, it is accepted by employers. There are some schools that obviously have better reputations than others, depending on the state or the region people live in.

Here in Connecticut, the most popular schools to get nurses out of are of course the University of Connecticut, Western Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, and Central. These are the state universities, and of course for advanced level training, Yale is outstanding as well.

David Abrams: How can a potential student determine if a school has accreditation?

Walt Medina: The National League of Nursing’s website has a list of the schools that are accredited. If a school advertises its nursing program, one of any students’ very first questions should be to ask them if they are NLN accredited.

David Abrams: What happens if a student attends a school without that accreditation?

Walt Medina: It doesn't really limit them in terms of taking and passing the registered nursing test. When I used to recruit at the federal level for the military, one of the things required in order to serve as a nurse in the federal government was that the applicant must have attended a school that was NLN accredited. It usually won’t hinder nurses, but if they choose to work in the military, for example, accreditation is required.

David Abrams: You mentioned to me that you are seeing a great deal of demand for nursing. Is there any one particular area where there is more demand than others?

Walt Medina: By and large, nursing in general is in demand. There are some specialties, depending on the setting, that are more in demand than others.

For example, in hospitals and other acute care facilities, there is a bigger demand for critical care and ICU nurses. They are more highly specialized and their pay is higher, but overall there is a big demand for nurses in the critical care sectors, like ER and emergency medicine.

Operating room nurses are also in very high demand right now.

David Abrams: Are these positions more demanding and stressful to handle?

Walt Medina: Absolutely. These patients are more sick or in need of care, there is a higher activity level, and ERs of course are very fast paced. Nurses in these areas have to think very, very quickly on their feet, and they don't get many breaks, especially in large hospital settings. Operating room nurses are in high demand right now, because a lot of nurses either love it, or they hate it.

David Abrams: For those nurses who are in search of an area which isn't quite as demanding, what would you recommend?

Walt Medina: There are so many areas which are less demanding than others. I think every job brings with it a certain level of stress. In most cases, it really depends on a person’s personality and makeup.

Jobs within nursing which are less stressful include office jobs at Primary Care Clinics, where shifts are basically 8 to 5, Monday through Friday. Working as an office nurse, they are seeing patients who are in less critical condition, if you will.

Case management is also an option, where people can work as a nurse for an insurance company, and sit behind a computer and monitor phone calls from patients using that insurance carrier. Nurses are needed as case managers to deal with doctors to ensure patients are insured.

David Abrams: Along with the numerous opportunities that are available to nurses in terms of different potential fields, nursing is also a very portable job, correct?

Walt Medina: Yes, absolutely. It is the most portable job someone can have, and it really is a wonderful career where people can branch off into so many different subspecialties. I know nurses who have various certifications from different subspecialties.

I know nurses who strictly love to travel, and they can be what is called a travel nurse. It affords people the opportunity to go all over the country, and in fact all over the world. If a graduate wanted to work in California, they could get hired through one of these travel agencies and travel to California, all expense paid. They'll cover rent and pay a good salary. They could be there for six months, and then spend another six months working in Texas. These nurses can really make a career just traveling.

David Abrams: If a nurse is seeking a new job, how should they establish a relationship with a recruiter?

Walt Medina: For experienced nurses who want to explore options, they want to align themselves with a couple of very good recruiting agencies. There are a couple of good national agencies that can feed people information on different career opportunities all over the country, depending on where they want to go.

Some nurses might want to start out and do a few years of staff nursing, and then get into being an assistant manager somewhere. A lot of times, hospitals and clinics will post their jobs through newspapers and websites, but many of the more advanced level positions are not advertised and only known by recruiters.

David Abrams: I think that I've read somewhere that only 10% of available job opportunities are actually advertised.

Walt Medina: That's right. I've probably read the same article. Some of the more advanced management and senior-level positions are not advertised. Usually, hospitals have relationships with a recruiting agency, and they'll go straight to search with that agency.

David Abrams: What mistakes have you seen nurses make from a career standpoint which other potential nurses should try to prevent?

Walt Medina: I can think of one example that happened pretty recently. I interviewed an advanced practice nurse who was working for a very prestigious hospital facility. She was burnt out and started medicating herself, and as a result, she was caught on the job, put on probation, and charges were subsequently filed against her. She had to go through a court, through a rehab program, and ultimately a restriction was put on her license, which meant she couldn't pass out medications. And she had to go through a very lengthy process in order to reestablish herself.

Nurses are around medication and they are around drugs, so they have to watch those pitfalls. I have seen nurses say they have taken medications just to keep going, so my advice with respect to that is to be very careful. It happens even with physicians, where they start self-medicating themselves.

David Abrams: Do you find individuals who job hop too often? Does that hurt the reputation on their marketability?

Walt Medina: I get to meet each of the nurses I work with face-to-face, or I interview them via Skype. I look at resumes and CVs very closely, and I would say 25% of the resumes I get through my desk are from people who job hop.

If I see someone who has changed jobs five times in the past 10 years in search of higher pay, that is a red flag to me. I don’t present these people to my clients because they are not what my clients are looking for.

I think job hopping will affect just about any professional in most cases. Whether they are an accountant or a nurse, hopping around every year or two is a red flag, it really is.

David Abrams: Do you have any specific advice for someone who might be interested in changing their career?

Walt Medina: The program I referred to earlier is the RN-to-Master's program. This is generally for professionals who already have a degree in a career field. Opportunities abound in this field, and I feel like it is an excellent want to change into. My advice is to go to a local college or university that has a nursing program, meet with a coordinator, ask questions and see what opportunities are available.

]]> http://www.citytowninfo.com/career-and-education-news/articles/job-recruiter-interview-demand-for-nurses-remains-strong-10020403 Job Recruiter Interview Series http://www.citytowninfo.com/career-and-education-news/articles/job-recruiter-interview-demand-for-nurses-remains-strong-10020403 Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:01 GMT Compiled By Yaffa Klugerman
February 4, 2010

Advanced Placement courses are becoming more popular, but the number of students who fail the tests is also increasing.

USA Today reports that 2.9 million AP exams were taken last year--a record high--but more than two in five students earned a failing score of 1 or 2. The failures were more pronounced in the South, where just under half of all AP tests scored a 1 or 2.

AP courses, which are administered by the College Board, are college-level courses given to high school students that can earn college credit. But USA Today notes that the failure rates "raise questions about whether schools are pushing millions of students into AP courses without adequate preparation--and whether a race for higher standards means schools are not training enough teachers to deliver the high-level material."

The Las Vegas Sun illustrates a case in point: Several years ago, the Clark County School District added a fourth year of math to minimum graduation requirements, and students were urged to enroll in advanced classes. As a result, participation in AP classes grew from 5,675 in 2002 to 16,669 this year.

But the percentage of students who pass the exams has dropped: In 2009, 43.8 percent passed, down from 57.8 percent in 2002. Officials are concerned that some of the most challenging classes have become so crowded that the quality of instruction may be suffering. At the same time, they say that students must be better taught in prerequisite classes to prepare them for the tougher courses.

Darla Hall, director of K-12 policy development for the Washington-based think tank Education Trust, pointed out that some AP courses may not be challenging enough. "What needs to be a part of the conversation is whether students are really getting the rigorous, high-quality instruction and support they need to be successful," she was quoted as saying in the Sun. "Unfortunately, what we've found all too often is high school courses that are advanced in name only, and are watered-down curricula and weak instruction."

Others say the statistics are misleading. Jean Lord of the Southern Regional Education Board noted in USA Today that while Arkansas had the highest AP failure rate of 70.3 percent, it also increased participation from 11 percent in 2003 to 33 percent in 2008. In addition, the percentage of students who passed at least one AP exam increased from 6 to 11 percent.

In a related story, The Washington Post reports that AP exams are about to be revised to put more emphasis on conceptual understanding over memorizing content. Essay questions will focus on concepts, and multiple-choice questions will test analytic skill rather than memory. It remains to be seen what sort of an effect revamping the AP will have on the courses' failure rate.

The recession took a toll on college giving in 2009, with overall charitable contributions to U.S. colleges and universities declining 11.9 percent--the steepest decline recorded in 53 years.

The results of the nonprofit Council to Aid Education's annual survey of voluntary support of higher education were worse than expected. The New York Times reports that according to John Lippincott, president of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, which sponsors the survey, researchers had originally estimated that giving would drop by only 3.9 percent for fiscal year 2009.

"I think the biggest factor in our underestimate appears to be that individual giving was even softer than we thought it would be," Lippincott told the Times.

The survey found that alumni giving dropped to 10 percent--the lowest level since 1969--and the amounts contributed by alumni dropped 18 percent. Corporate support declined by less than 6 percent.

"Organization giving did not drop as much as personal giving, perhaps because it's based less on emotion," said Ann E. Kaplan, the survey's director, who was quoted in the Times.

Lippincott told Inside Higher Ed that the decline in alumni contributions is particularly concerning. He urged colleges to pay attention to what younger donors wish to support, and to be clear that small gifts can make a difference. "In this era of mega-campaigns," he said, "when we talk about $4 billion campaigns or $400 million campaigns that someone who can only make a $25 gift may feel that it's not really going to matter. We need to take the emphasis off the dollar figure and keep it on the idea of giving."

Of the top 10 colleges that raised the most funds in 2009, all saw declines except for Cornell University, which increased its contributions by 9 percent to about $447 million. Stanford and Harvard raised the most money in contributions but still saw drops in overall giving. Private liberal-arts colleges were hit the hardest of all and showed a decline of 18.8 percent from the previous year.

"Nobody is unscathed," said Robert R. Sharpe Jr., a fund-raising consultant who was quoted by The Chronicle of Higher Education. "Everyone is affected in some degree or another."

Nevertheless, Kaplan predicted that charitable contributions to higher education would increase as the economy improved. "If historical patterns hold up, giving will rebound in fiscal 2010, and beyond," she was quoted as saying in the Times.

The push by healthcare providers to create electronic medical record systems is creating demand for new talent.

Government Technology reports that hospitals are interested in converting to electronic health records now because last year's American Reinvestment and Recovery Act set aside $19 billion in incentives for systems that meet specific criteria. Dr. Mark Leavitt, chairman of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology, referred to the stimulus package as "the biggest thing that's ever happened in health IT."

Indeed, the Texas Tribune reports that according to the Office of the National Coordinator in Washington, D.C., the country will need an additional 50,000 skilled workers in the next five years to help convert to electronic health records. To help train students in these new jobs, Texas State University in San Marcos and the University of Texas at Austin are partnering with the University of Texas School of Health Information in Houston to apply for a new federal grant in health information which is expected to bring as much as $6 million to the three schools.

Susan Fenton, an assistant professor at Texas State who is heading the grant application, noted that the demand for technologically skilled workers will be especially high in rural areas in the state. "Not only would they have the demand because they haven't had the resources to implement already," she explained to the Tribune, "but they would also have the most need in terms of the training because it's hard for them to improve staff."

Similarly, Austin Community College began training health IT students this fall after launching a new associate's degree program in health information technology. According to Norma Mercado, the program director, those who enroll in the program are current hospital employees interested in gaining additional skills.

Information Week adds that healthcare IT professionals are probably in the best position to find jobs in 2010. MEDecision, for example, a Pennsylvania-based company specializing in healthcare management solutions, added 50 employees in 2009 and plans to hire another 100 IT and health IT professionals this year, according to CEO Scott Storrer.