2008 Woodie Awards
Job outlook poor for grads
Katie Via
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: News
Originally published: 10/9/08 at 6:08 PM EST
Last update: 10/9/08 at 6:33 PM EST
One solution to this problem may be getting a co-signer for the loan.
"If your mom, your dad, your aunt or your uncle have good credit, ask them to co-sign," Christopherson said.
This would increase a student's chance of being approved and of obtaining a lower interest rate, but is not an option for students whose parents have a poor credit history.
If the economic crisis continues, students may also find themselves in larger classes with fewer adjunct lecturers and fewer newly hired faculty.
"There could be some electives that don't get offered," Christopherson said.
John Homburger, vice-president for administration at PSUC, said: "These examples would most likely be courses that are not mandatory (for a major or as general education), but purely elective. To us, these are quality issues. You have to look at quality instead of quantity."
With increasing budget cuts, Homburger said they are now focusing on prioritizing and maintaining quality where it matters most - the classroom - followed closely by health and safety.
While no formal proposals for a tuition increase have yet been made to the government, it has become a consideration, Homburger said.
"There will clearly be dialogue around a tuition increase," he said. "It's got to be a serious consideration."
While fees have increased over the years, tuition has remained the same for the past 10.
"We could use a tuition increase to provide allocations, but no one wants to advocate that," Christopherson said. "It's very politically unpopular."
Both Christopherson and Clark Foster, a budgeting officer at PSUC, worry how a tuition increase might affect SUNY's reputation as a "good buy."
"Tuition at many privates (private schools) are $30,000 to $40,000, and Plattsburgh as a 'good buy,' offers a good education for less," Christopherson said.
Foster also fears it may deter professors from coming to PSUC.
When you take a hit like this, you have to worry about your reputation," he said. "It makes it hard to attract faculty."
Should tuition increase, Christopherson said one proposal would be locking freshmen in at a set tuition for two years, regardless of additional increases.
While it remains unclear how deep into their pockets students and parents may have to dig in the coming year, Christopherson's outlook remains grim.
"It's not looking good for the next few years," he said. "We're looking at lean times."
"If your mom, your dad, your aunt or your uncle have good credit, ask them to co-sign," Christopherson said.
This would increase a student's chance of being approved and of obtaining a lower interest rate, but is not an option for students whose parents have a poor credit history.
If the economic crisis continues, students may also find themselves in larger classes with fewer adjunct lecturers and fewer newly hired faculty.
"There could be some electives that don't get offered," Christopherson said.
John Homburger, vice-president for administration at PSUC, said: "These examples would most likely be courses that are not mandatory (for a major or as general education), but purely elective. To us, these are quality issues. You have to look at quality instead of quantity."
With increasing budget cuts, Homburger said they are now focusing on prioritizing and maintaining quality where it matters most - the classroom - followed closely by health and safety.
While no formal proposals for a tuition increase have yet been made to the government, it has become a consideration, Homburger said.
"There will clearly be dialogue around a tuition increase," he said. "It's got to be a serious consideration."
While fees have increased over the years, tuition has remained the same for the past 10.
"We could use a tuition increase to provide allocations, but no one wants to advocate that," Christopherson said. "It's very politically unpopular."
Both Christopherson and Clark Foster, a budgeting officer at PSUC, worry how a tuition increase might affect SUNY's reputation as a "good buy."
"Tuition at many privates (private schools) are $30,000 to $40,000, and Plattsburgh as a 'good buy,' offers a good education for less," Christopherson said.
Foster also fears it may deter professors from coming to PSUC.
When you take a hit like this, you have to worry about your reputation," he said. "It makes it hard to attract faculty."
Should tuition increase, Christopherson said one proposal would be locking freshmen in at a set tuition for two years, regardless of additional increases.
While it remains unclear how deep into their pockets students and parents may have to dig in the coming year, Christopherson's outlook remains grim.
"It's not looking good for the next few years," he said. "We're looking at lean times."
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