ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 22, 1996 TAG: 9604230087
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: ALLISON BLAKE STAFF WRITER
It's getting harder and harder for graduates with newly minted Ph.D.s to get jobs.
So Virginia Tech expects to start keeping a closer eye on how many doctoral candidates it accepts.
"I think we've got to be more open, more candid with people," President Paul Torgersen said.
Given the "plethora" of applications that greets each faculty job opening, Torgersen said the university needs to level with doctoral students, who may find it extremely tough to find jobs after finishing their advanced studies.
"The problem is at the Ph.D. level," Torgersen said. "Not the master's."
Torgersen spoke after he unveiled a last-minute change to Tech's new University Plan, a road map expected to guide university progress through 2001. The full board of visitors is expected to adopt the plan today.
Torgersen's addition to the eight-page document, initially released in February, states that Tech will "continue our strong commitment to graduate education, recognizing the close link between research and graduate studies."
However: "We also recognize the present imbalance between the numbers of people graduating with Ph.D.s and their sometimes limited opportunities for employment. We will keep this situation under review and make necessary adjustments on a discipline-by-discipline basis."
The drop in available jobs primarily comes in academia and public policy arenas, rather than in public education, where school superintendents typically hold doctorates. Tech graduates approximately 400 Ph.D.s each year, compared with about 1,000 master's candidates.
Like most universities that compete for good graduate students, Tech pays at least part of the way for many doctoral students with financial packages including scholarships or assistantships. The exact amount Tech spends was unavailable Sunday afternoon, although much of the money comes from research contracts and grants. Tuition and fees for an in-state graduate student is $4,947, and $7,507 for out-of-state. Not everyone at Sunday's board briefing agreed that Ph.D.s should be treated as job-training degrees, though.
"I think we need to be careful about this as a solution," said Tom Sherman, Faculty Senate president.
He was concerned about the impact on research, where doctoral students often do much of the hands-on work.
"I don't see any administrative rationing of entry-level positions in Ph.D. programs," Torgersen said, instead calling on faculty "to be honest" about their need for doctoral students.
Dan Waddell, the graduate student representative to the board, said "not everybody understands potential job opportunities, and it's hard to get advice on jobs."
"Maybe there should be more flexibility in degree programs," he said.
Provost Peggy Meszaros is overseeing a survey of all degree programs offered at Tech, due at the end of May.
Despite Tech's own costs for graduate students, Torgersen seemed most worried about sending highly educated people into an increasingly limited workplace.
Still, Sherman advocated caution.
"There is no shortage of the need for knowledge in our world," he said. "A Ph.D., I think most people would agree, is not a job preparation program. Good people will make a good way in this world as they go forth."
In other action, the board's audit and finance committee recommended that the full board adopt a $494.9 million budget for next year when it reconvenes this morning. Of that, $171.6 million comes from state taxes, and $116.6 million from tuition and fees. Funds from the federal government and other sources account for an additional $19 million.
The General Assembly froze the cost of undergraduate tuition for in-state students this year; Tech also opted to extend the same to out-of-state and graduate students.
However, university officials warned than an increase could be in the offing next year for out-of-state and graduate students.
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