House OKs plan to publish college grads' employment rates

Posted to: News Politics State Government Virginia
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By Bill Sizemore
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 3, 2012

RICHMOND

Students and their parents shopping around for the right college or university will have some practical information on which to base their decision if a measure proposed by Del. Chris Stolle becomes law.

The Virginia Beach Republican's bill, HB639, directs the State Council of Higher Education to publish data on its website every year showing the proportion of graduates who have found employment 18 months and again five years after graduating from each public and private nonprofit institution of higher education in the state.

The data, which would be published beginning Aug. 1, 2013, would be broken down by degree program and include the graduates' average salaries and education-related debt.

Stolle's bill was passed by the House of Delegates 95-5 Thursday and moves to the Senate.

The data collection is already under way, funded by a $17.5 million federal grant awarded jointly to the council, the state Department of Education and the Virginia Employment Commission. Data compiled by the three agencies will be merged into a central database and scrubbed of identifying information to protect graduates' privacy.

The database will capture all graduates hired by Virginia employers who participate in the national unemployment insurance program, said Tod Massa, the State Council of Higher Education's policy research director.

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Only Virginia UI?

Submitted by AndrewJackson on Thu, 02/02/2012 at 11:14 pm.

"The database will capture all graduates employed by Virginia employers"

What about all the graduates who are employed in other states? Or by the Federal government which does not participate in the Virginia UI program, including the armed services? What about self-employed? The fact of the matter is a significant number of those identified as unemployed will actually be employed. SCHEV's numbers will provide misleading information. But I guess it is all about making political points, not about the truth.

Also need to know what the default rate on student loans

Submitted by NO JONES on Thu, 02/02/2012 at 11:05 pm.

originated at each school as well. No need going to a school guaranteed to commence a bad credit rating.

Norfolk State will be at the

Submitted by eureka on Thu, 02/02/2012 at 9:56 pm.

Norfolk State will be at the bottom of the list. NSU has a pitiful 4 year graduation rate.

A point upon which you take

Submitted by janet1926 on Thu, 02/02/2012 at 10:57 pm.

A point upon which you take continued delight in focusing.

I assume they have to graduate to be counted in the data.

Submitted by jpjones on Thu, 02/02/2012 at 9:19 pm.

Otherwise, the millionaire football players who leave after their junior year or who never graduate would skew the data.

As it is, the uber-wealthy graduate athletes will inflate the salary figuresunless there is some provision made for thee anomalies.

Truth in advertising comes to higher education

Submitted by Wm D Tabor DDS on Thu, 02/02/2012 at 9:05 pm.

You mean there aren't employers eagerly waiting by the college gates for all those Poly Sci and Art History majors?

Nice generalization. Unlike

Submitted by cw1957 on Thu, 02/02/2012 at 9:40 pm.

Nice generalization. Unlike some pre-med biology and chemistry majors who take a tunnel vision approach to their chosen graduate school, many liberal arts majors go on to law and business school with a more well rounded undergraduate education. I took a double major in math and art history to UVa law school.