A Michigan State University study recently indicated that employers will hire 10 percent more bachelor's-degree graduates this academic year compared to last year, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. This increase marks a contrast to last academic year's hiring, which had dropped 35 to 40 percent compared to the previous academic year. The improvement is not universal, however, as hiring rates for manufacturers, large banks, the federal government and professional-services companies are improving, but the hiring rates of smaller banks, state governments and colleges and universities are dropping, The Chronicle reported. Hiring rates also differ among academic majors. Students who studied business, technology or public relations have seen higher rates of employment, but students in the health sciences and social services were having a harder time finding a job.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit struck down a challenge on Wednesday by the Christian Legal Society, regarding the Hastings College of Law and the University of California's imposition of anti-bias rules against the Society, Inside Higher Ed reported. The Christian Legal Society will not admit homosexuals or those with differing religious rules, violating Hasting's anti-bias policy. Earlier this year the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the University could continue to impose its anti-bias rules but could face legal action if the Christian Legal Society demonstrated that it was being treated differently than other groups on campus. The decision Wednesday by the Court of Appeals found that the University does not treat the Society any differently.
The results of the federal government's most recent examination of standardized tests show an increase in 12th grade students' reading and math scores, The New York Times reported. The increase comes after scores reached their low point in 2005. Experts attributed the increase to the nation's continued effort to educate more African-American and Hispanic students, who generally perform worse on standardized tests compared to their peers. Many experts contest the results of these standardized tests given the difficulty of convincing 12th grade students to take the assessments seriously, The Times reported.
