Jewish Studies thru Zoology

It was graduation weekend here last weekend; we are still recovering.  The graduating undergraduate class of the college of liberal arts & sciences is so large that, although the ceremony is held in a largish space, they still have to have to hold two ceremonies.  Physics comes in the second wave which begins with Jewish Studies & ends with Zoology.  This particular college within the university also has the largest number of non-majors taking classes within it (the cutbacks in public education that have been happening over the past several years means that even the cream of the crop don't have some of what used to be basic college-entry-level skills; the smartest person in the world cannot learn to read if he never sees a book).  The average undergraduate here takes five years to get out

In other education news this week, the rule designating the percentage amount to come from an individual teacher's paycheck to a retirement fund over which they have no control, no say & no oversight took effect here in Florida.  In our case, this means the man who is part of a team of three faculty members responsible for a lecture, office hours, online homework etc. for 600+ pre-med students per semester, as well as raising through grants & other funding sources enough cash to cover his research (equipment, graduate student salaries, etc.), his own salary if he expects a check during the summer & let's not forget the 40% allocated to the university for administrative support, space, electric, etc. just took a 3% pay cut.  I know things are tough all over, but the in this country educators make on average exactly the same amount they made in 2005, no cost of living increases, nada.  From 2000 to 2005, teachers were lucky to get cost of living raises which might explain why only one teacher out of every three teaching in 2000 was still teaching in 2005.  I could not find stats on those still teaching in 2010, but it is I doubt that many returned to teaching even with the economic downturn.

OH & it is Teacher Appreciation Week.  Trust me, they are feeling the love...all the way to another profession.  Except for the ones who are taking jobs in other countries.  Right now, the single biggest next-employer for former colleagues we know is South Korea.  If you think your healthcare is expensive when you are being gouged by US companies, wait until you get the bill when another country holds the patents on your diabetes home test kit, cholesterol medication, etc.  As for everything else, most states are already lowering the education requirements for public school teachers.  It turns out you cannot require a person to pay $$$ out of pocket for a job that pays less than $.  Which means that chances are good that the teacher who stays in teaching is making money someplace else.  Maybe it is from a spouse, maybe it is from patent licensing, maybe it is from dealing in crystal meth.