By Teresa Farrell
Managing Editor
PUBLISHED MAY10, 2011
Graduation time is here, and the St. Rose campus is buzzing with students finishing up exams, packing up their dorms, and getting ready to make that final walk across the stage to mark the end of their college careers. While this is a happy and exciting time for many, recent changes in state funding to areas like education are worrying some.
Governor Cuomo’s education budget cuts have recently given many administrators and school boards a run for their money—literally—with program cuts, staff reductions, consolidations and even school closings popping up across the state since the budget was passed early this year. Cuomo’s budget calls for education funding cuts to the tune of $1.5 billion, and many school districts are already feeling the strain.
In such a job market, some soon-to-be St. Rose grads are wondering what the future holds. These policy changes have led many districts to reconsider spending policies and, in some cases, eliminate positions, from teacher’s aides to music and arts programs. In more extreme cases, schools are closing their doors due to lack of funding, and others are considering options like multi-age classrooms. Some local districts find teachers taking voluntary pay freezes to meet their districts’ budget mandates, and others are holding off on buying new equipment or cutting down positions for maintenance staff, bus drivers, cafeteria employees and others. These cuts also mean less hiring is being done, especially for beginner teachers.
“I certainly feel that education cuts across New York State are affecting all college students heading out into the work force,” said Stephanie Toniolo, an English Education 7-12 major and graduating St. Rose senior. “Obviously this means that people who have more experience working–not college students–will have the bigger and better resume, and therefore the stronger chance at a position. I definitely have my concerns, being that I am one of the newcomers to the job market and certainly need to prove my place in the classroom.”
But despite funding cuts, Saint Rose students are approaching the uncertain future with positive, can-do attitude. Many feel that they have other options besides launching into a full-time position right away. “I’m just getting on sub lists and working wherever I can,” said Jillian Fenton, a SEED major and graduating St. Rose senior. Toniolo is employing a similar strategy. “Recently I have been substituting wherever I can in hopes of somehow finding a job with my connections,” she said. “I am getting a feel for the field and learning my strengths and weaknesses, looking in local newspapers, asking around, and keeping my eyes and ears open for any possible opportunities. I think this is just about all anyone can do at this point.”
In addition to maximizing their resources, some students are already gearing up to search for greener pastures. “I’m planning on going straight to grad school now, and when I finish that I’ll be leaving New York so that I have a better chance of finding a job,” Fenton said. “I will move wherever I can get a job.”
The idea of committing to grad school full-time now, instead of waiting until after they land a job, is an appealing one for many students right now. Valeria Bianchi, an Earth Science Education 7-12 major and graduating senior at St. Rose, said that’s her plan. “With the job market being what it is, grad school seems like a great idea,” she said.
Even though the current job market may seem less than inviting, plenty of people are showing hope for an improvement. One reason for grads to be optimistic is that New York State has one of the highest educational standards in the nation. Some students feel that there are some serious advantages to practices like student teaching here, which helps prepare them for the full classroom experience and can provide excellent networking opportunities—all factors that can make a serious difference to employers, whether in New York State or elsewhere.
“I absolutely do [think it helped me],” said Fenton of her student teaching experience. “It allowed me to see not only the teaching part of things but also the business side of things, like budgeting, meetings, and testing. I was also able to build a network of people so that I can get in with jobs and teaching and such.” Most education majors, like Fenton, are required to complete two seven-week student teaching placements during their last semester of undergraduate work.
Toniolo said that she feels her student teaching experience was “extremely valuable and significant”, and it made her feel more comfortable looking for a job. “I feel student teaching gave me a good perspective on what it is like to be in a classroom and have full control,” she said. “More specifically, both placements gave me an idea of where I am at my strongest, in terms of which setting, and where I would be better suited. I am more aware and confident about what I need as a new teacher and where I am comfortable [because of that].”
Another reason for hope: if all goes as planned, there may be room for growth a few years down the road, after the initial eliminations are taken care of. Cuomo called this budget “the first step toward building a new New York” in a public statement back in February, and it does focus on rewarding the higher-performing districts while weeding out those that lag behind. The Executive Budget has set aside $250 million to distribute to the schools who show the greatest improvement in student performance, and the same amount, additionally, to schools that “undertake long-term structural changes which reduce costs and improve efficiency,” according to a statement by the Governor’s Press Office. Incentives like these mean that while some schools are losing their funding, those that are quick to reform or show improvements will reap the rewards—creating more opportunities in their districts down the road.
Some feel that education cuts are a mistake at best, and unsustainable at worst; many feel that funding might return once politicians come to the their senses. “It’s a shame to see [education cuts] happen when politicians ask so much of younger generations,” said Chad Gamboa, a senior Communications major at St. Rose who holds an AA in Adolescent Education. “If you’re going to ask youth to fight the problems of the future, give them the tools necessary to achieve that.”
Whether or not they are concerned about the job market as it stands today, Saint Rose students of any major are encouraged to take advantage of the College’s resources to plan their futures. The Career Center offers students a place to have resumes reviewed, search for jobs and internships, gain access to special events like seminars and lectures, and receive guidance from professionals. For more information, visit the Career Center website or find them on Facebook.
