The Minnesota Legislature has yet to reach a consensus on things like reducing health care costs, providing property tax relief... and oh yeah... plugging that $935 million budget hole.
But on the bright side — the white, porcelain bright side — Tim Nelson over at MPR's News Cut blog reports that lawmakers in the House and Senate have backed a change in the plumbing code that would allow waterless urinals in Minnesota.
I've actually used this type of fixture — it was an underwhelming experience. But this is actually a big deal for environmental types and builders interested in promoting sustainable construction.
In the past, lawmakers balked at the idea of waterless urinals for obvious sanitary reasons, but their use in other states have shown they work just as well as the original (gravity, after all, does all the work) and can significantly reduce water use. Then again, the energy savings is probably offset by that strategically placed electronic advertising display — and you still have to wash your hands.
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I didn't expect any response to my post so I haven't checked this blog recently. So I will try to respond to some of these comments.
"I work for a small/mid size firm, and the idea of starting with a six figure salary was not even realistic."
"The belief that completing a course of study is going to lead to a six-figure income may be useful in motivating oneself to do all the extra studying needed to get high grade"
Never in my post did I mention that I expected to start off with a six figure salary. I took out 100k grand in student debt to attend law school. Part of my decision to attend the University of Minnesota Law School was based on its employment statistics. When you publish 99% employment, in spite of the truth being very different, as a student I have the right to be bitter.
Most of my classmates have comparable debt loads. You simply can't pay off that much debt in ten years on a 45k salary. It can't be done. Education costs have been rising in this country at a rate far higher than inflation.
"The comment shows a belief that I find false: that UMLS should send its students to jobs. As someone who had a career before law school, I was surprised that many law students had a belief that finding a legal job was somehow different, that one would be waiting for you at the door. The legal market is no different than any - you need to go out and find a job. UMLS can bring employers to the school, but it is not the school's job to get its students jobs."
I have been searching a job, any job for over a year. I have applied at jobs throughout the country. So have many of my classmates. I don't expect the University to get me a job. I do expect though that it will promote itself properly. Outside of the Upper Midwest, employers don't even realize that an incoming class as the U is academically comparable to Vanderbilt. That's the law school's fault.
"You can talk with law students and they alll know any number of folks having trouble finding a legal job. Then you go to a placement director and are told the official statistics show 99.9 percent of students have found employment. It all depends, of course, on how you define employment."
If the University published honest career statistics, I know many of my classmates would never have attended. I can't understand why people feel that anger at the law school system is unjustified. When you blatantly lie to your prospective consumers, and they destroy their lives as a result, you deserve anger.
With regards to the 20% figure, it comes from National Law Journal.
http://www.law.columbia.edu/null/NLJ_Ranking?exclusive=filemgr.download&file_id=133&showthumb=0
From the law school today
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: May 14, 2008
TO: Students
FROM: Dean Guy Charles
Dean Fred Morrison
SUBJECT: CPDC Reorganization and Staffing
We recognize that the Career and Professional Development Center is an
essential part of the Law School that shapes and impacts the student
experience, alumni relations, prospective student recruiting, and the Law
School's reputation. In consultation with incoming Dean Wippman, we have
made some changes to the Career and Professional Development Center.
Those changes include a search for a Director of Career and Professional
Development.
The Director will be responsible for creating and maintaining a professional
and educational environment that is welcoming and respected by students,
alumni, employers, faculty, and staff and responsible for the development
and implementation of a strategic plan that will advance the Law School's
goals and objectives including actively soliciting employment opportunities
from a broad range of legal employers and connecting students to desired
employment opportunities.
A search committee is being formed that will include representation from
faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The Committee will be charged with
actively identifying and recruiting a high caliber individual to fill this
essential position.
We anticipate a smooth transition and thank you for your understanding and
cooperation during the reorganization.
It appears the new Dean knows there is a problem with the CPDC.
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