Seniors are thinking of what to do after college as that moment of walking across the stage in Strahan Colisium approaches for December and May graduates. Unemployment and housing are shared worries, but students have different plans after leaving Texas State.

Shimira Warda, education senior, said she graduates in December and is certified to teach elementary through the sixth grade level.
“I’m planning to teach in North Austin, where I live now,” Warda said. “I’m also looking into getting a Master’s in something to do with communications, but I have no idea yet.”

Staff members’ concerns for health are beginning to take shape in an effort to gain free benefits to the Student Recreation Center as part of their contracts.

April Barnes, grant coordinator and Campus Recreation Advisory Committee member, said there have been conversations about free staff memberships for weeks. She formally presented the request to Staff Council during its last meeting.

National interest in the healthcare field is reflected locally by increased enrollment within the College of Health Professions.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, degrees in health professions rose 56 percent between the  2002-2003 and 2007-2008 enrollment periods. The College of Health Professions has increased its enrollment by 26 percent this year, the most out of all colleges at Texas State.

Organizations distributing fliers in the middle of The Quad and Alkek Library breezeway have incited criticism from students.

ASG Sen. Maxfield Baker, political science senior, made complaints to the University Police Department and Campus Association of Student Organizations because of his concern for unwanted fliers littering The Quad.

Students learning to teach are least likely to stray from their original career path, according to a report compiled in July 2009 by Institutional Research.

According to the report, the College of Education had the highest percentage of students who began and graduated from the same college within six years.

Stan Carpenter, dean of the College of Education, attributes the retention rate to the college housing specific majors instead of providing majors with a broad spectrum of career choices.

Faculty and staff members are working to acquire more benefits upon retiring.

Kimberly Garrett, Retired Faculty and Staff Association liaison, spoke at Tuesday’s Staff Council meeting about issues such as offering retired faculty and staff academic courses at reduced rates and free admission to football games.

Patrick Rose, D-45 State Representative incumbent, lost his attempt at a fourth term Tuesday evening to Republican opponent Jason Isaac.

Isaac won 53.90 percent to incumbent Rose’s 46.90, according to the final election results.

The challengers’ supporters showed enthusiasm with cheerful chatter as they anticipated the final numbers after learning of Isaac’s lead in early voting results with 55.68 to 44.32 percent.

Texas State students plan to take advantage of proposed tax credits if extended by Congress.

The American Opportunity Tax Credit, written by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, will expire in January and is to be used for tuition. The credit is intended to provide low-income Americans with broader educational opportunities.

Two students in the department of accounting not only cheated on schoolwork, but deceived the system meant to punish them for doing so.

Roselyn Morris, department of accounting chair, said her division has faced two cases of this scenario in the past two weeks.

Morris said it is unfair to students and faculty for cheating to go unpunished because of a loophole in the system. Students who drop the class before punishment receive automatic W's if they withdraw from the course prior to the drop deadline.