Introduction
Institutions of higher education operate in a highly
competitive environment. The push for increased state funds,
new programs, more students, and expanded services led to
increased emphasis on statewide coordination during the
1950s and 1960s as states sought to bring rationality to
their rapidly growing higher education systems. However,
competition took on new meaning during the 1980s and 1990s
when state revenue for higher education began to dwindle or
disappear as other state functions moved into priority
funding positions. In addition, state legislatures and the
public at large began to raise questions about
accountability, performance, and productivity of the higher
education systems (McGuinness, 1997). At the same time,
business and industry began calling for more effective
responses to employment needs.
By the late 1990s, it was clear that the market for higher
education had changed. While the values and traditions of
the academy remained "venerable sources of
strength," institutions and their governing boards
began to look to the external environment to understand the
context in which those values and traditions must operate
(Mingle, 1998). That environment included a changing labor
market that demanded new skills for workers, the emergence
of technologies such as the Internet, the challenge to
market share of traditional colleges and universities by new
providers of postsecondary education, and the intensely
competitive and changing public policy context, which
exacerbated cost, price, and productivity pressures on
institutions of higher education (Mingle, 1998).
To strike a balance between the demands of the market, the
academy, and the public, some state-level higher education
agencies have taken steps to link occupational trends to
academic program priorities based on (a) the connection
between higher education and the economy; (b) the
current focus on meeting student and employer demands for
job and skills training; (c) the need for public
institutions of higher education to respond to state policy
directives and demonstrate wise stewardship of public
resources; and (d) the benefits of academic program planning
and review in a statewide context.
Connection Between Higher Education and the Economy
In response to a growing demand for agricultural and
technical education, Congress passed the Morrill Act of 1862
to provide funds to establish land-grant colleges so that
members of the working class could obtain a liberal,
practical education. Every state and territory now has one
or more land-grant colleges (National Association of State
Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, 2000).
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
(1976) suggested the two best restraints on higher education
are competition and state budgets. An institution that
responds to the economic base in its region will remain
competitive and be better positioned to obtain financial
support from donors and legislators.
According to Seymour (1988), one of the key characteristics
of strategic planning is "matching institutional
capabilities with environmental conditions to achieve
goals," and listed three considerations for determining
program priority: mission, internal factors, and external
factors. Toombs and Tierney (1991) recognized environmental
factors, and specifically "market forces," in
their components of curriculum design.
Hines (1988) points out in a review of the relationship
between higher education and state governments that:
Increased investment of public funds in higher education
toward the goal of increased economic development is
predicated on the assumption that there will be a payoff,
that economic activity will increase, that the tax base will
expand, and that revenue will increase. (p. 33)
Although it may be appealing to define mission, role, and
program priorities in isolation, successful universities
understand that this process cannot occur without
consideration of their constituencies (Western Interstate
Commission for Higher Education, 1992a). In fact, many
higher education plans include the education of personnel
needed for "an advanced economy" (Western
Interstate Commission for Higher Education, 1992b). For
example, colleges and universities have added academic
programs in areas such as computer engineering and
management information systems when those knowledge areas
became crucial for industrial development.
Current Focus on Meeting Student and Employer Demands for
Job and Skills Training
Mingle (1998) noted that higher education is moving from a
producer-dominated enterprise to one fully sensitive to and
focused on the consumer. Public expectations of higher
education appear to have no bounds, putting considerable
pressure on colleges and universities:
The American labor market is both extraordinarily
diverse and exceptionally dynamic, making it difficult not
only to generalize about the knowledge and "skill
sets" college graduates need but also to make
predictions about the future demand for specific
occupations. Through surveys and interviews of employers and
external advisory groups, increasing numbers of colleges
stay closely tuned to this changing job market. This
information is shaping college programs in important ways.
(p. 6)
The Joint Commission on Accountability Reporting (1996)
emphasized the need to stay focused on the consumer and
recommends that institutions survey graduates and report
placement rates (pp. 38- 50). While placement is an
important measure of accountability, it is more closely
related to current employment than to future employability.
Nor can placement identify employment possibilities for
which no programs are in place. State-level coordinating
agencies currently explore ways to conduct market analyses
to determine how best to address the needs of their state. A
review of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (1999)
recommended that the agency devote more effort and resources
to statewide market analyses, and the State Higher Education
Executive Officers Association offers "State and System
Tools for Success in the New Market Environment" as an
on-line seminar for state higher education agency staff.
With respect to employer needs, there is a well-documented
national disequilibrium between the supply and demand for
information technology workers. Evidence for a severe worker
shortage includes a high job vacancy rate, low unemployment,
projected demand outstripping supply, higher than average
salary increases, and demand for foreign workers (Freeman &
Aspray, 1999). The national failure to develop sufficient
technical talent is so severe that it could
"substantially undermine" the future growth of the
electronics and information technology industry (Platzer,
Novak, & Kazmierczak, 1999, p 13).
Need for Public Institutions of Higher Education to
Respond to State Policy Directives and Demonstrate Wise
Stewardship of Public Resources
In recent years, many states have required academic program
review and approval as a way to curb unnecessary duplication
of programs among public institutions and to judge the
appropriateness of existing programs (McGuinness, 1997).
Most criteria for program review require employer needs
analyses that indicate whether new or existing programs
respond to employment needs. In some cases the link between
employment opportunities and program graduates is a critical
factor. For example, Alabama passed "program
viability" legislation in 1996 that requires academic
programs in all public institutions to meet minimum
graduation rates or be terminated (Program Viability Act,
1996). After a three-year monitoring period of non-viable
programs, institutions can request waivers for programs that
still do not meet graduation rate standards provided they
can document unique or extraordinary characteristics of the
program. Factors that may be considered in this evaluation
are placement of graduates in program-related areas of
employment, success of program graduates, and market
demands. Alabama institutions are evaluating how best to
assess the link between graduates in low-producing programs
and the state's employment needs.
Benefits of Academic Program Planning and Review in a
Statewide Context
One economy driven process is the relationship between
occupational trends and institutional programs. While
individual institutions and groups of institutions can
analyze occupational trends within their state, the
institutional approach does not take into account what other
in-state and out-of-state institutions are doing to meet the
need. With limited resources available to higher education,
institutional representatives, legislators, and policy
makers must be committed to the most effective use of state
dollars for the citizenry. A statewide approach to academic
program planning and review requires institutions to think
"outside the box," because what appears to be best
for an individual institution may not be the best course of
action for the region. While an institution may identify a
high-demand occupation based on labor market projections and
employer feedback, it must consider the productivity of
existing and planned programs in the region to avoid
potential duplication and market oversupply. The public
trust requires that state dollars be spent on programs that
have high priority and provide substantial benefit.
Previous Use of Occupational Trends at the State
Level
Although state-level agencies have been interested in links
between occupational projections and academic programs for
some time, the challenge has been to assess these
relationships as a context for institutional program review.
Some states have developed comprehensive proactive
approaches to program needs assessment, while others simply
react to institutional plans.
Arizona. In 1998, the Arizona legislature challenged
the Board of Regents and the State Board of Directors for
Community Colleges to develop a mutual statewide process for
identifying and meeting needs for advanced postsecondary
education. In response, the two boards jointly convened the
1998 Higher Education Study Committee. The process utilizes
a Joint Review Committee to evaluate requests for new or
expanded programs on the basis of statewide criteria for
need. Although needs assessment remained an institutional
function, the case for a new program could be strengthened
if multiple institutions partnership to meet the need. They
recommend several sources of data to demonstrate program
need, including the Arizona Department of Commerce, the
Arizona Department of Economic Security, and the Bureau of
Labor Statistics (Arizona Board of Regents and the State
Board of Directors of Community Colleges for Arizona, 1998).
Florida. Sanchez, Laanan, and Wiseley (1999) provide
an excellent summary of state efforts to measure students'
post-college earnings. Most initiatives follow program
completers or graduates into the workplace to estimate
average annual earnings or placement. Florida pioneered in
this area with the Florida Education and Training Placement
Information Program, established by a legislative directive
and a joint agreement between the Florida State Department
of Education and the Florida Department of Labor and
Employment. Other states such as Ohio, California, North
Carolina, Texas, and Washington have pursued similar
approaches. However, these efforts provide little
information on whether graduates are being trained in the
fields most needed by employers. Idaho has taken a somewhat
broader approach to needs assessment through statewide
roundtable discussions and the use of specific advisory
committees (Dodson, 1999).
Illinois. The Illinois Board of Higher Education is a
member of a consortium with other state agencies committed
to sharing labor market information. The board has conducted
statewide analyses by field of study, comparing employment
projections with graduate survey data. Typically, the board
will conduct a statewide study of existing programs in a
field, followed by institutional studies of related programs
a few years later. The initial analysis gives institutions a
useful context for their own assessments. One recent board
study included social work and human services (Illinois
Board of Higher Education, 1997).
A similar review of health professions education in Illinois
in 1992 compared projected average annual job openings with
estimated total supply and number of degrees conferred in
the state, and made recommendations for capacity adjustment
in individual programs. The analysis was followed by
recommendations for health professions education in 1993 and
the implementation of policies for health professions
education in 1995. The purpose of the study was to adjust
educational capacity, and the board recommended that some
programs be reduced and monitored, some be maintained, and
some be expanded (Illinois Board of Higher Education,
1995).
In 1998, the board published a report that identified and
proposed solutions to meet the educational needs in Lake
County (north of Chicago). The study included market
research conducted by a private consulting firm. The board
staff convened a number of forums to provide an opportunity
for Lake County residents to express their educational
needs, and conducted further research to analyze demographic
and economic data relevant to educational demand and need.
They used the number and percent of positions in Lake County
that required postsecondary education as compiled by the
Illinois Occupational Information Coordinating Committee to
assess educational demand (Illinois Board of Higher
Education, 1998). Based on the results, the board
established a University Center in Lake County that offered
high quality, convenient, and affordable education built on
the resources and programs of existing institutions.
Ohio. Gottlieb (1995) used an industry-occupation
matrix combined with occupational projections to identify
industries likely to provide future entry level and advanced
training jobs as a way to re-prioritize job training
programs in two-year institutions in the Cleveland-Akron
area of Ohio.
Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin System
supports a market research unit that works with universities
to identify needed programs in their region by looking at
demand from employers and students. Faculty still identify
areas of interest for new programs, but the market research
unit then samples regional businesses using the Dunn and
Bradstreet list (Sell, 1999).
Statement of the Problem
The state of Alabama needs a systematic statewide
process for comparing occupational projections with the
number of graduates of academic programs for use in program
planning. Although individual institutions have made such
comparisons as needed to foster strategic planning for
program prioritization, resource allocation, curriculum
development, and course availability, the need to analyze
occupational and graduation data at the state level has been
heightened by several recent developments. They include more
limited resources to support higher education, passage of a
program viability bill with provisions for waiver of non-
viability based on factors related to meeting occupational
needs, and recommendations by the Evaluation Committee of
the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to increase the
agency's use of market research as a planning tool.
The purpose of this study is to compare occupational
projections for the state of Alabama with graduation rates
in corresponding academic programs to provide a context for
state and institutional policy decisions on current programs
and new program initiatives, and to comply with recent
program viability legislation.
Methods
We employed three major tools to establish a context for
state and institutional policy decisions: (a) statewide
employment projections, (b) number of degrees conferred, and
(c) a crosswalk to relate one with the other. We limited the
analysis to high-demand and fast-growing occupations in
Alabama that require a Bachelor's degree or higher, as
identified by the Alabama Department of Industrial
Relations. They define high-demand occupations as
having at least 535 average annual job openings.
Fast-growing occupations have at least 50 average annual job
openings and an average annual growth rate of at least 3.2%
(Alabama Department of Industrial Relations,
1998).
Employment Projections
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has prepared national
employment projections since 1957 (U. S. Department of
Labor, 1995). Minimal input data was available at first, but
by the early 1970s a standard methodology was developed that
is still in use today (U. S. Department of Labor, 1986;
1997). The bureau releases ten-year national employment
projections every other year. It uses many factors to make
projections, including the composition of the labor force,
economic growth, demand, and occupational trends. For
example, occupational trends are based on data collected
from an Occupational Employment Survey prepared and
summarized by the bureau. The survey is administered by each
state, and contains data on approximately 775 occupations in
350 industries. The data includes number of employees and
salary range by occupation, providing regular empirical
information on occupational employment.
Information is stored in a projections database that is
programmed to generate employment trends over a ten-year
period. The bureau makes several key assumptions during the
projection process. For example, work patterns will not
change during the projection period (length of average work
week), broad social and educational trends will continue,
there will be no major war, there will not be a significant
change in the size of the armed forces, and there will be
fluctuations in economic activity due to the business cycle.
The most recent national projections localized for the state
level are for the ten-year period 1996 - 2006 (Silvestri,
1997). (See, also, U. S. Department of Labor, 1998.)
The bureau monitors and validates projections, and
exceptions to general assumptions are reported. For example,
they found that both the manufacturing and health industries
suffered unexpected setbacks in 1998 that were attributed to
the Asian economic crisis and more stringent health care
reimbursement policies (Goodman & Consedine, 1999).
The bureau conducted a detailed analysis of the educational
requirements of occupations and published the minimum amount
of preparation that most employers required. However,
requirements can vary from employer to employer, and there
may be more than one way to qualify. For example, the
educational preparation listed for registered nurses is
associate degree, although baccalaureate graduates take the
same licensure exam and are hired for the same entry-level
positions. For that reason, bureau educational requirements
for each occupation must be evaluated for accuracy in a
given state (U. S. Department of Labor, 1995; 1996).
The demand for college graduates continues to increase as
duties become more complex due to new technology and
changing business practices. This phenomenon, called
educational upgrading, accounted for one-third of the
college-level jobs created between 1983 and 1994 (Shelley,
1996). Changes in employment growth can be due to the growth
of an industry as well as changes in occupational structure.
For example, employment in the health-related professions is
expected to increase along with growth in the health
services industry. More use of computer technology, a
structural change, will accelerate the need for systems
analysts and programmers, and reduce the need for typists
(Franklin, 1997).
Nationally, the ten fastest growing occupations that
require a bachelor's degree are: (a) database
administrators, computer support specialists and all other
computer scientists, (b) computer engineers, (c) systems
analysts, (d) physical therapists, (e) occupational
therapists, (f) special education teachers, (g) speech-
language pathologists and audiologists, (h) physician
assistants, (i) residential counselors, and (j) securities
and financial services sales workers (see Table 1); (U. S.
Department of Labor, 1998, p. 52).
Table 1
Fast-Growing Occupations in Nation
Requiring a
Bachelor's Degree, 1996-2006
| Occupation |
Ten-Year
% Growth |
| Database Administrators |
118 |
| Computer Engineers |
109 |
| Systems Analysts |
103 |
| Physical Therapists |
71 |
| Occupational Therapists |
66 |
| Special Education Teachers |
59 |
Speech-Language Pathologists
and Audiologists |
51 |
| Physician Assistants |
47 |
| Residential Counselors |
41 |
| Financial Services and Sales |
38 |
The bureau provides each state with a data set for
making local projections. Using special software, states
prepare projections that are parallel to the national but
based on local populations, industries, and employees. We
used the Alabama Occupational Trends data for April 1998,
which are localized from federal projections, to estimate
statewide employment demand in various occupations (Alabama
Department of Industrial Relations, 1998). We defined
employment or occupational demand as the projected
annual average number of job openings in Alabama for the
period 1996 -2006. Specifically, we evaluated the projected
employment need for all high-demand and fast-growing
occupations that require a bachelor's degree or higher (we
excluded first professional preparation). In Alabama these
occupations are: (a) secondary school teachers, (b) general
managers and top executives, (c) registered nurses, (d)
elementary school teachers, (d) systems analysts, (e)
special education teachers, (f) accountants and auditors,
(g) computer engineers, (h) engineering, math and natural
science managers, (i) residential counselors, (j) preschool
and kindergarten teachers (combined group), (k) physical
therapists, (l) operations research analysts, (m) speech-
language pathologists and audiologists, and (n) occupational
therapists.
Number of degrees conferred
Public and private institutions of higher education in
Alabama prepare a mandatory completions survey as one of the
federal reports used in the Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System of the National Center for Education
Statistics (U. S. Department of Education, 1994 - 98). The
completions survey is a comprehensive report of graduates
organized by award level and curriculum. The curriculum area
is designated by a program description and six-digit code
based on the national Classification of Instructional
Programs taxonomy. (For more information on academic program
definitions, see Morgan, Hunt, & Carpenter, 1991).
Institutions forward an annual completions report to the
Alabama Commission on Higher Education, the statutory state
coordinating agency, which maintains a longitudinal
statewide repository of these reports (Alabama Commission on
Higher Education, 1994 - 98).
Using this curricula completion information we were able to
determine the number of degrees conferred in a given program
in a given year in Alabama. For example, the number of
completions in registered nurse preparation programs is the
sum of the number of nursing degree completions reported
under program code 51.1601 at each institution in a given
year. We can use this method to determine the total number
of degree completions reported for any academic discipline
in the state. In this study, we define degrees
conferred as the average annual number of completions
reported by postsecondary institutions in Alabama based on
the five-year period 1993-94 through 1997-98 (July 1 - June
30 reporting period). Averages include public and private
institutions and are based on Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System reports.
Crosswalk
Some occupations listed in the state employment projections
have an obvious relationship to an instructional program
reported in the completions survey. When questions arose, we
consulted a crosswalk database to help identify the
relationship. The database relates occupations to academic
programs by linking an occupational employment survey code
to an instructional program code (National Crosswalk Data
Center, April, 1999).
For example, based on statewide repository data and prior
knowledge, we identified 24 Alabama colleges and
universities that report baccalaureate and master's degree
completions in programs that lead to employment in the
occupational category systems analyst. Colleges
confer degrees in the following related instructional
programs (and program codes): (a) computer and information
sciences, general (11.0101), (b) information sciences and
systems (11.0401), (c) computer science (11.0701), (d)
computer and information sciences, other (11.9999), and (e)
management information systems and business data processing,
general (52.1201). Note that all of these programs are
offered at the bachelor's level, and programs (a) and (e)
are offered at the master's level as well.
A crosswalk database query for systems analyst degree
program codes pointed to the following occupations (and
occupational codes): (a) systems analysts, electronic data
processing (25102), (b) data base administrators (25103),
(c) computer support specialists (25104), (d) computer
programmers (25105), (e) computer programmer aides (25108),
(f) all other computer scientists (25199), and (g) computer
science teachers, postsecondary (31226).
The crosswalk query shows that graduates who earn a systems
analyst or related degree in college are reported on the
Occupational Employment Survey as working as systems
analysts, as well as in a cluster of related jobs. Thus, we
can link the number of systems analyst and related degrees
conferred to the number of projected job openings for
systems analysts and related occupations, although some
graduates will enter other fields. Note that to be
conservative in our estimate of needed graduates, we limited
the number of projected job openings to systems analyst,
eliminating all of the related fields. The articulation
between academic program and occupation will be more precise
for some occupations than others. Occasionally, crosswalk
relationships were adjusted to better reflect specific
conditions in Alabama.
Findings
The application of this model to 15 high-demand and
fast-growing occupations requiring a minimum of a bachelor's
degree yielded the general conclusion that existing programs
in Alabama colleges and universities will supply a
sufficient number of graduates to meet the state's demand
for many of these occupations through the year 2006. For
reporting purposes, we grouped the results of 15
occupational demand analyses into three categories: (a)
occupations where the supply of graduates is projected to
meet or exceed demand, (b) occupations where the supply of
graduates is projected to be insufficient to meet demand,
and (c) occupations requiring further study.
Occupations Where the Supply of Graduates is Projected to
Meet or Exceed Demand
The supply of graduates is projected to meet or exceed
the demand for (a) general managers and top executives, (b)
registered nurses, (c) elementary school teachers, (d)
accountants and auditors, (e) engineering, math and natural
science managers, (f) residential counselors, (g) preschool
and kindergarten teachers, (h) physical therapists, (i)
speech-language pathologists and audiologists, and (j)
occupational therapists.
Figure 1. High-demand and fast growing
occupations where the supply college graduates is projected
to meet or exceed statewide need.
Occupations Where the Supply of Graduates is
Projected to be Insufficient to Meet Demand
The supply of graduates is projected to be insufficient to
meet the demand for (a) systems analysts, (b) special
education teachers, (c) operations research analysts, and
(d) computer engineers.
Figure 2. High-demand and fast growing occupations
where the supply college graduates is projected to be
insufficient to meet statewide need.
Occupations that Require Further Study
The supply of graduates and demand for secondary school
teachers requires further analysis with respect to need in
specific certification areas.
Figure 3. High-demand and fast growing occupations
that require further study.
Discussion
We recommend three primary uses for an occupational
demand model: (a) as a planning tool, (b) as a decision
making tool, and (c) as a catalyst for collaborative
initiatives.
Planning Tool
A model of occupational demand provides a valuable
contextual base for statewide discussions of employment
needs, and ways that higher education can address those
needs. Although a demand model cannot provide absolute
judgments on the need for particular programs, it can
provide a starting point for asking the right questions. For
example, we found that Integrated Postsecondary Education
Data Systems completions in secondary education are not the
best source for the available supply of teachers.
Institutions can award teaching certificates without
offering academic programs, and teachers may be certified
through alternative routes. Therefore, degree completions
surveys may underestimate the total number of certifications
awarded. The Oklahoma State Regents commissioned the
Southern Regional Education Board (1998) to conduct a study
of educator supply and demand by type of certification. In
Alabama, consultation with officials at the State Department
of Education suggested that for the most part, Alabama
produces more new teachers than local education agencies
need, with the exception of areas such as special education,
foreign languages education, and sciences other than
biology. Given the difficulty of hiring foreign language
teachers and the low productivity in many foreign language
programs in the state, we need to formulate policies that
lead to an understanding occupational needs and focus on
solutions. State policy formulation should involve all
stakeholders in meaningful deliberations (institutional
representatives, the state coordinating board, the state
department of education, business leaders, legislators,
etc.).
Decision Making Tool
Individual institutions and state coordinating boards can
use data based on an occupational demand model as a tool in
making academic program decisions. The relationship between
number of college graduates and occupational demand can
serve as an important source of information for determining
whether institutions of higher education are meeting the
employee training needs of business and industry. If an
occupation is identified as high-demand or fast-growing, and
an institution's faculty express interest in developing an
academic program in this field, they should consider the
productivity of existing programs, and the potential
productivity of newly approved programs. Several years ago
the Alabama Commission on Higher Education approved three
new master's level programs in physical therapy. When the
new programs were included in estimates of future
productivity, the supply and demand for physical therapists
in the state was in approximate balance, even though
physical therapy is projected to be a fast-growing
occupation during the period 1996-2006. Institutions will be
better able to allocate limited resources to appropriate
programs when the regional productivity of existing programs
is considered.
We view comparisons of occupational projections with
academic program graduates as a focal point for discussion,
rather than an absolute measure of need to continue existing
programs or establish new ones. A complex decision, such as
whether or not to close an academic program, requires broad-
based judgments that include multiple components in the
decision process, such as job placement of current students,
emerging market trends, and research support (particularly
at the graduate level). While research on occupational
trends is an important information source, we view it as
part of a larger decision-making framework.
Institutions can use the model to identify areas that are
not currently being addressed by the educational system. For
example, information technology (computer engineers, systems
analysts) is an area where existing programs are not
producing adequate numbers of professionals. Institutions
may want to implement strategies to increase enrollment in
existing programs or plan new ones. Another useful process
is to identify high-demand and fast-growing programs that
are not offered by any institution in the state. Finally,
while the selection of an occupation is an individual
choice, educational organizations can help consumers make
informed decisions by providing valid information about the
prospects for occupational employability.
Catalyst for Statewide Cooperative Initiatives
It is difficult for competing institutions to foster
cooperative ventures, and collaboration is not the norm
among institutions of higher education. However, an
occupational demand model can identify program areas that
are ripe for cooperative initiatives. Relationships can be
encouraged through collaborative inter-institutional
discussions and financial incentives, and cooperative
programs can be established that benefit the state as a
whole.
Other Influences
We used an occupational demand model to compare
projected employment needs with statewide graduation rates
as a metric for program resource allocation. We mentioned
other influences on the demand model, such as the goodness
of fit between occupations and academic degrees, variations
in minimum educational job qualifications, migration of
graduates to (and from) other states. In Alabama, there are
graduates of out-of-state corporations that are not
accountable to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
These influences argue for using an occupational demand
model as part of a broader decision-making
process.
Notes
This article is based on a presentation at the
39th Annual Forum of the Association of Institutional Research,
Seattle, Washington, June 2, 1999.
We wish to thank Douglas Dyer,
Chief, Labor Market Information Division, Alabama Department
of Industrial Relations, and his staff, for providing us
with state employment projections and related materials, and
for meeting with us to discuss this project.
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About the Authors
Dr. Dan Rosenthal
Associate Director of Planning and Analysis
203 Samford Hall
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849-5111
danrosenthal@auburn.edu
Dr. Kitty C. Collier
Director of Planning
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
P.O. Box 302000
Montgomery, Alabama 36130-2000
kcollier@ache.state.al.us
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times since July 22, 2001