Tuesday, April 6, 2004, 5:20:03 PM, you wrote:

GC> It is one matter  to hire a person living here who happens to have a foreign degree. IT is
GC> one matter to forego the degree and hire someone who has experiential competence. It is
GC> another matter for universities and colleges to pointedly
GC> hire foreign nationals instead of
GC> citizens as a matter of economic expediency.

I agree with you that there is a difference.  However, I don't think
the original question had anything to do with suggesting that any
university or city "hire foreign nationals instead of citizens as a
matter of economic expediency".  In fact, at least in public
universities I'm familiar with, there would be all sorts of problems
with equal rights, equal salaries, and so forth if they attempted to
do so.  The question was, I believe, about considering applicants who
happened to have a degree from another country, who were otherwise
qualified and experienced, etc.

I recall a serials cataloger I worked with a number of years ago at
another university.  She was probably the best serials cataloger I've
ever known (apologies to all of you out there that I don't know, but
she was superb).  She spoke very good English. She was a superb
librarian.  Her degree happened to be from a university in Taiwan. She
made more than some catalogers, less than others.  She had previously
worked in another US library.  If I ever knew, I don't recall her
citizenship status at the time.

I work with a reference librarian now who has a degree from another
country.  Same things are true.  Excellent skills.  Has worked in
another US library.  Has a green card (which aren't green anymore).
Makes more than some and less than others.

GC> This goes part
GC> and parcel with the discussion of
GC> corporations exporting jobs overseas. If we don't hire the
GC> people we educate, then who WILL
GC> hire them, and in the end where will we all be. Do YOU want
GC> to work at a low-paying service job?

Actually, I DO work at a low paying service job.  It is called being a
librarian.  If I wanted to get rich I'd never have gone into
librarianship 40 years ago.  I've turned down several opportunities to
go to the private sector.

If you don't want to work in a low paying service job, don't get a
degree in education, library science, or a number of other
disciplines.

dan

--
Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan@RiverOfData.com 208-283-7711
3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
www.riverofdata.com  Have you forgotten 9/11?