Bruce Lumsden officially became director of co-
     operative education and career services on Monday.
          His appointment was announced by Dr. Robin Banks,
     associate provost (academic services), who said there had
     been a number of good applicants for the post, but with
     the help of an advisory committee he had selected
     Lumsden, who has been interim director for the past few
     weeks since the retirement of Jim Wilson.
          "I am confident Bruce will have your full co-
     operation in this important position," Banks wrote in a
     memo, "and, on behalf of the University, I wish him and
     the Department continuing success."
          Banks said there had been no faculty members among
     the applicants for the post, although it was advertised
     as open to either staff members or faculty (who could
     take a five-year leave of absence from their academic
     posts to head the department, responsible for placing
     3,000 co-op students in jobs each term).
          He also said applicants from outside UW were not
     considered.
          Lumsden takes over a department facing hard times,
     with co-op jobs difficult to find in the present unstable
     economy.
          "There is a lot of competition out there," Lumsden
     said on Friday, "and the economy, while showing some
     signs of recovery, is still very poor as far as
     employment opportunities go."
          The department has placed about half of the 3,000
     students who are looking for spring term jobs. "Jobs are
     coming in and students are being placed on a continuous
     basis," he added.
          "The spring term is the most difficult because of
     the influx of everyone else looking for summer work.
          "The coordinators are concentrating their efforts on
     job development in many cases at the expense of student
     liaison visits."
          Lumsden also said it's difficult to give up-to-date
     figures on placements because the co-op department's
     computerized record system works so slowly. "We are
     hoping to introduce a much improved reporting system over
     the next few months," he said.