2008 Industrial Advisory Board Annual Report

Objectives:

The mission of the IAB is to help ensure the CCE curriculum educates and prepares graduates for essential needs of the state and nation. To ensure programs are updated based on continuous improvement of objectives, outcomes, facilities, and curriculum.

Principal Activities:

Review the program's educational objectives to evaluate them to assure conformity with the current and anticipated industry work-force requirements. The board will develop and propose changes in objectives and outcomes, facility needs, and curriculum.

Two-Three Year Frequency Responsibilities: Review the program's educational objectives (vision).
Report: IAB continues to support the ABET accreditation process. The CCE curriculum continues to be improved to accomplish the outcomes expected for ABET accreditation.

Annual Responsibilities: Review the program's outcomes (mission).
Report:
A. The CCE curriculum continues to be improved to accomplish the outcomes expected for ABET accreditation. For Civil Engineering, ABET accreditation requires curriculum changes to accomplish designing a system, component, or process in more than one civil engineering context and to explain basic concepts in management, business, public policy, and leadership. For Construction Engineering, ABET accreditation requires curriculum changes to accomplish proficiency in engineering design in an engineering specialty field.
B. The WMU's Career Office initiatives include the College's Cooperative Education program which allows active alliance with business, industry, and higher education. CCE related initiatives: Participation in Career Fairs, Engineers Week, and Women in Engineering.
C. CCE Enrollment Trends:

Year	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
BSc	142	185	223	251	264	250	285

MSc	27	22	17	14	18	22	29
Total	169	207	240	265	282	272	314

D. CCE Graduation Trends:

Year	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
BSc	16	14	22	19	28	37
MSc	8	6	8	10	4	3
Total	24	20	30	29	32	40

E. Professional Program Initiative: Industry Collaborative Teaching of Comprehensive Engineering Design - Senior Design Projects with the Theme of Sustainable Civil and Construction Systems.
Spring 2008: 33 students with 10 groups/projects; 6 projects sponsored by faculty and 4 projects sponsored by industry.
IAB ACTIONS:

IAB participated in judging Spring 2009 projects on Tuesday, April 14, 2009.
IAB invited to seek/recommend Fall 2009 projects from industry.

F. CCE Challenges:

I. Recruit and retain good students by attracting an increase in the number of students with distinction:

a. Scholarships for incoming freshman.
b. Develop an endowment specifically for incoming freshman.
c. Named scholarships/fellowships (Industry supported).

II. Increase outreach efforts to elementary, middle, and high schools:
a. Industry sponsored summer camps.
b. Summer research fellowships to high school science teachers.
c. Participate in MDOT TRAC Program and Science fair.

III. Identify, define, and respond to national needs and priorities by directing faculty resources to areas with future research needs:
a. Transportation - Railroads
b. Urban transportation systems - retraction from urban sprawl
c. Energy generation - power plants design, new materials, construction
d Environmental - water resource management, waste management
e. Management and sustainability - Civil engineering systems
f. Green - buildings, infrastructure, construction.

IV. Establish sustainable community based partnerships:
a. Use urban system as part of CCE education and research
b. Foster industry participation in education
c. Provide incentives for student participation in local community service
d. Be a vehicle in informing society on global changes that can be leveraged for local community.

On-going Responsibilities:
A. The IAB will review methods for collecting feedback on the graduate qualification in meeting educational objectives and outcomes. The IAB will, either formally or informally, collect feedback on the program graduates' level of achievement.
Report: The ABET program accreditation's program requires an education objectives assessment tool based on input. Four tools were proposed at the May 2008 IAB meeting:
Drafts of the two surveys were shared. The surveys must be performed in 2009-2010 for consideration during the 2011 ABET review.
IAB ACTION:
B. The IAB will recommend and recruit new members to the board. IAB members are leaders of the Civil and Construction Engineering profession as well as leaders within disciplines that have substantial impact and influence to the society in areas of significance to the profession.

Report: In 2008 new members joining IAB: include Joanna Johnson, Kalamazoo County Road Commission; Joshua Host, CH2M Hill; Jerry Vander Veen, M.W. Vander Veen Company, and Stephen Vanden Brink, Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering, Inc.

Implementation: The IAB consists of 8 to 10 representatives from a cross section of industries and public agencies, leaders of private industries, and community leaders in charge of Civil and Construction Engineering and related activities. The IAB may form subcommittees addressing resources, curriculum and recruiting. The Civil and Construction Engineering faculty and chair may serve on the IAB subcommittees. The IAB will meet twice per year, around the times of fall and spring semester commencements and additional times, if deemed necessary.

Report: The IAB met on May 15, 2008 and December 15, 2008. In early 2009, IAB organization occurred. The spring 2009 IAB meeting is scheduled for April 28, 2009.
C.The IAB will periodically review the curriculum and facilities and recommend improvements as well as assist the program in obtaining funding to improve the facilities.
Report: Dean Litynski reports that WMU is proceeding with a funding campaign to construct an additional wing on the existing CEAS facility with a goal to establish new, and grouped, CCE classrooms and laboratories. The MDOT/CCE HMA lab sharing contract was extended to February 2011, while the construction of a larger all-purpose lab is undergoing consideration.
D.The IAB will periodically meet with students, faculty, and staff to be come more familiar with both the people and the processes involved in the curriculum.
Report: IAB members have participated in:
I.The Fall 2008 kick-off meeting of the joint ASCE, AGC, and ITE combined student chapter group. The student chapter will host the 2010 North Central Regional Conference for the annual ASCE concrete canoe and steel bridge contests.
II.Dean and faculty position vacancies selection.
III.February 2009 Engineering Week events.
Prepared: B. Welke, IAB Secretary
Updated: April 5, 2009

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