Fall 2007 Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
December 17, 2007, 12:00 p.m.
Room C-258 Parkview Campus
Present: Dennis Randolph (Calhoun County Road Commission), Rex Bell (Miller Davis Company), Bobbi Welke (MDOT), Angela Kline (Calhoun County Road Commission), Tim Mitchell
(SME, Inc.), Josh Host (CH2M), Haluk Aktan, Osama Abudayyeh, Sherif Yehia, Jun-Seok
Oh, Ahmad Jrade, Upul Attanayake.
Absent: Hubo Cai, with notice
- Welcome
- State of the Department
- ABET Accreditation Visit Report
- Industry Collaboration in Teaching Comprehensive Engineering Design
- Industry Advisory Board Mission
- A meeting on January 28 beginning with lunch again scheduled to review possible new member recruitment and the senior design industry collaboration requirements.
- Meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
a. Introduction of new chair (Haluk Aktan), faculty (Hubo Cai), and research associate (Upul Attanayake).
b. CCE Enrollment Trends
i. Enrollments are up and currently have 281 students in the civil and construction engineering program.
ii. Graduating student numbers are also up and should double in Spring 2008.
c. Each faculty member presented their research interests.
a. Both Civil and Construction was accredited through 2011 with comments. The comments described two weaknesses and one concern for civil engineering and two concerns for construction engineering. All are being addressed.
b. The group discussed the new criterion 9 that will need to be incorporated for both the civil and construction program.
a. The group was addressed and asked for input on a system that design projects are facilitated by experienced design professionals - industry to enhance the experience for students.
b. A pool of projects would come from industry that would cover all aspects of a senior project to include plans, scheduling, codes, costs, constraints, public policy, ect. This group would be mentored by practicing engineers in charge of the projects.
i. The mentor would need to spend approximately 5-6 hours per week with the group that is working on the project.
ii. Implementation would be for Fall 2008.
iii. A possible target as a mentor would be an older more experienced engineer or a young retiree.
c. The group suggested that it would be good to develop a list of projects with companies/industry can be solicited for mentors and projects. A database that would list projects and mentors. The projects could be current or recently completed.
d. The group also suggested that all kinds of projects be identified so that guidelines can be established. Incorporate all aspects of civil and construction engineering in a project.
e. The group requested that a proposal and/or a brochure established to be shared with possible sponsors, industry partners, along with civil and construction societies (APAA, AGC, ASCE). Student associations should also receive this information to solicit donations, materials, etc. for the projects.
a. The group was asked for input in regards to the board members, how long a term should be, how to recruit new members and what the principal activities are involved in being a member.
