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Welcome back for the start of the 2007/2008 academic year with my very best wishes for success to members of the incoming class of 2011. I understand many of the feelings of an incoming student; I too, am a freshman.
Having assumed the responsibilities of the Dean of the School of
Engineering (SOE) for the first time when Dr. Heist left in the spring,
I am keenly aware of the new challenges in my professional life. My
perspective at Manhattan must shift from that of a department Chair
(Electrical and Computer Engineering) to the outlook of a Dean whose
viewpoint embraces the entire School.
There are a number of tasks that will need my attention in the coming months; principal among them is preparation for an upcoming re-accreditation of our engineering programs by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) culminating with a visit that takes place in the fall of 2008. Each program, as well as the Dean (on behalf of the SOE and Manhattan College), prepares an extensive Self-Study narrative that the visiting ABET Team uses to assess our school and its programs. This study must be comprehensive and will require participation of the entire faculty. It reflects how we meet the outcomes and objectives of our curricula and what we do to provide continuous improvement of the underlying goals of programs in the SOE. When the Team visits the campus they will meet with individual students to gain their viewpoint on the quality of their educational experience.
Our job is to provide students with an education that prepares the individual for rewarding and productive professional careers. To meet the strict standards established by ABET we seek advice from a number of our stakeholders: students, alumni and alumnae, employers, parents, educational colleagues and experts, and a special group of individuals whom we refer to as our "Consultors" whose guidance and counsel are extraordinarily helpful. We share the Mission of Manhattan to provide you with a "contemporary, person centered, educational experience characterized by high academic standards, reflection on faith, values, and ethics, and lifelong career preparation." Above all, we want to educate you to be critical and thoughtful citizens capable of addressing the challenging problems of your generation.
Your world is dramatically different than the world in which I came to professional maturity. If you want to gain an insight into my personal technical journey, visit the world-famous collection of vacuum tubes in the Fischbach room in LEO. I have lived through nothing short of a technological revolution and you will also. In this "age of information" consider all the emerging developments: robots and automation in practically every aspect of our lives, nanotechnology (materials), ion engines, biofuels, piezo motors, and crop biotechnology - the list is virtually endless. Your professors can do more justice to this list than I can - just ask them.
While you certainly want to maintain strong academic performance - that comes first - attending classes should be augmented with other activities; technical training by itself is not sufficient for a truly life-enhancing college outcome. I want to encourage you all to participate fully in your undergraduate experience. Years from now you will recognize the unique experience that you enjoyed during your time at Manhattan and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The true friends that you make will last your entire life; who knows, you may even meet your future spouse. I want to see you at Jaspers home games - we plan to have an "engineers' night" during the basketball season. Take advantage of the variety of clubs (professional groups), that you can join. The Manhattan Engineer - a consummate product of your classmates' efforts - can use your help; write an article, or an opinion piece. Volunteer in the community; how about joining Engineers Without Borders or Habitat for Humanity; work with Campus Ministry; get involved with faculty research projects. We certainly can use volunteers at all of our outreach activities such as Open House, Engineering Awareness Day and Accepted Student Days. If your forte is academics, consider being a tutor. Peer learning is a great educational tool. And, if you don't know what I look like, don't be afraid to come by my office and say hello. (We have a terrific, caring, staff in the office.) I thoroughly enjoy chatting with students as well as alums and discovering that they are thriving and hearing about their great accomplishments. (I might even "twist their arms" into becoming mentors for our frosh or evaluators in our design courses.) I have been known to spend an hour or more just getting to know a student and helping him or her to resolve a problem or to think about "what I should do when I graduate."
There are a number of tasks that will need my attention in the coming months; principal among them is preparation for an upcoming re-accreditation of our engineering programs by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) culminating with a visit that takes place in the fall of 2008. Each program, as well as the Dean (on behalf of the SOE and Manhattan College), prepares an extensive Self-Study narrative that the visiting ABET Team uses to assess our school and its programs. This study must be comprehensive and will require participation of the entire faculty. It reflects how we meet the outcomes and objectives of our curricula and what we do to provide continuous improvement of the underlying goals of programs in the SOE. When the Team visits the campus they will meet with individual students to gain their viewpoint on the quality of their educational experience.
Our job is to provide students with an education that prepares the individual for rewarding and productive professional careers. To meet the strict standards established by ABET we seek advice from a number of our stakeholders: students, alumni and alumnae, employers, parents, educational colleagues and experts, and a special group of individuals whom we refer to as our "Consultors" whose guidance and counsel are extraordinarily helpful. We share the Mission of Manhattan to provide you with a "contemporary, person centered, educational experience characterized by high academic standards, reflection on faith, values, and ethics, and lifelong career preparation." Above all, we want to educate you to be critical and thoughtful citizens capable of addressing the challenging problems of your generation.
Your world is dramatically different than the world in which I came to professional maturity. If you want to gain an insight into my personal technical journey, visit the world-famous collection of vacuum tubes in the Fischbach room in LEO. I have lived through nothing short of a technological revolution and you will also. In this "age of information" consider all the emerging developments: robots and automation in practically every aspect of our lives, nanotechnology (materials), ion engines, biofuels, piezo motors, and crop biotechnology - the list is virtually endless. Your professors can do more justice to this list than I can - just ask them.
While you certainly want to maintain strong academic performance - that comes first - attending classes should be augmented with other activities; technical training by itself is not sufficient for a truly life-enhancing college outcome. I want to encourage you all to participate fully in your undergraduate experience. Years from now you will recognize the unique experience that you enjoyed during your time at Manhattan and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The true friends that you make will last your entire life; who knows, you may even meet your future spouse. I want to see you at Jaspers home games - we plan to have an "engineers' night" during the basketball season. Take advantage of the variety of clubs (professional groups), that you can join. The Manhattan Engineer - a consummate product of your classmates' efforts - can use your help; write an article, or an opinion piece. Volunteer in the community; how about joining Engineers Without Borders or Habitat for Humanity; work with Campus Ministry; get involved with faculty research projects. We certainly can use volunteers at all of our outreach activities such as Open House, Engineering Awareness Day and Accepted Student Days. If your forte is academics, consider being a tutor. Peer learning is a great educational tool. And, if you don't know what I look like, don't be afraid to come by my office and say hello. (We have a terrific, caring, staff in the office.) I thoroughly enjoy chatting with students as well as alums and discovering that they are thriving and hearing about their great accomplishments. (I might even "twist their arms" into becoming mentors for our frosh or evaluators in our design courses.) I have been known to spend an hour or more just getting to know a student and helping him or her to resolve a problem or to think about "what I should do when I graduate."
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