Published in the Proceedings (on CD) of the 38th ASEE Midwest Section Meeting; September 10 - 12, 2003; University of Missouri - Rolla; Rolla, Missouri
This paper will discuss the evolution of the electrical engineering and other engineering programs at Arkansas State University (ASU) since 1966 and especially since 1982. The paper will detail the history of growth and development of the engineering college from a variety of sometimes opposing but necessarily balanced perspectives, for example, that of students and parents, faculty, regional business and industry, the university administration, the community, the state political infrastructure and economy, competing regional universities, ABET, and funding agencies. It will also objectively discuss past and current constraints upon the ASU engineering program (and other small undergraduate engineering programs) and how these have been/are handled. It will also address ongoing changes, opportunities, and faculty members' vision of the future within the context of the new ABET accreditation criteria, leadership changes, and a rapidly expanding research and graduate education mission for ASU, for example in environmental science and the biosciences, occurring at the same time that the College of Engineering remains committed to excellence in undergraduate engineering education while pursuing such new opportunities.
The engineering program at Arkansas State University is an interesting non-traditional program and case study. In 1966/1967, the university began to rebuild the small pre-agricultural engineering program that had been in existence since before World War II and received ECPD/ABET accreditation for this program in 1978. With strong regional industrial support, the university was granted authorization by the state to add professional concentration areas in electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering under a common Bachelor of Science in Engineering umbrella in 1981/1982. The BSE program was ABET accredited in 1987, with a retroactive date of 1984. The program was granted full College of Engineering status in 1999 and is now in the process of making significant modifications, spurred in part by new ABET EC 2000 accreditation criteria.
Historically, the engineering program has had a philosophy and primary mission of excellence in undergraduate education and especially in providing engineering graduates and service to the region. Circumstances over the past year have provided new challenges and opportunities, which are driving significant changes within the respective engineering concentration areas and the College of Engineering as a whole.
Although at the time, it was officially designated as a school of agriculture and mechanics, ASU began offering the first engineering courses within the Department of Agriculture as early as 1917 [1]. By 1923, the curriculum had expanded to include a full two years of courses in "pre-engineering". In the 1930's, students were able to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a program of course work including several courses in agricultural engineering. Engineering courses continued to be taught throughout World War II, primarily to military personnel stationed on campus. In 1949, the agriculture curriculum was further expanded to include a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree with a professional concentration in agricultural engineering. Throughout the 1950's and early 1960's, a pre-engineering program was offered by the Department of Mathematics and Physics. In 1967, Arkansas State College was renamed Arkansas State University, and the pre-engineering program was moved to the College of Agriculture. The College of Agriculture began offering the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering (BSAE) in 1971. Engineering majors were allowed to begin taking the Engineer-In-Training (EIT) exam in 1975, and the BSAE program was fully accredited by ABET in 1978.
The year 1982 marked significant changes for the engineering curriculum at ASU. The College of Agriculture was renamed the College of Engineering, Agriculture, and Applied Science, and, in addition to the BSAE degree, the college began offering a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree with concentration areas in electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering. In 1986, the BSE program received full ABET accreditation, with a retroactive date of 1984 [2]. In 1988, the engineering program was separated from the College of Agricultural and became the Independent Department of Engineering, having effectively the same status as a full college. Also in 1988, the Department of Engineering moved into the new Laboratory Sciences-West building which afforded much needed classroom and laboratory space.
In 1992 and in 1998, the BSE degree was re-accredited by ABET. By 1995, the separate BSAE degree was phased out due to a lack of students, and agricultural engineering was officially included as an area of professional concentration within the BSE degree. In 1999, the Department of Engineering attained full college status, and was renamed the College of Engineering. In 2000, engineering and technology were divided into separate stems within the college.
Dr. Albert L. Mink served as the department chair since its inception. When the independent department achieved full college status in 1999, Dr. Mink was named Dean of Engineering. After his untimely death in 2002, the college underwent a minor restructuring. Program directors were named for electrical, computer, and information engineering (ECIE); civil and agricultural engineering; mechanical engineering; and technology. The college is currently preparing for a Fall 2004 ABET visit under the new ABET EC 2000 criteria.
The College of Engineering currently offers courses and programs leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Technology, and Associate in Science - Technology. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering program also provides for separate professional concentration areas in electrical, computer, and information engineering; civil engineering; mechanical engineering; and agricultural engineering. The engineering program is currently accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET). The technology programs are currently not accredited by ABET.
There are currently 15 full-time faculty within the College of Engineering. Associated degrees include ten doctorates, four M.S. degrees, and one B.S. degree. The rank of the various faculty currently includes four Professors, three Associate Professors, three Assistant Professors, and five Instructors. The individual disciplines are represented as follows: ECIE - 3 faculty; mechanical engineering - 4 faculty; civil engineering - 3 faculty; agricultural engineering - 2 faculty; and technology - 3 faculty. Some of the instructors sometimes teach courses in more than one concentration area.
The engineering faculty have always considered research as an important avenue to professional development and up-to-date, relevant instruction to students. The faculty are currently engaged in research in the areas of thin film materials, semiconductor and optoelectronic materials and devices, power line electromagnetics, environmental science and engineering, structural materials, acoustics, numerical modeling, agricultural resource assessment, and sensors.
The college currently has approximately 350 engineering majors, and the total number of graduates (including technology majors) is approximately 50 per year. ASU engineering graduates typically do very well in the job market after graduation. These graduates have gone on to work in a wide variety of capacities, including local, regional, and national industry, various public and private utilities, consulting firms, and state and federal agencies. A significant number of ASU engineering graduates have gone on to regionally and nationally acclaimed graduate schools, earning M.S., M.B.A., and/or Ph.D. degrees.
There are several inherent advantages in having a small, undergraduate engineering program. With no graduate program, there is a strong emphasis on excellence in undergraduate teaching. Smaller class sizes mean high instructor/student ratios and excellent interaction and learning for the students. The students also benefit from generous faculty office hours and an "open door" policy. Over the years, the program has developed a reputation for "personal attention" for the students, and during the course of earning an engineering degree, most of the students are known to the faculty on a "first name" basis. This type of atmosphere results in a higher and more enjoyable standard of learning.
The above-mentioned advantages are primarily a benefit to the engineering students, but there are also several advantages which tend to benefit the faculty. For example, historically there has been a minimal "publish or perish" mentality. Although significant research has been performed in selected areas, many faculty have focused primarily on achieving and maintaining quality undergraduate teaching. Very strong local/regional industrial support has led to many opportunities for the engineering faculty to engage in creative consulting [3] and applied research. The good relationships with regional industry have resulted in significant donations for the engineering program, and ASU engineering graduates are in high demand. Thus, the program has developed into a primary source of engineering talent for the region. These opportunities also allow the faculty to remain up-to-date on current applications in the various engineering disciplines.
Due to its size and scope, the ASU engineering program is often asked to be the required token undergraduate program/institution on interinstitutional proposals and research programs such as NASA and EPA EPSCOR consortia. This has led to enhanced opportunities for faculty and students to participate in research.
There is a very strong emphasis within the program on the importance of professional registration. Students are strongly encouraged to take and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Examination during their final semester in the program. First-time examinees from ASU have a high pass rate on the FE Examination (typically around 90%). This enhances the reputation of the program and also increases the marketability of the students. There is a high incidence of registered Professional Engineers among ASU engineering alumni.
Since all ASU engineering students take a set of common "engineering core" courses, the resulting curriculum is very broad-based with an emphasis on interaction between members of multi-disciplinary teams. The students are generally well-versed in engineering fundamentals and can easily adjust to a specialization on the job or in graduate school. Many of these students perform well at hybrid or multi-disciplinary jobs. This broad-based approach also better prepares the students for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Examination. There is flexibility built into the curriculum to allow certain students to follow, within certain guidelines, an individually planned program of study (IPP) which may lead to more specialization in a particular field.
The opportunity for students to participate in undergraduate research [4,5] gives the students valuable experience in conducting experimentation, analyzing data, and presenting or publishing the results. This can be very useful in enhancing the credentials and marketability of engineering students, particularly those who might plan on attending graduate school. Special effort has been extended to integrate undergraduate research and instruction [6,7].
The diverse faculty needed for a broad-based undergraduate engineering program results in the students being exposed to a wide range of expertise and perspectives. This is beneficial in teaching students problem-solving skills. In addition, the common B.S.E. umbrella has led to enhanced cooperation between the various professional concentration areas.
There are also challenges and constraints that must be addressed for a program of this size and scope. A partial listing of these is given below:
This places an extra burden on the faculty, who must not only teach or actively manage, through undergraduate laboratory assistants, a relatively large number of laboratory courses in addition to the required lecture courses, but also must grade homework in upper-level courses for which undergraduate homework graders are sometimes not available.
This can sometimes be a "marketing" disadvantage for students, in that some employers not familiar with ASU or the common BSE degree may erroneously consider it less competitive than separate degrees such as the BSEE, BSCE, etc. It is also occasionally a concern of prospective students and their parents.
During the early years of the program (prior to 1987), this was a major recruiting and engineering graduate marketing disadvantage. However, accreditation significantly improved the image of the program and also helped mitigate any recruitment challenges associated with (B).
During the early years of the program there was a contingent in Arkansas that did not
recognize and support the need for a second engineering program within the state. This
situation has improved dramatically over the past decade. In fact, there are now four
institutions in Arkansas that offer engineering degrees.
The relatively slow development of the separate professional concentration areas into their
own distinct entities has sometimes led to too little appreciation of the differences between
them. A common misperception has been that each engineer from the program has the
same specific expertise, that is, "general engineering" and "it's all the same."
Historically, it has been difficult for faculty to obtain major research funding, particularly for more expensive, specialized equipment, although the university has always been cooperative in granting reassigned time for research and in providing matching or cost sharing funds on proposals and grants. This difficulty, coupled with differences in the state funding formula per student credit hour between institutions, led to minimal state funding for ASU research. However, with a recent change in the university mission to encompass a significant research capability, this is changing in conjunction with increasing external funding. For example, increased funding is expected through the new Arkansas Biosciences Research Institute (ABI), which is funded through "tobacco settlement" monies.
The high teaching loads (historically 12+ credit hours per semester) and minimum number of faculty in each professional concentration area make it more difficult for the faculty as a whole to diversify outside of instructional roles and leave minimal time for professional development or research unless one has external funding. The cycle of high teaching loads and minimal research funding can be difficult for faculty to "break out-of".
A big problem during the early years of the program was the lack of understanding in the
region about exactly what type of engineering program was in place at ASU. Various
misperceptions included "only a technology program", "only agricultural engineering",
"general engineering", "not accredited", and "no jobs for engineering graduates". This
problem has been largely overcome, primarily due to local/regional student recruiting
efforts in cooperation with high school teachers and counselors, the ever-increasing
numbers of highly successful alumni, and effective press coverage, public relations, and
interinstitutional collaborations.
The relatively small number of students in the program is sometimes a problem in having
specialized classes make, particularly the junior and senior level courses. This can also be
a problem in attracting qualified homework graders and/or laboratory assistants. In
addition, it is difficult to retain a "critical mass" of students for the various ASU student
branches of professional societies such as IEEE, ASME, SME, and ASCE.
(J) Lack of Understanding from Other Degree Programs
There is often little understanding for the differences between engineering and other
degree programs on the ASU campus. On various occasions there have been strained
relations and jealously with/from other academic programs due to factors such as
accreditation, no physical education requirements and minimal general education courses
in engineering, and relatively higher salaries for engineering faculty.
(K) Rural Non-metropolitan Setting
ASU is located in a rural, mainly non-metropolitan area (Jonesboro has a population of
just over 50,000). Other than manufacturing and agriculture, there are minimal "high-tech" industries. The longer distances to most corporate R/D sites make it more difficult
to capitalize on research opportunities. The rural nature of the region also sometimes
blurs the distinction between real engineering, technology, and even maintenance and
construction in the public's eyes. It is common to see the misuse of engineering job
descriptions and titles in the workplace even though this is against the policy of the
Arkansas Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.
Furthermore, there exists a significant percentage of "first generation" college students in
the region; that is, students who are the first or among the first of their extended family to
attend college. Sometimes this is accompanied by misconceptions of what college is all
about and what is required for success, although motivation is generally high.
VI.. Recent Changes
The engineering program functioned very effectively for many years as an independent department under one chairman. Within the past four years, the program has gone through more change than in its entire previous history.In 1999, the department attained full college status. There were two directors named (for engineering and technology, respectively) who reported to the Dean of Engineering. In late 2002, Dean Albert Mink passed away unexpectedly. This led to another restructuring. Under an interim dean (Dr. Rick Clifft), the college was reorganized by professional concentration areas, with each area having its own program director. The four areas are electrical, computer, and information engineering; civil and agricultural engineering; mechanical engineering; and technology.
At approximately the same time as this most recent restructuring, the university adopted a new, significantly increased research mission and new senior administrative personnel to support this new mission. Efforts are now underway to begin to transform ASU into a doctoral level research institution. This has resulted in expectations for faculty to significantly increase their efforts at research and professional development, and represents a significant and sudden change from the traditional mission emphasizing excellence in teaching at the bachelor's and master's levels. These changes have been prefaced and accompanied by a corresponding increase in the number of graduate programs at ASU; for example, Ph.D. programs in Environmental Science and Heritage Studies, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership program.
In addition to the changes discussed above, the state has recently undergone a serious budget crisis which has led to a hiring freeze at most state institutions. This led to increased uncertainty within the college due to unfilled faculty and staff positions. This has resulted in an increased workload for certain faculty and procedural delays at times.
In the midst of the budget crisis, hiring freeze, and new research mission, the college is also in full preparation for an accreditation visit from ABET in the fall of 2004. This will be the first visit under the new ABET EC 2000 criteria. The engineering college also expects to commence a search for a permanent dean within the next year.
Thus, the college is in a period of rapid and sometimes unsettling change. However, the faculty remain fully committed to professionalism and excellence in undergraduate instruction as they take on new challenges and pursue new opportunities.
VII. ECIE Program
In 2001, the electrical engineering program underwent a title change and became electrical, computer, and information engineering (ECIE). This title change coincided with the offering of several new ECIE courses and was meant to better reflect the changing role of the electrical engineer in society. Additional changes effective August 2003 include revisions in the general education component of the engineering degree programs and a reduction in the engineering core requirements by seven credit hours with a corresponding increase in required ECIE courses.
There are currently three full-time faculty (the three authors) associated with this professional concentration area (two with the rank of full professor and one associate professor, with Dr. Engelken the Director). These three faculty teach the majority of the ECIE lecture and laboratory courses, and the upper-level ECIE curriculum has been roughly divided up into areas which coincide with the respective specializations of the faculty. All three ECIE faculty regularly teach. Electric Circuits I as part of the engineering core.
There are currently 28 courses with an ECIE prefix. Within the ECIE concentration area, it is possible to obtain further specialization in one of several areas by taking certain course sequences. These areas include semiconductor materials and devices; electrical power and machinery; electromagnetics and optoelectronics; controls and communications; and computers and electronics. In addition, the ECIE program is laboratory intensive with laboratory courses offered in electric circuits, electronics, digital electronics, microprocessors and computers, semiconductor/optoelectronics materials and devices, and electrical machinery. Some of these laboratory courses are available as a two-semester sequence for students who elect to further develop their area of specialization.
The ECIE faculty are actively involved in research in the areas of semiconductor and thin film materials, power systems, environmental science, and electromagnetics. The program has had external funding for research from a diverse set of agencies including the Arkansas Department of Highways and Transportation, the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority, the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of Health, and NASA. It has also had collaborative research grants and/or publications with a variety of other institutions, including the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas - Little Rock, the University of Missouri-Rolla, and the University of Texas - Arlington, and a variety of regional industries. Two of the ECIE professors are also charter faculty associated with ASU's relatively new multi-disciplinary Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences program.
The program has a long history of utilizing undergraduate research and instructional assistants [4-7]. For example, the ASU Optoelectronics Materials Research Laboratory has utilized over fifty undergraduate research assistants over the past two decades. Several of these have received research fellowships from programs such as the Arkansas Science Information Liaison Office Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program and the NASA/Arkansas Space Grant Consortium Workforce Development Fellowship Program. Most of these student researchers have served as coauthors and presenters of papers and presentations over their research. Several have won "Best Paper" competitions at annual meetings of the Arkansas Academy of Science. Several have gone on to pursue graduate degrees at other institutions including the University of Missouri-Rolla, the University of Arkansas, Texas A&M, Purdue, Stanford, and the University of Tennessee. The experience has been a powerful enhancement of their credentials, marketability, and confidence.
The ECIE concentration area has recently undergone significant changes. With these changes come significant opportunities and challenges. The program has identified a number of long-term goals. These include: (i) moving towards and obtaining separate accreditation for a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) degree; (ii) increased course offerings in the area of computer engineering; (iii) additional ECIE faculty to support the increased course offerings and research mission; (iv) participation in the ABI and other escalating research opportunities; and (v) the establishment of a master's program in engineering and/or ECIE.
VIII. Summary
Although still relatively young, the Arkansas State University College of Engineering and its individual professional concentration areas have undergone significant growth and development over the last three decades and have carved a niche of excellence in undergraduate engineering instruction, participation of undergraduates in research, and in serving and providing engineering personnel to the Mid-south region. However, its long list of successful graduates located all over the world and its research activities continue to inspire a broader perspective within the program.
The ASU engineering program(s) have had to deal with a variety of challenges, constraints, and opportunities through the years. However, they have always mirrored two of the favorite sayings of their late dean, Dr. Albert Mink: "Do the best that you can with what you've got" and "You're judged by the quality of the product (students) that you turn out".
With recent significant changes at ASU, the program is on the cusp of rapid development. Significant curriculum , program, and personnel changes and a significantly enhanced institutional commitment to excellence in research will, no doubt, drive a significant evolution in the long-term modus operandi of the College of Engineering. However, it's commitment to the education, career success, and overall welfare of its students is rock solid even as it pursues new opportunities.
IX. Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge with gratitude the support of the late Dr. Albert Mink, former Dean of Engineering, and the current interim dean, Dr. Rick Clifft. The current and past senior ASU administrations are thanked for their support. The authors especially thank all of the students who have validated their efforts in academia through their own successes.
X. Bibliography
[1] Dew, Lew A.; THE ASU STORY: A History of Arkansas State University 1909 - 1967, ASU Press, 1968.
[2] Personal correspondence from Dr. Albert L. Mink (deceased), 2001.
[3] R. Engelken, "The Role and Scope of Engineering Consulting in a Balanced and Integrated Career and Personal/Family Life of a New Engineering Educator", 2000 Annual ASEE Conference-St. Louis, MO, Conference Proceedings (on CD), Session 2793 (2000).
[4] R. Engelken and H. McCloud, "Effective Management, Utilization, and Motivation of Undergraduate Research and Laboratory Assistants in Baccalaureate Engineering and Science Programs", 1985 IEEE/ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference-Golden, CO, Conference Proceedings, 390 (1985).
[5] R. Engelken ; "Engineering Research at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions: Strategies and Pitfalls for the New Engineering Educator", 1999 Annual ASEE Conference - Charlotte, NC, Conference Proceedings (on CD), Session 0575 (1999).
[6] R. Engelken, "Integrating Undergraduate Instruction and Research: Thin Film Material Studies at Arkansas State University", 1992 IEEE/ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference-Nashville, TN, Conference Proceedings, 534 (1992).
[7] R. Engelken, "Innovations in Undergraduate Education through NSF-ILI and NASA JOVE Program - Sponsored Development of a Laboratory Course Sequence in Semiconductor Materials", IEEE Transactions on Education, 40, 259 (1997).
ROBERT ENGELKEN
Dr. Robert D. Engelken was born on November 14, 1955 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He graduated from Walnut Ridge, Arkansas High School in 1974, obtained the B.S. - Physics from Arkansas State University in 1978, and the M.S.E.E. and Ph.D.-E.E. from the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1980 and 1983, respectively. He has been on the engineering faculty at Arkansas State University since 1982 and is currently Director of Electrical, Computer, and Information Engineering, Professor of Electrical Engineering, and a Professional Engineer in the state of Arkansas. He is also a charter faculty member in ASU's relatively new multi-disciplinary Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences program. He has been very active in research and development in the field of semiconductor thin films, particularly in the fields of electrodeposition and chemical precipitation deposition of such, with a major emphasis on undergraduate instruction and utilization of undergraduate research assistants in the field. He has had numerous research projects sponsored by agencies such as NASA, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority. He also has played an active, senior role in the development of the electrical engineering program at ASU and has been active in the field of engineering education, including several presentations and papers at ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education and ASEE annual conferences. He has been active in ASEE, IEEE (including serving as Faculty Counselor to the ASU IEEE Student Branch), the Electrochemical Society, and the Arkansas Academy of Science. He is married and has two sons.
PAUL MIXON
Dr. Paul D. Mixon was born on January 9, 1960 in Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated from Lee Senior High School in Marianna, Arkansas in 1978, and obtained the B.S.E.E., M.S.E.E., and Ph.D. degrees from Memphis State University in 1987, 1988, and 1993, respectively. He has been on the engineering faculty at Arkansas State University since 1995, is currently Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, and is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Arkansas. He is an active consultant in the electric power industry and his current research interests include electromagnetics and the possible biological effects of power lines. He is an active member of the IEEE. He is married and has two children.
DAVID GILLANDERS
Dr. J. David Gillanders is a native of Michigan and attended the University of Michigan where he earned the B.S.E.E. in 1962, the M.S.E.E. in 1963, the M.S. in physics in 1969, and the Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 1972. His professional experience includes being a systems analyst at Interface Systems, Inc. from 1969 to 1973; being an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas from 1973 to 1984; and being an Associate Professor and Professor of Electrical Engineering at Arkansas State University since 1984. Dr. Gillanders' specialization is in digital and computer engineering and he has contributed heavily to the development of related courses at Arkansas State University. He has also been very active in development of the College of Engineering's computer resources, web site, and local area network. He has assisted in data acquisition and processing in a variety of research projects and has been active in engineering consulting activities. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Arkansas. Dr. Gillanders is a Master Swimmer and continues to actively participate in swimming competitions. This follows up his being a member of the University of Michigan swimming team and winning a bronze medal for swimming in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. He also has two daughters and one grandson.