The Mission of the College of Engineering is to attract, nurture, and educate a diverse student body to be world-class scientists and engineers, capable of leading and managing change and dealing with the challenges of the global marketplace in a multicultural society.

Vision Statement

The College of Engineering will provide a comprehensive framework for promoting and nurturing science and engineering programs that meet the broad vision of Michigan Technological University. We will work to engage all of our students in the pursuit of knowledge through teamwork, instruction, and research.

Guiding Principle

The Guiding Principle for the College of Engineering will be that the success of our students will always be the major measure of our success.

Undergraduate Education Objectives

The following are the undergraduate education objectives consistent with this philosophy:

• Students will gain the strong fundamental scientific and technical knowledge base and the critical-thinking skills necessary for work after graduation and that will serve as the foundation for lifelong learning.
• Students will gain the ability to apply engineering skills to engineering-analysis and -design projects and to creatively solve engineering problems.
• Students will gain the ability to effectively communicate technical and professional information in written, oral, visual, and graphical forms and to work in teams.
• Students will gain an awareness and understanding of their moral, ethical, and professional obligations to protect human health, human welfare, and the environment and an awareness of the role of the engineering professional in a multicultural, global economy.

In addition to strengthening an excellent undergraduate program from which graduates are eagerly sought out by perspective employers, the College of Engineering has carefully grown the graduate and research programs over the last 20 years. The goal has been to maintain and improve the quality of the undergraduate programs while augmenting the quality and scope of research and expanding the number and quality of students in the Ph.D. and MS programs. Since 1988, the College of Engineering has increased the number of Ph.D. programs such that all graduate faculty now have access to a Ph.D. program and the amount of research funding available to its departments has steadily increased. Interdisciplinary research has grown and is exemplified by the research and Ph.D. program in Environmental Engineering—an integrated program with faculty primarily from the Civil and Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering and Sciences, and Chemical Engineering departments.

In 1988, the College of Engineering Office consisted of the Dean, one Associate Dean, one Assistant to the Dean, and one secretary. The office is now staffed by the Dean, two full-time Associate Deans, one Assistant to the Dean, an advancement officer, and one secretary. Expanding opportunities in engineering education and research require greater coordination and leadership from the Dean’s office. Thus, one Associate Dean leads the college research and graduate programs and advancement opportunities while the other coordinates and leads curricular reform, innovation, and research in undergraduate education; aids in the recruitment and retention of students, including those who are underrepresented in engineering; is in charge of distance education opportunities; and is coordinating the preparation for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditation visit in the fall of 1998.

Since 1988, the College has had four Deans and two Interim Deans. While this turnover could have led to chaos, stability was provided by adherence to the University mission and goals and by the long tenure of associate and assistant deans and staff—and by a low turn over in department chairs (the Engineering Council). Under the current Dean, the College looks forward to continued growth and innovation while preparing our students for the 21st Century.

Six years ago, Chemical Engineering and Chemistry formed two separate departments, and recently Chemistry transferred to the College of Sciences and Arts. At the present time, all departments grant at least one type of engineering degree. Also, all programs were accredited by ABET in 1992 and will be reviewed under the new outcomes-based ABET 2000 Criteria in 1998.

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