Site Team Report

14. The North Central Association Criteria

The two issues of international education and environmental education cut across -undergraduate, graduate and continuing education and related research. Because of their importance, and because they do not have a consolidated section in the self-study report, they are discussed as a single topic in this section. [Suggestion 10]

Both international education and environmental education are addressed by the current General Education Goals [Undergraduate Catalog, p.1], which specify the importance of developing "...an understanding of world cultures and our role herein," and "emphasizing environmental and economic analysis along with critical scientific analysis," respectively. The current general education curriculum does not detail the ways that this goal is to be accomplished, however. Given the importance of these goals and programs to the role, scope and mission of Michigan Tech, it is anticipated that the review of the general education curriculum will lead to mechanisms to insure that any international and environmental general education goal is clearly defined and realized in the future.

International Education

The campus community in general is very supportive of international education at Michigan Tech and a number of innovative programs and courses exist across the Schools and Colleges. At least six academic units at Michigan Tech offer courses in the international arena: Business Administration, Economics, Fine Arts, Forestry and Wood Science, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Three graduate degrees are offered which include an international focus/component: the two innovative Master's International Programs linked with Peace Corps service — one in the School of Forestry and Wood Products, and the other in Civil Engineering; and the Social Science M.S. in Environmental Policy with its global systems interest. In addition, Michigan Tech offers a number of international certificates, including the Certificate in International Business, International Technology and Society Studies, and Modern Languages and Area Study. Of concern is the fact that the range of foreign languages at Michigan Tech is limited (primarily on French, German and Spanish). Given the nature of the changing global economy this limitation may result in lost opportunity to Michigan Tech and its students.

In addition to the impending revision of the general education requirements at Michigan Tech, the preparation for the next ABET accreditation visit under the ABET 2000 criteria will place increased importance in providing a coherent international component in the context of the need for students to gain global perspectives on contemporary societal issues. Thus, the international education component will need to be reviewed and better integrated with the curriculum and a plan to assess its outcomes framed, approved and implemented. The team suggests and supports such an investigation and revision and a program of assessment for an international education component of the requirement.

The creation of the Office of International Programs in 1994 significantly advanced the expansion of international education at Michigan Tech. OIP's mission includes strengthening the international component of the academic program as well as providing services to international students and scholars, promoting study abroad and exchange programs, supporting faculty and staff in obtaining international experience, etc. To assist OIP in achieving its goals, an International Advisory Council was established with representation from each School and College.

Environmental Programs

As is the case with international education, environmental programs are both diverse and diffuse. There are numerous centers of undergraduate and graduate instructional activity (courses, certificates and degrees) and research programs that are present across the campus. There are more than 50 courses offered by a dozen departments (from Business Administration, to Biological Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, the School of Forestry and Wood Products, Geological Engineering and Sciences, General Engineering, Humanities, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering and Social Sciences). There are certificate programs and undergraduate degree programs. In like manner, there is a broad array of research programs in the School of Forestry and Wood Products, the College of Sciences and Arts and the College of Engineering.

At the present time, no single, formal institutional mechanism exists which regularize an all University effort to promote and coordinate environmental instruction or research. However, faculty report that even without such a mechanism, at an institution the size of Michigan Tech, there is an excellent network of faculty who communicate on an ad hoc basis through, for example, their involvement in the cross departmental, interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Engineering (Environmental) and through research activities of organizations such as the National Center for Clean Industrial and Treatment Technologies, or the new Institute for Remote Sensing and Environmental Monitoring. This network appears to be strong and collegial, though it is not apparent to what extent, if any, research opportunities may be missed because they are unknown to an informal network. An informal network also may learn about opportunities late, when there is no focused support to mobilize a group and prepare a proposal under tight deadline conditions.

The team had some concerns that the scope and diversity of environmental courses and programs is sufficiently broad that undergraduates may find it difficult to discern the full range of possibilities and to receive needed advising from to select the best course of study given their interests. In addition, insuring the environmental component of the general education requirements are successfully implemented will require a well-coordinated effort to avoid the circumstances that stalled course development exercise under an "Initiative for the Environment," where disciplinary interests seem to have overcome interdisciplinary ones. The "Initiative on the Environment" has produced positive results, however, not the least of which is active faculty involvement. For example, the imaginative "Research, Teaching and Service for a Sustainable Future" has resulted in the design and planning for the new $44 million Environmental Science building.

The team suggests that consideration should be given to establishing an Environmental Programs Advisory Council to promote cross departmental/cross school and college communication on instructional and research opportunities and provide both visibility and support for facilitating interdisciplinary environmental programs and to respond to research and outreach opportunities.

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