School of Technology

Associate Degree Programs

Proposal 24-07

(Voting Units: Academic)

The School of Technology presently supports four associate of applied science degree programs with enrollments as shown:

Program	New Students Fall 2006	Current Enrollment	Projected Enrollment ‘07
Civil Engineering Technology (TCE)	2	13	2
Electrical Engineering Technology (TEE)	0	2	0
Electromechanical Engineering Technology (TEM)	0	1	0
Engineering Technology (TAET)	1	4	1

This proposal recommends elimination of the TCE, TEE, and TEM programs and retention of the general TAET program to serve the special needs of students and the University.

The current TAET degree is structured such that students can complete general education requirements, a flexible foundation in math and physics, and 15 hours of lower division (1000/2000) technical electives with the following prefixes: CMG, EET, MET, SAT, SU, or TE (all School of Technology). These electives could be modified to include all other technical disciplines and business while providing a more desirable alternative than the existing ASC in Humanities for many of the more than 60 students receiving support under the TIP program.

Rationale

In 1994 the School of Technology introduced the BSET degree. This resulted in a subsequent decline in interest and enrollment in the AAS degrees. Current enrollments are insufficient to support viable stand alone associate degree programs. The AAS degrees have been characterized as “weak” by employers and alumni. Although graduates are in high demand, most employers seeking technicians are simply looking for a skill set that can be achieved in a few courses. Attempts to integrate the associate programs as a seamless front end failed. Due to the inverted nature of the curriculum it was not conducive to the growth and development of high quality four year programs. The AAS degree in practice is a terminal degree designed to prepare graduates for immediate employment. It is vocational in nature and the students attracted to it are a different population than that typically sought for the baccalaureate degree programs.

Typically, the AS degree is more appropriate as a transfer program that could feed into many different disciplines. It normally includes a significant General Education component in addition to 15 – 20 electives drawn from the first and second year courses for a discipline. The existing AAS in Engineering Technology (TAET) has been designed around this principle and can serve short term needs. If this plan proves successful it is recommended that the degree be changed to an AS rather than an AAS in four or five years.

Was to be introduced to the senate 4 April 2007 - meeting canceled
Withdrawn 18 April 2007