It is proposed that the Department of Engineering be divided into two departments: the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering, based on the supporting materials.

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Supporting Materials:

1. Discipline(s) and degree program(s) to be included in new department:

The Department of Engineering presently offers five degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Computer Engineering Option; Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Electrical Engineering Option; Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Option; Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Mechanical/Mechatronics Engineering Option; and Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering Option. All programs except the Interdisciplinary Engineering Option are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). 

The proposed Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering would offer three degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, and Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering Option. Presently the Computer Engineering Option is accredited under the Electrical Engineering Option as an Electrical Engineering Program. During summer of 2003 the Electrical Engineering Option and the Computer Engineering Option will be submitted separately for accreditation as, respectively, Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering Option will remain unaccredited.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering would offer three degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical/Mechatronics Engineering, and Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering Option. Presently the Mechanical/Mechatronics Engineering Option is accredited under the Mechanical Engineering Option as a Mechanical Engineering Program. During summer of 2003 the Mechanical Engineering Option will be submitted for accreditation as Mechanical Engineering and the Mechanical/Mechatronics Engineering Option will be submitted as a subset of the Mechanical Engineering Option. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering Option will remain unaccredited.

On average there is only one graduate every three years from the Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering Option. The small number of graduates does not allow for or merit accreditation.

2. Rationale (academic, professional, financial, or other) for the new department:

Separate departments would provide more visibility and status to the programs in the engineering department. ABET rules required Electrical Technology and Manufacturing Technologies and Supervision to change their names to Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) and Manufacturing Engineering Technologies and Supervision (METS) respectively. EET offers a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology. METS offers a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering Technology, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Supervision. This has caused a lot of confusion for parents and incoming students, as well as for Purdue University Calumet’s Offices of Admissions and Registrar. Over the years this has resulted in many qualified incoming students looking for electrical engineering or mechanical engineering to be referred by admissions and/or registration to EET and METS, respectively. Some were even told Purdue University Calumet has no Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering program. Others saw the words electrical engineering or mechanical engineering in the department name or degree titles for EET or METS, respectively, and thought this was the program they wanted. This mistake is costly for the student in terms of time and money lost. The mathematics, science, and degree specific technical courses (EET xxx or MET xxx) required by technology do not transfer to engineering.

When it was first formed, the department of engineering contained three degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Electrical Engineering Option; Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Option; and Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering Option. The degree programs were truly Bachelor of Science in Engineering programs. They were very broadly based. The first two years for the Electrical and Mechanical Options were identical, and there were many common courses in the third and fourth years. As the field of engineering became more specialized, it became necessary to offer more specialization within each of the engineering options. Furthermore, as the field of engineering evolved new options had to be developed. As a result, the five options described above were created. Presently all of the options have only the freshman year in common. The upper level programs share a few common courses, but otherwise are very different. They actually share more mathematics and science courses than engineering courses.

The current structure of a single Department of Engineering and interdisciplinary degrees was implemented when the campus was formed by West Lafayette, and retained until now. Currently IUPUI has separate engineering departments, while IUPUFW has retained a single Department of Engineering. Also, both of these regional campuses have already converted from a Bachelor of Science in Engineering to designated degrees.

The department structure presently consist of a Department Head (0.5 F.T.E.), an Electrical Option Coordinator (0.125 F.T.E.), a Mechanical Option Coordinator (0.125 F.T.E.), a Computer Option Coordinator (0.125 F.T.E.), an Undergraduate Coordinator (0.125 F.T.E.), and a Graduate Coordinator (0.125 F.T.E.). Separate coordinators are necessary because of the differences between the different options.

The faculty and students from the Mechanical Option and the Electrical/Computer Options have very little understanding of the other’s option and courses after the freshman level. Mechanical engineering students must learn solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, material science, and system modeling. Electrical engineering students must learn computer hardware, electronics, electromagnetic fields, signal processing, communication systems, and control systems. Computer engineering students must learn computer hardware and software. Understanding computer hardware requires knowledge of electronics, electromagnetic fields, signal processing, and communication systems. Understanding embedded system software requires an understanding of signal processing and control systems.

The majority of the mechanical engineering faculty offices and all of the laboratories are in the Anderson building. All of the electrical/computer engineering faculty and laboratories are in the Potter building. The two groups share no laboratory equipment or technicians. 

The programs are presently accredited as Electrical Engineering and Mechanical engineering programs respectively. The computer option will be submitted for accreditation separately in summer of 2003. The degrees titles and department names should reflect this.

3. Feedback from the review process of the pre-proposal

Feedback from Dr. Michael A. Gealt, the Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Dean of the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science

·        I think the strong point is the clarity it makes in marketing our engineering programs. This is, to me, extremely important.

·        Obviously it is necessary to indicate, as you have, that the cost is minimal.

·        I would also, at some point, indicate that we really do have strength in each departmental area.

·        I think it is necessary to explain that ME and ECE really are different fields.

4. Compatibility of various disciplines to be incorporated into the new department:

Except for six to ten courses, the Computer Option is a subset of the Electrical Option. The Mechanical/Mechatronics Option is a subset of the Mechanical Option. The proposed combinations are standard at most universities.

5. Commitment of faculty in the discipline(s) to formation of new department:

The faculty in the engineering department voted unanimously for the formation of a Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the formation of a Department of Mechanical Engineering at the January Engineering department meeting. They voted unanimously for the pre-proposal document at the February department meeting and voted unanimously for this proposal document at the March department meeting

6. Budget Considerations:

Presently the engineering department head divides the laboratory budget into a budget for mechanical engineering laboratories and a budget for electrical/computer engineering laboratories. The mechanical engineering faculty coordinate with METS and the electrical engineering faculty coordinate with EET to share equipment and facilities where possible.

7. Cost factors:

The departments can still share the same 1.5 secretarial help. They already have separate technicians.

8. Size of the department and what impact the size has on committee work, promotion, and tenure procedures:

The Department of Mechanical Engineering would consist of 6 full time faculty. Each faculty member specializes in one of the areas of mechanical engineering described in paragraph five of number 3 above.

The Department of Electrical/Computer Engineering would consist of 8.5 full time faculty. Each faculty member specializes in one of the areas of electrical or computer engineering described in paragraph five of number 3 above.

Presently, the engineering department’s freshman experience and introduction to engineering design courses are team taught by mechanical engineering and electrical/computer engineering faculty. This is done to give incoming students an understanding of all of the fields of engineering taught at Purdue University Calumet, which helps them make an informed choice of engineering major. This would continue.

Presently, engineering has one mechanical engineering and one electrical engineering faculty member who get F.T.E. for freshman advising. After freshman year, students transfer to a mechanical, electrical, or computer engineering faculty adviser, depending on their chosen field of engineering. This would continue.

Student recruitment would be shared by both departments.

Presently, for curricular issues separate committees are set up for electrical, computer, and mechanical programs. Also, laboratory and teaching issues for mechanical and electrical/computer options are dealt with separately by the Mechanical Option Coordinator and the Electrical Option Coordinator respectively.

Presently there is a single promotion/tenure committee for the department. The two separate departments would retain a single committee covering both departments with proportional representation.

9. Impact of proposed department on Academic structure:

The structure of one shared department head between Electrical/Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering and the various coordinators is not unique. This is the same structure currently utilized by EET and METS. The undergraduate and graduate coordinators will serve both departments.

If the proposed structure were to change in the future, the F.T.E. for the undergraduate and program coordinators adds up to 0.5, which is the same as a department head. There would be no impact on the school of EMS or the university academic structure.

10. Impact of proposed department on Faculty governance:

Many times engineering has had two faculty members on the senate (one being at large). One senate member for Electrical/Computer Engineering and one for Mechanical Engineering would be no different than what currently exists for EET and METS. Thus, the impact would be minimal.