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Proposal – B.S. in Civil Engineering - PNC 1. Characteristics of the Program a. Campuses Offering Program Purdue University North Central b. Scope of Delivery North Central Campus c. Model of Delivery Classroom d. Other Delivery Aspects (Co-ops, Internships, Clinical, Practica, etc.) e. Academic Unit Offering Program Department of Engineering 2. Rationale for Program a. Institutional Rationale (e.g. Alignment with Institutional Mission and Strengths) The proposed baccalaureate in Civil Engineering at Purdue University North Central (PNC) supports the direction of the Purdue System, is an integral aspect of Purdue North Central’s strategic plan, contributes to human capital and economic development in northern Indiana, and meets the needs of employers in this region. This degree program builds upon PNC’s successful baccalaureate degrees in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. An important part of Purdue North Central’s strategic plan, which was approved by the Purdue Board of Trustees, is to add baccalaureate and master’s degrees to better serve the region. Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) policy is for regional campuses to grow to serve Indiana residents: “With increasing admissions standards at the Indiana University and Purdue University flagship campuses…Regional Campuses will play an increasingly important role in serving Hoosiers with high quality, low-cost baccalaureate degree programs.” In addition, ICHE policy is that “Regional Campuses should significantly improve completion rates” (http://www.in.gov/che/files/DecC_Reg_Campus_Roles.pdf). Adding baccalaureate degrees is essential for PNC to accomplish this. The regional campuses have become the primary access point to a Purdue education for Indiana undergraduate students as Purdue West Lafayette (PUWL) is focusing more on graduate, international, and out-of-state enrollment. In 2010-11, the Purdue regional campuses (Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Purdue Calumet, Purdue North Central) enrolled 24,655 resident undergraduates; PUWL enrolled 19,381 resident undergraduates (http://www.purdue.edu/datadigest/regional_campuses/rc_enroll_residency.html and http://www.purdue.edu/datadigest/students/stu_res.html). Purdue North Central currently has twenty-one baccalaureate programs, including two in engineering. The B.S. in Mechanical Engineering was approved in 2007. The program had its first ABET accreditation review in October 2011 and was approved for accreditation at the annual ABET board meeting in summer 2012. The B.S. in Electrical Engineering was approved in 2011. The proposed baccalaureate in Civil Engineering would be the last engineering degree for PNC for the foreseeable future. The proposed program is in line with the curricula in civil engineering programs within the Purdue University system. With the rich background of Purdue engineering, the proposed 1 Proposal – B.S. in Civil Engineering - PNC program can be implemented at the North Central Campus with little difficulty. It benefits the community and the state through expanded offerings. b. State Rationale The faculty and academic advisors visited local high schools and freshman engineering classes at PNC to obtain feedback from students about their interest in B.S. engineering programs at the North Central campus. The student survey indicates that the majority of students who have an interest in engineering prefer to study the electrical, civil and mechanical engineering disciplines. In addition, feedback from the local industrial advisory committee revealed a strong need for these disciplines to be provided locally to support the manufacturing industry and local municipalities in northern Indiana. Local municipalities also have a need for engineers for water, sewage, environmental and transportation systems and infrastructure. In addition to the regional demand for public educational engineering opportunities, the program will incorporate new initiatives associated with increased retention and scholarship. Ethics and communications will be included throughout the curriculum. Each lab will contain intensive communication elements, including both written and oral presentations. Each engineering course will also include a computational component rather than relying on only one computational course. Retention efforts will be implemented, assessed, and the results made available to other programs. The retention issues associated with a regional university that enrolls many non-traditional students must be addressed in a more comprehensive manner. Traditional programs have shown deficiencies in such an environment. The goal for this program is to achieve above national averages for six-year graduation rates in engineering while maintaining the rigor associated with a Purdue University engineering program. This will represent a significant advance for a regional university. The new engineering program will enhance and contribute positively to the existing engineering technology programs at PNC. Many students that are not retained in the engineering program may transfer to one of the engineering technology programs. The additional research level faculty and new lab resources will also benefit the technology programs. c. Evidence of Labor Market Need i. National, State, or Regional Needs Full- and part-time students would be served from the geographic region surrounding Purdue University North Central in Westville, Indiana, who desire preparation for entry into the workforce dealing with civil engineering activities. An articulation agreement exists with Ivy Tech Community College and PNC for the ITCC statewide pre- engineering program to serve qualified students seeking transfer to PNC engineering programs. The total population for the North Central service are increased by 9.2% from 2000 to 2007 as shown below. 2 Proposal – B.S. in Civil Engineering - PNC TRI-COUNTY POPULATION 2000 2007 % Change La Porte 110,106 109,839 -0.2% Porter 146,798 160,653 +9.4% Starke 23,556 23,554 +0.0% Total 280,460 294,046 +9.2% Source: U.S. Census Bureau ii. Preparation for Graduate Programs or Other Benefits Although some graduates may go on for graduate work, this is not the primary goal. iii. Summary of Indiana DWD and/or U.S. Department of Labor Data Demand for technical personnel with knowledge and skill at the baccalaureate level continues to increase in Indiana and across the U.S. as the number of retirees and demand rises. The proposed B.S. in Civil Engineering will help meet this demand and will provide a mechanism for those seeking a Purdue degree the opportunity to continue their education within the northern Indiana region. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, civil engineers had a median salary of $77,560 per year compared to the median salary of $33,840 for all jobs. The median wage for a civil engineer in federal and local government positions is $89,450 and $80,250 respectively. The job outlook for 2010-2020 is an increase of 19%, compared to 14% for all jobs. The estimate of the current number of civil engineers is 262,800, with an employment change of 51,100 over the next ten years. See http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/civil-engineers.htm. In the state of Indiana, according to the Hoosier Hot 50 job list, civil engineering-type positions occupy positions 7; construction supervisor, 11; construction superintendent, and 20; cost estimator with salaries ranging from $55,000 to $78,000. The Hoosier Hot 50 Jobs are based on an index of eight weighted occupational measures of growth by 2018 and opportunity for Hoosier workers and were selected based on Indiana’s Occupational Projections and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, both produced by Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development. Civil engineering graduates find jobs in technical and/or managerial positions in local engineering companies. Typical entry-level position titles include civil engineer, environmental engineer, test engineer and transportation engineer. The demand for civil engineers in northern Indiana is good and continues to grow as new opportunities arise and senior civil engineers retire. Northern Indiana has large construction companies, architect and engineering (A&E) companies and more in addition to municipal utilities and the Indiana Department of Transportation. (See section 2, c, vi) 3 Proposal – B.S. in Civil Engineering - PNC regarding the feedback from local engineering companies.) The statewide ranking of job priorities, as given in the Hoosier Hot 50 Jobs report, lists civil engineering jobs in several positions. In addition, civil engineering is among the top 10 degrees in demand by industry according to the United States Department of Labor. 4 Proposal – B.S. in Civil Engineering - PNC iv. National, State, or Regional Studies None v. Surveys of Employers or Students and Analyses of Job Postings The faculty and academic advisors visited local high schools and freshman engineering classes at PNC to obtain feedback from students about their interest in B.S. engineering programs at the North Central campus. The student survey indicates that the majority 5 Proposal – B.S. in Civil Engineering - PNC of students who have an interest in engineering prefer to study the electrical, civil and mechanical engineering disciplines. In addition, feedback from the local industrial advisory committee revealed a strong need for these disciplines to be provided locally to support the manufacturing industry and local municipalities