Advisory Committee Meeting for MET/EGT Programs

MINUTES

 York Technical College 

Federal Credit Union Conference Room

February 6, 2003

6:00-8:00 PM

Officers Present:

Bruce Hickman

Mike Huntley

Steve Padgett

Kathy Neal

Karl Strieby

Mohammad Hossain

After welcoming the members Mr. Hossain requested everyone to go through the minutes of June 5, 2002, and requested a motion for approval.  Minutes were unanimously approved without any changes.

Mr. Hossain turned the floor to committee chair Mr. Hickman.  Mr. Hickman called the meeting to order at 6:10 pm and opened the floor for discussion of the ABET issues.  Mr. Hossain informed the committee that the ABET visit for accreditation is due in Fall 2003.  Currently Mr. Hossain is in the process of finishing the ABET self-study report, which must be submitted before May 2003.

The next issue discussed was the ABET assessment tools for program outcomes and objectives.  Mr. Hossain mentioned that there are about twelve different tools that ABET recommends for assessment of the program outcomes and objectives.  Assessment of the program outcomes and objectives through student survey is one of the key elements of any curriculum.  Mr. Hossain asked members’ opinions on how to best conduct such survey which generates the maximum number of responses.

Since ABET strongly recommends use of triangulation of the results, according Mr. Hossain, outcomes and objectives of the MET and EGT programs will be assessed through the following ABET approved methods:

1. Student survey

2. Employer survey

3. Focus group interview

 Mr. Strieby will conduct the survey for ABET report.  After discussion committee decided that survey will be placed on-line.   The graduate and the employer will receive a letter in the regular mail asking them to participate in the on-line survey. A web address and password will be provided in the letter for access to the web site.  Mr. Hossain asked Mr. Strieby to coordinate this activity with Mr. Chad Hyatt of the Education Technology Center.  The focus group interview of program graduates was conducted by Mr. Susan Sherlock.

The Outcomes and Objectives for both EGT and MET were discussed and

those were checked against the existing ABET criteria consistent with the current business and industry processes. Ms. Neal, Mr. Hickman and Mr. Huntley made suggestions to change the composition and combine certain program objectives and outcomes.

Mr. Hossain asked members opinion as to how our graduates are meeting their expectations and if they needed any additional training at work.  Mr. Huntley reported that our graduates are proficient at their work.  However, most of them needed additional training in the areas of project reports and public speaking.  Mr. Hickman stressed the importance of knowing and utilizing the basic engineering principles.  He reiterated that graduates must have the skills to use manufacturer’s catalogs and professional handbooks.  He reported that our graduates are very eager to learn and they continue to improve in their work through education, training and seminars.

Mr. Huntley and Mr. Hickman reported that they continue to hire York Tech graduates and co-ops whenever an opportunity becomes available. Members informed that employers are willing to provide opportunity to further the educational goals of the York Tech graduates and back-to-industry training for the faculty during the summer term with the financial help from the college.  The committee members agreed that this effort would add more to the experience of the faculty and they can bring the latest information from work place to the classroom.

Mr. Hossain reported that the enrollment in the MET and EGT program for the spring semester remained flat and in many cases it has gone down.  He asked members assistance in boosting the student recruitment by extending opportunities in the industries in the form of coop and internships.

Members discussed the various instructional delivery modes.  Ms. Kathy Neal reported that college-wide there is 50% withdrawal rate from the online courses.  Members agreed that online courses demand extreme discipline from the student.  Mr. Hossain reported that there is a significant drop in Tech-on-line courses throughout the technical college system in South Carolina.

Several of the committee members suggested that our students learn to use softwares early in their program and become proficient users by the time they graduate.  This would allow them to combine images from two to more softwares into one. When on the job our graduates are expected to use MS Word, Excel, Access and FrontPage and, be familiar with the use of the document scanners.  Also, they are expected to handle PDF files and Adobe software with ease.

Mr. Strieby reported that EXCELS (EXcellence Through College Enrollment for LearnerS) is proving to be a good recruiting tool for MET and EGT freshmen students.   Many schools in the area are participating in this effort and students are earning dual credits for college.  In the future EXCELS will be expanded and this will replace another recruiting tool used previously known as TAP (Technical Advance Placement). All members assured that they would support any effort by the faculty or the college to any back-to-industry training placement at their company.  Members mentioned that co-op placement is a good way to get they student to know better and hire them in the future when they graduate.

Mr. Hossain asked the committee member to perform their self-evaluation and effectiveness as a committee for progressing the MET and EGT curricula outcomes and objectives into the future.  He thanked everyone for the time they took out of their busy schedule to attend the meeting. 

Mr. Bruce Hickman, Chairman of the committee thanked everyone for attending and the meeting was adjourned at 7:45 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Mohammad Hossain

Department Manager

MET/EGT Programs