Minutes

Advisory Committee

Machine Tool Technology

Tuesday, September, 25, 2001

6:00 P.M.

Present:

Bobby Baker                                                                         Jim Carroll

Tom Dickerson                                                                     Charles Edwards

Tim Hammond                                                                      Michael Jones

Mike McClain                                                                       Mike Zavinski

The meeting was held in the Conference Room of the new Institute for Manufacturing Productivity.  The meeting was opened by Tom Dickerson as he reviewed the Advisory Committee Handbook with the members of the committee.  The members were not given a copy of the manual, but they were given the internet address and instructions for finding the electronic version of the manual.  The Advisory Committee manual can be found as follows:

1.        Visit www.yorktech.com

2.        Click on the drop-down arrow below Learning Resources.

3.        Select Instructional Development.

4.        Click GO.

5.        click on the camera Icon.

6.        Click on Advisory Committee Guide.

Next, Jim Carroll opened a discussion on the state lottery by asking how this would affect the program.  The facts known about the lottery were discussed, but the committee was not able to form any concrete feelings about the effect it will have upon the technical college system.  We then reviewed Appendix G of the manual that addresses the Standards for Advisory Committee Effectiveness. 

Our next order of business was to discuss the Chairperson position for the upcoming year.  Charles Edwards was elected to chair the committee through May, 2002. 

As a next order of business, we began to discuss program competencies when Bobby Baker asked if the MTT Department evaluates the student at the completion of the program for competencies and abilities that have been attained by the student.  Tim Hammond stated that this would be good information to obtain and that the student/graduate could also use this information to share with industry when seeking employment.

The group decided that the information should be scored as Acceptable/Unacceptable  OR as Above Average/Average/Below Average. 

Jim Carroll then asked if the committee had ever surveyed industry to determine the skills needed by MTT graduates?  He also asked if this information was then used to develop courses and evaluate equipment needs within the department.  Tom Dickerson then explained the DACUM process to the group and planned to give a copy of the most recent DACUM to the committee members at the next meeting.  Jim Carroll also noted that the SouthTec Machine Tool Show would be held in Charlotte this coming February, and he advised that we get students involved in the show to highlight skills that the student develops in the MTT program.  He also stated that it would be very nice to have the students dressed in York Technical College shop coats as a means of advertising the program to a large population.

Tim Hammond then stated that the MTT Department needs to develop “dog and pony” shows involving high technology machining that could then be taken to malls, schools, and industrial sites to advertise the MTT Program.  These demonstrations may be equipment or computer based, but demonstrate the skills that are given to the MTT students at York Technical College.  Tim Hammond also suggested that we identify our “competition” such as CPCC and others.

Tom Dickerson then shared information with the group about efforts to set up a feeder campus in Kershaw and Chester.  Tim Hammond advised that we not put “junk” equipment in these sites because it may scare away more perspective students rather than attract more to our current program.  Bobby Baker suggested that we also create Machining Competition Events to attract students into the program.   We could partner with Lancaster and Chester Vocational High Schools to create these events.

Bobby Baker then asked what is the Greatest Need of the MTT program at York Technical College?  In an open discussion it was revealed that the Greatest Need is most likely STUDENTS for the program.  Tim Hammond then stated that there is a large population of perspective students in North Carolina that could be recruited into the MTT program, but we must work on a way to overcome the out-of-state tuition difference that currently exists.

 Next, we took a brief tour of the facility and then enjoyed refreshments and open discussion while planning our next meeting for November, 2001.  The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 P.M.