Save Tulane Engineering

[wckirby]

http://www.abet.org/Linked%20Documents-UPDATE/Criteria%20and%20PP/E001%2006-07%20EAC%20Criteria%2012-19-05.pdf

I've looked through these standards and I find it hard to believe that BME and ChemE will maintain their accredidation without help from other programs. Especially BME. Read through the BME-specific guidelines to see what I mean.

At the absolute least, it's going to me more difficult and expensive than they aticipated to keep BME and ChemE. At the worst, they're condemming the whole engineering school to death.
_________________
Clay Kirby
11th generation New Orleanian
4th generation Tulanian
Mechanical Engineering Class of '06

[mollyzogirl]

I dont know much about the ChemE dept, but I am a BME student, and I know that this has crossed my mind several times. Not necessarily the accrediting, but the basic quality of the degree we will receive without the usual interdisciplinary studies. The BME curriculum includes classes such as Circuits (EE), Statics (ME), and C++ (CS). I contacted our department head, Dr. Hart, a few days after the announcements to see what his take was on all of this.

He said:

"We have not yet met to discuss curriculum challenges (ENGR, CS
courses). We may need to modify the curriculum, although BMEN
faculty regularly teach all of these (Statics, Circuits, Mechanics of
Materials, Materials Science and Engineering, Fluid Mechanics) except
for the C++ course."

So it seems the only REAL challenge for BME curriculum is C++

Either way, it sounded like the administration did straight chopping off of the arms without realizing the damage it would do to the rest of the body....

[wckirby]

I know the BME guys have some good Fluid Mechanics people, but Heat Transfer has alway's been Dr. Watts' specialty. He's been there forever and he's well published. I loved his "Physics of a Knuckleball" article.

Unfortunately, he's in the ME department and is due to be axed. It will be a real loss to the whole engineering school when he goes.
_________________
Clay Kirby
11th generation New Orleanian
4th generation Tulanian
Mechanical Engineering Class of '06

[ET097]

Dont forget future ChemE and BME majors will also have to complete the new 'Undergraduate College Core Curriculum'. With the new requirments (including 8 hours of foregin lanugage and 2-3 hours of community service) are they going to just make those majors require even more credits to graduate? I dont see how they can really replace existing courses and keep accrediation.
_________________
-Elizabeth Threlkeld
Computer Engineering '06

[mollyzogirl]

I have not seen the new requirements for the Undergraduate college, but it would be almost impossible for Engr. majors to add that and still have time to breathe. It would pretty much ruin any choice of your HUSSELS. I thought they said the graduation requirements would be set by the individual school though, which would mean they could waive language requirements and such- but that was just the gist I got- hard to tell with all this jibber-jabber they throw in everywhere to try to make themselves sound like they're making everyones lives so much better.

[wckirby]

They're requiring engineers to take a language???

I think being bilingual is a great thing, but engineers have too much on their plate as it is. BioMed and ChemE should be 5 year degrees already. Now they want to tack on extra hours? Wow, this is further proof that they're trying to kill the whole school.
_________________
Clay Kirby
11th generation New Orleanian
4th generation Tulanian
Mechanical Engineering Class of '06

[ET097]

Yeah if you read this tulane renewal plan document on page three it lists the new requirments for everyone (inlcuding engineers)

http://renewal.tulane.edu/renewalplan.pdf
_________________
-Elizabeth Threlkeld
Computer Engineering '06

[acigan]

Here is an email reply from the dean of the UC: