This expanded administrative council meeting included program directors.

College Welcome and Updates

  • Growth, Rankings, Space, Budget: We are on track for doubling our enrollments from 2007 to 2020. We moved up one place in the US News graduate rankings (33rd overall, 18th among publics). In-state undergraduate tuition is going up 5% but with a guarantee to be held flat for each cohort. A small increase in state funding is expected. The raise pool will be 2% for merit and 1% for compression/market/equity.
  • EAC and BAC Summaries: The Engineering Advisory Council on Apr 22 considered student persistence and recommended improved mid-semester grade transparency and prefiltering the incoming class so that students have a better understanding of engineering. Recommendations were also provided to three of our fast-growing departments (ChBE, CS and ME) and for enhanced engagement of recent graduates. The BOLD Advisory Council on Apr 21 discussed strategic planning, student recruitment and retention, and climate.
  • DEAA, RAA and Distinguished Seniors: The Engineering Awards Banquet on Apr 22 was a wonderful event to honor alumni and seniors. Degree programs are encouraged to consider diverse candidates for awards.
  • Dean Search: Four candidates have been invited, to visit late April through late May. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the open forums and provide feedback. One chair expressed concern over the late notice, and members of the committee noted that selection process has been very thorough but with a tight timeline and need for confidentiality until all finalists were selected and agreed to interview.

Undergraduate Admissions Update

Amanda Parker reported that we have over 900 confirmations so far (with May 1 as the deadline) plus about 45 GoldShirt students. We may exceed 1000 new freshmen for the first time. Diversity and quality measures are also up.

Graduate Admissions Update

Keith Molenaar reported that graduate applications for this coming fall are up 7% over the previous year, primarily due to a near-doubling of applications for professional master’s programs.

ABET Preparations

Ken Anderson reminded team members that the next ABET visit to CU is Fall 2017. Degree programs should collect course data in both Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 (Fall 2017 is too late). He also recommended that departments provide a course buyout or other relief for the ABET coordinators in the coming year. Self-studies will be due in summer 2017, but drafts will likely be requested in spring 2017 for a mock review.

TRESTLE

Ken Anderson also reported that CU’s Center for STEM Learning has funds available for course design with active learning.

Space Minor

Steve Nerem and Chris Koehler are leading the campus-wide Space Minor, which will launch in Fall 2016. There will be a gateway course on Pathways to Space (starting Spring 2017) and also elective courses. A call for course development will be issued.

May 2017 Engineering Recognition Ceremony

The campus-wide graduation ceremony is moving to Friday instead of Saturday in May 2017. College and departmental ceremonies can take place starting at 11 am or later that Friday. Due to room availability, our choice is either a college-wide recognition ceremony on Saturday or individual departmental ceremonies on Friday.

Department and Program Updates

Scot Douglass reported that teams from Andrews Hall have won more first prizes and named prizes than any other institution at the International Math Modeling Contest over the past several years. Andrew Wingfield announcement that the Global Engineering Minor is starting in Fall 2016. David Reed reported that the BS/MS dual degrees in ECEE/ITP are starting, and those in CS/ITP have already started. Tanya Ennis reported that enrollments in GoldShirt are on target to meet our goal this year of increasing the cohort from 30 to 45 entering students. James Murray noted that over 600 pre-engineering students have confirmed, up nearly 20% from last year and despite higher admissions standards. Scott Summers announced that the EVEN graduate program is growing, with 30 new students and four NSF fellows. Ken Anderson reported on the computing, arts and media forum to promote campus-wide collaboration, and Bob McLeod reported that ECEE is launching its second professional master’s program.