Subject: Location of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department: IEEE Perspective Date: Sun, 29 Nov 1998 15:24:12 -0800 From: Kevin Davis To: elson.s.floyd@wmich.edu CC: [37 persons representing 5 concerned publics] Dr. Elson S. Floyd President Western Michigan University Dear Dr. Floyd: The West Michigan Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers has over 700 members. WMU’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department has for decades been the cornerstone of our section. A move from Kalamazoo to Battle Creek will likely hurt participation in our and other engineering society activities -- especially with respect to our Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Holland, Benton Harbor and Saint Joseph members and board members. I can recognize the attraction of new facilities and equipment being subsidized as a result of competition between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. If located in Calhoun County I doubt the benefits will offset the negative consequences for the ECE Department. In addition to the impact on the relationship with area professional societies and ECE faculty I believe that the following issues need to be considered in assessing the impact on the ECE Department: 1. Direct or indirect impact on maintaining ABET accreditation. 2. For a curriculum as challenging as ECE where students typically take more than four years to complete the program I doubt that students would trust that they could handle the additional burden of a split between main campus and a Battle Creek campus. 3. Although expecting ECE students to attend other departments courses on the main campus I doubt that other departments students would commute to a Battle Creek campus to take ECE 100 Fundamentals of Circuits and Electronics (over 100 students per semester) and ECE 101 Fundamentals of Electronics and Machines (over 40 students per semester). Therefore these classes would probably remain on the main campus, creating additional burdens for lecture office hours and locations; laboratory facilities and office hours and a teaching assistant labor pool (more than 5 people). 4. Although the rigorous ECE program keeps a students social life in check -- Kalamazoo provides richer and more convenient social opportunities. Kalamazoo is just the right distance away from home for our southeastern Michigan students and still closer to Lake Michigan and Chicago than Battle Creek. 5. Remote facilities for higher education are typically ad hoc -- not simply a means for inexpensive office and lecture space. Aviation students have always had to leave campus to fly, be it to Kalamazoo, or now to Battle Creek. 6. A move to Battle Creek impacts negatively on the Department’s ability to attract and retain adjunct faculty. 7. There is a significant number of international students with limited transportation. This message is a result of my IEEE responsibilities but my other responsibilities are consonant with the aforementioned perspective: North Central Unit Director Industrial, American Society for Engineering Education; Member ECE Department Industrial Board; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and consultant to industry. Sincerely, Kevin Davis Chair, West Michigan Section Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers kevin.davis@ieee.org or kevin.davis@wmich.edu