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Strategic Plan

Mechanical Engineering Technology Department

Strategic Plan 2004-2008

Preamble

The College of Technology grew out of the expressed need of business and industry for employees with the ability to work in an ever-changing technological environment and with the ability to apply the latest technology to solve problems and improve business and industry processes.  It was formed in April 1964 by an act of the Purdue Board of Trustees with a statewide role for University-based technology education. Restructuring of basic manufacturing industries in the United States presents many challenges to all sectors of society.  Colleges and universities face the challenge of educating manpower to support revitalization of our industrial base to assure its worldwide competitive posture.  Technical education programs in mechanical and manufacturing fields play a particularly significant role in this process.  A dynamic curriculum is necessary to assure graduates will have the necessary knowledge and skills to be effective in current and future manufacturing environments. 

The Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology is responsible for two degree programs.  The Mechanical Engineering Technology and Manufacturing Engineering Technology programs were designed and continue to meet Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) of ABET accreditation requirements for mechanical engineering technology and Manufacturing Engineering Technology programs, respectively.  These degree programs are recognized by peers as two of the premier education programs of their kind in the world.  The plans of study were developed for both Associate's and Bachelor's Degree programs and follow the Purdue Technology 2+2 concept.  The programs are based upon pedagogical needs and employment opportunities.  One of the department’s most significant attributes is its ability to help students and practitioners improve current industrial practices by applying evolving and emerging technologies.  The programs consistently have high job placement rates, and typically have some of the highest average starting salaries for all undergraduate majors.

Mission

To educate and graduate students who become mechanical and manufacturing engineering technicians and technologists proficient in the fundamental principles of science and engineering and in their practical applications in industry to meet the needs of Indiana, the nation and the world.

Vision

To be the national leader in Mechanical Engineering Technology and Manufacturing Engineering Technology education through excellence in teaching, applied research and scholarship and professional service.

Core Values

The faculty and staff members of the Mechanical Engineering Technology Department maintain the following core values and beliefs.  These values provided boundaries and direction during the development of the priorities and goals that follow.

• Service to Society:  Excellence in application of knowledge, problem solving and continuous improvement
• Integrity:  Honesty, ethics, commitment and respect
• Love of Learning:  Appreciation for continued learning, professional development and wisdom
• Bond between education and industry:  Mutual benefits to each and responsiveness to industry needs

Signature Areas

The department has identified broad signature areas related to strengths of its faculty, curriculum and facilities that are the building blocks for strong programs in Mechanical Engineering Technology and Manufacturing Engineering Technology.  These signature areas are:

• Manufacturing Processes and Systems:  Traditional and emerging technologies across the broad spectrum of manufacturing and production.
• Energy:  Production, utilization and control of traditional and state-of-the-art energy sources.
• Product Realization:  The enterprise, including processes, materials, and methods, to take a product from concept to market.  It comprises the entrepreneurial venture and product lifecycle management.
• Systems Integration, Automation and Control:  Control technology integrated with products and processes to enhance performance
• Fluid Power:  Design and application of state-of-the-art hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

Priorities for the Mechanical Engineering Technology Department

The department will focus on four strategic priorities to achieve its mission and vision.  Goals, metrics, baselines, targets, and implementation strategy are identified for each priority.

• Hire, retain, and promote outstanding faculty.  The Mechanical Engineering Technology department will hire, retain, and promote faculty who are committed to providing a superior educational experience to our students.  Faculty members accomplish this through focused activities in student learning, through continuing professional development, scholarship and discovery, and through appropriate professional engagement and service.  The department will promote and reward faculty who contribute to our success through participation in all three areas.  The faculty will increase in number and reflect the diversity of the Indiana population.

Goal 1.1:  Attract, promote, and reward quality faculty through competitive compensation.

Metric 1.1:  Benchmark comparisons of salary and compensation

Target 1.1:  Department average salary greater than average of peer institutions for all ranks

Implementation:  

• Distribute of merit increases based on performance per established criteria
• Recruit top candidates at highest appropriate starting salary
• Use EMME to address salary inequity

Goal 1.2:  Increase faculty participation in scholarship and discovery.

Metric 1.2:  Number of publications, presentations, textbooks, etc. to disseminate results of learning, engagement, and discovery.

Target 1.2:  Increase published works proportionate to the increase in the number of faculty

Implementation:

• The department will use merit based performance criteria that reward scholarship through publication
• Provide reward through release time for faculty members who are actively involved in publication

Goal 1.3:  Enhance learning, discovery, and engagement through an increasing number of faculty

Metric 1.3:  Number of tenure-track faculty

Implementation:

• Identify strategic hire areas for joint appointments with other departments and schools
• Increase soft-money funding to support faculty positions

Goal 1.4  Faculty and staff representative of the diversity of our society

Metric 1.4:  Diversity statistics of faculty compared to Indiana population

Target 1.4:   Increase in under-represented faculty

Implementation:

• Proactively develop a diverse candidate pool for new searches
• Create climate of inclusiveness in the department

• Deliver high-quality educational programs.  The Mechanical Engineering Technology department will maintain a current and relevant curriculum that prepares students for success in a competitive environment at the undergraduate and graduate level.  The department will develop a strong continuous improvement program and achieve and maintain ABET accreditation for all programs at all locations.

Goal 2.1:  Develop a strong and ongoing continuous improvement program to ensure that the programs achieve their objectives and outcomes.

Metric 2.1:  TAC of ABET accreditation for all programs at all locations

Baseline 2.1:  TAC of ABET accreditation for MET and MFET programs at West Lafayette and MET program at New Albany

Target 2.1:  Program Accreditation

Location                 Year Accredited

Columbus               2005-06

South Bend            2006-07

Kokomo                2007-08

Muncie                   2008-09

Richmond               2008-09

Implementation:

• Identify and train key ABET coordinators at each statewide location
• Develop department-wide assessment and continuous improvement templates available to all locations

Goal 2.2:  Develop a strong focused MS graduate program supported by students and employers.

Metric 2.2:  Number of Research Assistantships supported by projects in the department

Implementation:

• Encourage all sponsored project proposals to include graduate student support
• Reward faculty participation in sponsored project activity through one-time merit increases funded from F&A distributions

• Develop state-of-the-practice facilities.  The Mechanical Engineering Technology department will develop, maintain, and provide technical support for modern state-of-the-practice laboratories that have the type of equipment students will find in practice.  The department’s experimental capability will be a resource to support faculty and student research initiatives. 

Goal 3.1:  Develop a comprehensive lab development plan to address teaching and research needs, emerging technologies, space allocation, and resources.

Metric 3.1:  Plan developed and funding identified.

Implementation:

• Assess learning and research equipment and space needs for all present  activities
• Solicit research plan from faculty active in sponsored programs to identify current and future needs

Goal 3.2:  Increase capital investment and equipment/software donations for laboratory modernization.

Metric 3.2:  Industrial support for the MET and MFET programs

Implementation:

• Engage local and national industry to identify areas of mutual interest for faculty and student projects
• Identify equipment needs to industrial supporters

• Build strong partnerships.  The Mechanical Engineering Technology department will grow strong partnerships with industry, funding agencies, and alumni.  This will enhance employment opportunities for our students, provide research and engagement opportunities for our faculty, provide crucial feedback and advice on our programs, and to increase giving for program and student support.

Goal 4.1:  Enhance partnerships through growth in sponsored program activity.

Metric 4.1a: Dollar value of proposals

Metric 4.1b:  Dollar value of awards.

Implementation:

• Seek opportunities to identify collaborative applied research projects
• Identify funding opportunities suited to education and research signature areas of the department
• Form teams with other schools and departments to combine resources and talents for improved funding productivity

Goal 4.2:  Increase alumni participation and giving.

Metric 4.2a:  Alumni giving

Implementation:

• Build relationships with industry and alumni through improved communication
• MET will host a yearly event to engage alumni starting with a 40th anniversary celebration in 2005
• The department will host graduation receptions to connect with graduates before they leave

Metric 4.2b:  Number of Endowed professorships

Baseline 4.2b:      Mechanical Engineering Technology has 2 endowed professorships

• W.C. Furnas Professor of Enterprise Excellence
• MAHA Professor of Fluid Power

Implementation:

• Generate one proposal for a new endowed professorship every two years

Metric 4.2c:  Endowed scholarships

Baseline 4.2c:       Mechanical Engineering Technology has one endowed scholarship

• James and Velma Emmi Award

Target 4.2c:         
2006-2007 2 Endowed scholarships

2008-2009 3 Endowed scholarships

Implementation:

• Generate one proposal for a new endowed scholarship every two years
• Improve communication with industrial partners for increased support of students in both programs