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Engineering Advisory Committee Minutes, 10/17/00
LAS POSITAS COLLEGE
ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
APPROVED
Tuesday, October 17, 2000
Las Positas College, Room 1602
3:30 P.M.
PRESENT
Dr. Neal Ely, Dean of Academic Services at LPC
David Anderson, Manager, Kvaerner
Gill Cruz, LPC Instructor
Richard Finn, Manager (retired) Sandia National Lab
Dr. Billy Sanders, Engineering Dept, University of California at Davis
R.E. Oetken, Manager Sandia National Lab
Wil Jorgensen, LPC Instructor
Dr. Joy Bhadury, Director of Engineering Program California State University, Hayward
Ken Petersen, Linhart Petersen Powers Associates
I. Introductions
Dr. Neal Ely called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. All members present introduced themselves. Minutes from the March 14, 2000 meeting were reviewed. The minutes were sent via committee e-mail in spring. The spring minutes were unanimously approved as written. Dr. Bhadury/Dick Finn/unanimous
Dr. Ely expressed appreciation from the college for committee member's commitment to the advisory committees. The members will receive college parking permits, a library card to access the Learning Resource Center materials, and a voucher for LPC performing arts events.
II. College Update of Programs
The Fall enrollments are looking very good. The numbers of students in the Engineering program are growing. Dr. Ely pointed out that Engineering Technology 57 is being offered in Spring, 2001. This course will serve the needs of students. The college is looking for a qualified instructor to teach this course.
The Introduction to Optical Science and Engineering is being offered this fall. The increase in the numbers of students who enrolled in this course is encouraging. There seems to be an identity problem. Dr. Sanders suggests that better marketing will help students and parents know what this field is about.
Gill Cruz has release time as a full-time instructor to market the program at local businesses, high schools, and colleges. He is participating in the college Major Exploration Faire.
III. Report from Las Positas College
Dr. Ely was happy to introduce Gill Cruz as the first full-time Engineering faculty at Las Positas College. The college hired thirteen new full-time faculty this year. Hiring two Math and one Physics/Astronomy instructors helps to augment the base of instruction for the Engineering program.
IV. Discussion Items
Gill Cruz stated that equipment donations for the Engineering program are greatly appreciated. He will provide the committee with a "wish list". ** Mr. Cruz bought some testing equipment with block grant funds and now has a testing lab set up. He is also
improving the library selections. Dr. Ely also pointed out that the physics program also received block
grant funds for equipment and some of that equipment can be used in the engineering labs as well.
Dr. Bhadury suggested that the college share resources with other colleges. He offered to let LPC students use Cal State equipment, as available.
Las Positas College received a $1,000 grant from Bechtel, Nevada for the Engineering program.
Mr. Cruz is inviting local industry to participate in internships for our Engineering students. He feels this is another step to help build the program.
Mr. Cruz would also like to consider offering Engineering 10 to local high schools.
Alec Willis is working on obtaining a copy of a CD for educators produced by Agilent that includes electrical engineering experiments. The web site for more information is: www.educatorscorner.com.
V. Recommendations from Business and Industry Representatives
Several suggestions for discussion from the committee:
· Let industry have the opportunity to show/demonstrate what different companies/business do.
· It is important to show the enrollment growth statistics.
· The Santa Rosa Junior has a very successful Engineering Transfer Conference that targets high school students and counselors. College representatives come from all over the state to participate. This idea may work for Las Positas.
· The college should advertise that transfer students have just as high a grade point average and better retention than four-year beginning freshman students.
· Try to bring back a successful transfer student to share his/her story with students.
· As program develops, track the progress of transferring students.
· Replace the computers in the computer lab with ones with larger memory and bigger monitors to support Engineering graphics and drafting courses, and programs like ProE.
· Good video cards are also important.
· Keep NT systems cleaned up with software such as DiscKeeper or Speed Disc.
Formal Recommendations from the committee:
· Form a collaboration with local high schools to put on an information day to include four-year colleges. The best time to hold this would be September or October.
· The college should be congratulated on hiring a full-time faculty member for Engineering. This provides the consistency in the program that the four-year colleges are looking for.
The next meeting of the Engineering Advisory Committee is planned for Tuesday, March 13, 2001 at 3:30 p.m in Room 1603.
**Equipment list is on page three of this document.
submitted by Roni Jennings
cc: Susan Cota Susan Hiraki
Don Milanese Barbara Morrissey
Karen Halliday Brian Owyoung
Ed Maduli Art Tenbrink
Corey Kidwell Gilberto Victoria
Pam Luster Terry Burgess
Dee Roshong Bev Bailey
Sylvia Rodriguez Alene Hamilton
LettieCamp Steven Bundy
Las Positas College
Fall, 2000
Equipment needs for Engineering program:
1. Metallography sample preparation equipment
2. Metallography microscope
3. Electronic circuits equipment like variable power supplies, circuit components (resisters, capacitors, op-amps, etc)
4. Non-destructive examination equipment (ultrasonic test equipment, dye penetrant materials, magnetic test particle materials, etc.)