Finalists propose changes
in school
By Kurt Esposito
Summer
Editor
The first of four finalists for the dean of the
Schools of Engineering said the Schools need to put emphasis on solving
socially relevant problems in order to keep up with the changes in the
various engineering fields.
Mark Kushner, the interim head of the department
of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois
in Urbana-Champaign, said since the there has been a shift in the industries
towards a research and information based economy, the study of engineering
has to make the same shift. This would include solving such socially
relevant problems as well as more economic driven research.
He spoke at Purdue on Thursday afternoon at the
first of the four open forums for the candidates.
In a presentation entitled Strategy for Excellence
for Schools of Engineering, Kushner outlined how to manage with changes
in the various fields of engineering.
He said some of these changes are emerging areas
of research, such as biotechnology, and an increased emphasis on entrepeneurship.
"(The changes) bring both challenges and opportunities,"
he said.
He said to address these changes the Schools would
have to put more emphasis on teaching communication skills, entrepeneurship
and cross-dichotomy between the different fields of engineering.
He also said he would like to see a more diversified
student body within engineering and this could be accomplished through
new recruitment methods, which would target students before they enter
high school; studies have shown students decide before high school on
what kind of career they want to pursue.
Margaret Rowe, dean of the School of Liberal Arts,
asked if he would be in favor of general educational requirements at
Purdue. He said he is in favor of those requirements and students should
take advantage of such opportunities.
The other three final candidates for the dean of
the Schools of Engineering will visit campus throughout May.
• W. Kent Fuchs, head of the Purdue School
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, will speak at1:30 p.m. Wednesday
in Fowler Hall.
• Way Kuo, associate vice chancellor for engineering
for Texas A&M University will speak at 2:30 p.m. May 21 in Fowler
Hall.
• Linda Katehi, associate dean for academic
affairs in the University of Michigan's College of Engineering, will
speak at 2 p.m. May 31 in the Class of 1950 Lecture Hall.
Richard Schwartz, the dean of the Schools of Engineering,
will step down from his position June 30.
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