| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
 |
||||||
| |
||||||
Letter from the ChairmanDear Alumni and Friends, The first review was conducted as part of our ABET Accreditation with the site visit occurring in early September 2003. The site visit went well, and we anticipate that our accreditation will be renewed. We also prepared for an Academic Program Review, which was coordinated by the Office of Academic Affairs. The academic review took place in the second week of March 2004. The department wants to acknowledge the efforts of our ABET reviewer, Tom Edgar, (University of Texas, Austin), and the academic program reviewers Ken Hall (Texas A&M), Rick Mallinson (University of Oklahoma), and Dick Seagrave (Iowa State University), as well as the academic program review internal reviewers Pratul Ajmera (Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering), Liu-Heung Chan (Department of Geology & Geophysics), Barb Dutrow (Department of Geology & Geophysics), Robert O'Connell (Department of Physics & Astronomy), and Paul Wilson (Department of Horticulture). The ABET review focused on the undergraduate program, while the Academic Program Review focused on both the undergraduate and graduate programs. From both, we received some very positive feedback concerning our programs, as well as specific recommendations on how to improve the department. We are currently evaluating how to utilize these suggestions to effectively improve our programs. The chemical engineering building remains on the capital outlay plan and fundraising efforts are well underway. Unfortunately, uncertainties in the state budget will probably delay the start of construction until the next fiscal year. In addition to the reviews and building efforts, we have been involved in an extensive search for a new assistant professor to fill the vacancy left by Thomas Cleij's departure in May 2003. We received many applications for this position and have already interviewed several applicants. We hope to have the position filled by the start of the spring 2005 semester. In addition, we have been in search of a candidate to fill the second Cain Chair. In other news, we hosted the Second Annual Chemical Engineering Reunion in September 2003 and it was an even greater success than the first reunion. You can read more about it in this newsletter. Because of the success of the first two reunions, as well as the positive responses we received from this past year's attendees, we are planning to host another alumni reunion this year. It is tentatively scheduled for September or October of 2004. More information concerning the upcoming reunion will be mailed in the coming weeks and can also be found on our Web site. We hope to see you there!
Sincerely, F. Carl Knopf |
||||||
|
||||||
We have been very busy
this academic year. The department has undergone two separate program
reviews since August, which is the main reason why the fall and spring
newsletters have been combined this year. As you can imagine, it takes
months to prepare for these extensive reviews, plus additional time afterward
to complete follow-up reports and responses. 
