AC 2011-1620: EXPLOITING A DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT: MATUR- ING A MODEL FOR AN ENGINEERING DEGREE COMPLETION PRO- GRAMINPARTNERSHIPWITHMULTIPLECOMMUNITYCOLLEGES

The evolution of a model for a transfer student degree program for mechanical and electrical engineering was initiated based on a partnership with a single community college which provided articulating course work designed to meet the requirements of a degree granting state university. The single community college was not providing a sufficient number of transfer students to justify the program investment so a second community college partnership was developed. The existing program has been a state supported program but the economic conditions dictate that a state supported program, removed by distance from the main campus, is no longer viable. As a result of the impact on the state university system a new program is being launched through extension. The evolution of the model for the existing program has been largely reactionary but the current economic conditions require that the model be evaluated with data driven forethought and planning. The community college pipeline has been found to be inadequate in providing a sufficient number of qualified transfers to maintain a viable upper division engineering program. Subsequent data collected from a number of community colleges has confirmed that multiple community college partners with articulating programs are required to provide a sufficient transfer pool. The new launch has allowed the opportunity to review the model from the perspective of what has been learned and to consider implications based on data collected through surveys and market analysis. The new launch also has afforded the opportunity to mature the model through considering the integration of the transformation models for engineering education described by Owens and Fortenberry and to consider the application of the supply chain approach suggested by Al-Turki, Duffuaa, Ayar, and Demirel. The issues surrounding maturation of this model, the existing impact resulting from the economic conditions, the pertinent data, and the nature of the effort required to mature this model are discussed. The conditions necessary for program success are defined and the strategies required to address the necessary conditions are developed as is the current program status.