INTRA-AGENCY ADVISORY AND DELIBERATIVE MATERIAL AAC 10/8/15 MEMORANDUM Executive Summary of Upcoming Board Review or Action Item DATE: August 21, 2015 TO: Board of Trustees FROM: Gary R. Bertoline, Primary Contact, (765) 494-2552; bertoline@purdue.edu CC: John Wensveen, Secondary Contact, (765) 496-3136; jwensvee@purdue.edu SUBJECT: New School of Aviation and Transportation Technology Purpose: Check all that apply: This item is recommended for discussion by the Board in executive session. This item is recommended for discussion by the Academic Affairs Committee at its meeting. This item will require a formal vote by the Academic Affairs Committee at its meeting. x This item will require a formal vote by the Board in the Stated Meeting. This item will be presented in a formal resolution for action at the Stated Meeting. Attachments: The proposal is attached to this memorandum. Executive Summary: The Purdue Polytechnic Institute proposes to rename and designate the Department of Aviation Technology as the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. This action appropriately recognizes the continuing evolution and both the current and future scope of this Purdue academic department as well as other program areas within the Purdue Polytechnic Institute. The creation of a school will provide global visibility for the education and research conducted by Purdue faculty. Organizationally, a school allows for subunits within the Purdue Polytechnic Institute to be more closely connected and aligned. This organizational structure would encourage shared offices and support structures. Additionally, multiple service outlets could exist under one leadership umbrella. The school will encompass more academic areas than those within a traditional department. Finally, this structure and collaborative environment will enhance sponsored research and engagement opportunities. The designation of a School of Aviation and Transportation Technology will enhance the future work of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute. This proposal has the support of the head of School of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the College of Engineering, as well as the approval of the Provost. Dean Leah Jamieson suggested the inclusion of the term Technology in the school s title to distinguish it from the schools within the College of Engineering.
SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS March 21, 2015 Dr. Gary Bertoline, Dean College of Technology Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907 Dear Dean Bertoline I am writing to support the Department of Aviation Technology s proposal to change its name to the School of Aviation and Transportation Systems. Since the name of the department may change, I will henceforth use AV Tech to reference the department or school. At Purdue, all departments in the College of Engineering are designated as schools, whereas departments in all other colleges are designated as departments. How the name affects how a department operates depends on the college and the dean. Thus, a department, whether designated as a department or as a school, could operate in the same way. The naming at Purdue may be more historical than substantive. However, from outside of Purdue, the designation of school seem to give a perception of greater importance because the term school is sometimes used synonymously with the term college. With that said, I admire the efforts in AV Tech to move forward with a vision that includes transportation systems. In the aerospace and airline industries, engineering though a critically important part is still just a part of what these industries need. AV Tech works on many of those other parts. These include training pilots and flight crewmembers and educating technical people who work on manufacturing and repair strategies, accident reconstruction, and air traffic control. New proposed efforts include airline management and operations, airport management and operations, aviation financial analysis, and unmanned aerial systems. In the areas of manufacturing, air traffic control, and unmanned aerial systems, the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AAE) in the College of Engineering looks forward to continuing our collaboration with AV Tech since these are also areas of our interest and where collaboration will make both of us better. In summary, I admire the leadership in AV Tech and the proposal to move forward. The addition of airline and airport management and operations and aviation financial analysis are some of the most critical things that the aerospace and airline industries need. Thus, if a name change would help the initiative and the momentum to move forward, then I respectfully support that request from AV Tech. Sincerely yours, Tom I-P. Shih Professor and Head NEIL ARMSTRONG HALL OF ENGINEERING, ROOM 3317 701 W. STADIUM AVENUE WEST LAFAYETTE, IN 47907-2045 (765) 494-5118 FAX (765) 494-0307 tomshih@purdue.edu https://engineering.purdue.edu/aae/
Proposal for the SCHOOL OF AVIATION AND TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY Purpose This document presents a proposal to rename and designate the Department of Aviation Technology as the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. This action appropriately recognizes the continuing evolution and both the current and future scope of this Purdue unit while providing better control of student outcomes and an increased level of regard within the aviation industry and among research funding agencies. The end goal of this proposal is the establishment of a named School of Aviation and Transportation Technology, a school that provides global visibility of the leadership in research and education that has been demonstrated by Purdue s aviation and transportation endeavors. Such visibility can only be afforded by a school; a traditional department falls short in its ability to render the benefits described herein. Establishment of such a named school will provide cohesion that links crucial components of academics, research, engagement and service. Key relationships listed below illustrate the tremendous breadth of lateral collaboration that would take place within the school. Furthermore, creation of a school will also provide a great opportunity to focus both goals and resources to best meet the needs of students and their future employers. The school will serve to highlight Purdue University s Polytechnic Institute as that entity continues its recent transformation from the former College of Technology. In keeping with the tradition of Purdue University, the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology will be committed to excellence and global leadership. Intrinsic Benefits There are many potential intrinsic benefits to creating a named School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. The first is purely organizational. A school structure would allow for the organization of subunits based upon faculty program committees. Such an organization would support specific divisions and offices that are less hierarchical, and more lateral, in nature. This structure allows for shared duties and responsibilities. Furthermore, schools have the ability to assume more functional responsibilities than centralized units. In addition, location independence is a benefit. Multiple service outlets could exist under one leadership umbrella; they need not be co-located. For example, a named School of Aviation and
Transportation Technology could be headquartered in West Lafayette, but could serve global outlets in areas such as Nanshan, China and Doha, Qatar. The greater sense of collaboration fostered by the school structure can also lead to increased diversity, another positive outcome. This structure also represents academic areas that are broader than those contained within typical departments. For example, the Purdue Polytechnic Institute included at its founding departments previously housed in the Division of Applied Technology, the Department of Industrial Education, and the Department of Technical and Applied Arts from the School of Industrial Engineering (Polytechnic, 2015). Finally, school status would provide validation of the earned prestige and prominence of Purdue s tradition of excellence in the field of aviation. This substantiation will result in external leverage opportunities which will benefit students, faculty, researchers and staff alike. Rationale The rationale for creating a named School of Aviation and Transportation Technology is threefold. First, in order to serve as a leader among peer academic institutions, a school model is a most desirable structure. Second, a named school will provide validation through visibility and the national recognition which accompanies it with respect to its ability to recruit diverse students and faculty of high quality. Finally, school status will allow the unit to increase sponsored research and engagement, with concomitant increases in both the breadth and depth of its academic programs. Background and Overview of Current and Upcoming Aviation Technology Programs On May 6, 1869, long before the achievement of powered flight, Purdue University was founded as a land-grant institution. In the nearly 150 years that have passed since that day, Purdue s success as a university has been evidenced by its growth that has seen it become one of the 25 largest universities in the United States. A leading RU/VH research institution and member of the Big 10 Conference, Purdue has a proven track record of excellence in both education and research. Although historically grounded in the land-grant mission, Purdue University has been a leader in embracing new developments in all fields. This success was made evident in the founding of the progenitor of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, the School of Technology, in 1964, the mission of which emphasized using technology to make improvements in business, industry and education (Polytechnic, 2015). Today, technologies embraced by the Polytechnic span land to sky and are foundational for majors in Professional Flight Technology, Aviation Management, Airline Management and Operations, Airport Management and Operations, Aerospace Financial Analysis, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and Aeronautical Engineering Technology.
The roots of the current Department of Aviation Technology lie within the Purdue Aeronautical Engineering School in the 1940s, where the program existed as a four-year non-engineering degree program in Transportation Systems. By the 1950s, the engineering school determined that this program was no longer consistent with its goals and the program was terminated. Twoyear programs in Aviation Maintenance Technology and Professional Pilot Technology were constituted in 1954 and 1956, respectively, and although located on the West Lafayette campus, were not considered part of the standard university curriculum. In 1964, the School of Technology was formed and the existing flight option was converted into a four-year BS degree program. A second BS degree option for aviation maintenance students was initiated in 1977. In the mid-1980s a third BS degree option was initiated in Aviation Administration, later renamed Aviation Management. Initial academic accreditation of all aviation technology baccalaureate degrees was received from the Council of Aviation Accreditation in 1997. An MS degree program in Aviation and Aerospace Management was added in 2007, as well a program to support students who complete the PhD in Technology with an aviation focus. Currently, the department has 56 full time employees (including 26 tenure track or clinical faculty members) and 41 part time flight instructors. Current Aviation Technology Programs Aeronautical Engineering Technology This is an area of study focused on educating students in the development of manufacturing and repair strategies for modern aerospace vehicles. This activity includes the design, building, and testing of new aircraft as well as field modification, product support, and accident investigation. This program includes laboratory courses in aircraft design, maintenance, and manufacturing as well as traditional university course offerings and aviation specific courses. The aeronautical engineering technology program is accredited by ABET ETAC, and is currently the only such ABET-accredited four-year program in the United States. Graduates of the program often work in aerospace and aviation companies in production engineering, quality management, field service, line supervision, procurement, and other technical management positions. Aviation Management The aviation management program is focused on careers in airline management, airport management, and air traffic control. Students receive specialized instruction in aviation-related areas as well as coursework in law, accounting, leadership, and economics. This program is recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration as a participating program in the air traffic control Collegiate Training Initiative. Students may also become Certified Members of the American Association of Airport Executives. The aviation management program is accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI).
Professional Flight Technology The professional flight technology program is designed for students interested in a career as a flight crewmember for an airline, a corporate flight department, or in general aviation. Coursework is blended with progressive aviation studies, a traditional academic curriculum, and flight simulation laboratories. Students complete FAA certification as a commercial instrument pilot with multi-engine qualification. Graduates of this program are selectively hired in support of critical national aviation industry requirements. The professional flight program is accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI). New Aviation Technology Programs Airline Management and Operations The airline management and operations major is the first of four new majors that will be available in Fall 2015. This major is designed for students who wish to work in specific areas of the airline industry that include network planning, flight operations, airport customer service, revenue management, maintenance management, and general management. Airport Management and Operations The airport management and operations major is the second of four new majors that will be available in Fall 2015. Students graduating with this major are generally interested in working in entry-level finance, management, and operations positions at medium or large NPIAS airports, or in higher-level management capacities at smaller airports. They complete a certification examination that allows them to become Certified Members of the American Association of Airport Executives. Aerospace Financial Analysis The area of aviation financial analysis is a hybrid field that falls between the traditional areas of finance and aviation. Graduates who are well-versed in the topics that comprise this niche area are in high demand in the aircraft leasing and financing industries, as employers are generally of the belief that it is easier to train new employees with strong aviation backgrounds in specific financial areas than it is to provide finance graduates with a broad knowledge of the aviation industry. In addition, retention is expected to be better when hiring graduates who have demonstrated a passion for aviation through their completion of an actual aviation degree.
The need for financial professionals in the aviation industry is expected to increase in conjunction with an anticipated increase of considerable proportion in the sale and leasing of commercial transport aircraft. The Boeing Current Market Outlook, a market forecast with a 20-year horizon, projects significant growth in the world fleet of such aircraft over the forecast period. This growth is expected to be truly global in nature, underscoring the need for programs that educate future industry professionals to provide an education that meets these global requirements in terms of distributed networking and cultural sensitivity. Areas of specific interest to employers are those of debt structuring, cash flow modeling, and asset valuation. The aviation financial analysis program will focus on these key areas. Unmanned Aerial Systems Unmanned Aerial Systems have been used primarily for military and special operations applications, but it is predicted that within the next decade, a growing number of civil applications will develop. As the total number and size of these vehicles increases as well as the functional operations becoming more complex, the total system of operation (UAS) needs to be understood, not just the construction and flying of such devices. Most existing academic UAS programs still concentrate on construction and operation of smaller aircraft, ignoring the equally important areas of sensor design, autonomous programming, financial and economic issues, data analysis as well as the very important legal and ethical implications involved in UAV operations. The aviation technology department has developed an interdisciplinary approach to this field of study. While the technical aspects of UAV design and operation must be studied, it is just as important to involve the development of the various sensor platforms as well as understanding the public policy (laws) that will drive the development of the legal and social infrastructure behind the operation of these vehicles. This expansion of system capabilities will necessitate the involvement of many academic disciplines including engineering, science, agriculture and liberal arts as well as other related areas of technology such as computer information and programming systems, as well as sensor (IT) and engineering technologies. Graduates of the program are anticipated to be employable in a broad area of management of unmanned aerial systems.
Contemporary AT faculty members continue to be recognized as scholars, experts, and leaders in their respective specialty areas. As a result, the department has been able to attract and recruit a talented and professionally motivated faculty with extensive industry and academic experience to prepare the future leadership of the aviation industry with particular emphasis on the emerging technologies associated with advanced aircraft instrumentation, aviation security infrastructure, enterprise management, and lean manufacturing. Faculty members have an important role in engagement, nationally, internationally, and within the state of Indiana, and are active in a wide variety of professional and academic organizations. Recent department initiatives in China, the Middle East, and Europe have led to important collaborations and exchanges in support of third world nations who seek to upgrade their aviation infrastructures to an international standard. The department s nationally recognized research centers provide significant opportunities for student involvement and research funding. The Department of Aviation Technology currently has approximately 585 undergraduate and 86 graduate students enrolled at the West Lafayette campus. Job placement rates are typically near 100% for graduates of aviation technology degree programs. Future School Programs The future academic programs of the school will follow the Industry-Purdue Opportunity Pipeline (ipop) model. Initially, the programs of the current Department of Aviation Technology will reside within the school exclusive of any departmental organizational unit, but the expectation is that, as the school grows, divisions will be created to house programs. Those divisions could include aviation, rail, water, pipeline, and other units that are representative of the various forms of multimodal transportation. A description of potential future divisions and of the ipop model follows. Railway Division Purdue s involvement in the rail industry dates back to 1892 with the establishment of the Locomotive Testing Laboratory. This facility, which was established to address technical problems that plagued the industry, housed an 85,000 pound locomotive, the Schenectady, which was purchased by the University for its locomotive research program. The program was disestablished in 1938 when program funding from railroads became difficult to obtain. However, the modern railroad industry still continues to lag other transportation industries from a technology standpoint, and provides an excellent opportunity for Purdue to once more position itself at the forefront of the industry as an academic leader. The Department is seeking to engage in collaborative discussions with KBS Railroad, a Class III short line that owns track running along the frontage of the Purdue Airport. It is likely that research and internship opportunities may arise from these discussions, further substantiating the need to support the development of multimodal divisions within the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology.
Marine Division The Department is also engaged in discussions with a cruise line organization, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to provide certificate programs in cruise line management and operations. This nonprofit association is North America's largest global cruise industry organization in terms of cruise line, industry suppliers, and travel agency membership. CLIA represents the interests of member cruise lines, 100 Executive Partners and more than 14,000 travel agencies, and participates in the regulatory and policy development process while supporting measures that foster a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. The cruise line industry generated more than $42 billion in total economic activity to the U.S. economy in 2012, and continues to commit to the future, with 14 new ships placed in operation in 2012, and another 10 new ships on order in 2013-2015, for a total new vessel investment of more than $22 billion in the 2011-2015 timeframe. It is anticipated that these programs would be housed in a newly-created marine division within the School. ipop: Industry-Purdue Opportunity Pipeline ipop, or Industry-Purdue Opportunity Pipeline, is an innovative academic model that capitalizes on synergies with closely-associated industry partners to maximize educational and financial benefits for both academia and industry, and provides a transformative, affordable, and accessible educational experience, leadership in the STEM disciplines, and world-changing engagement and research. The model was conceptualized in response to the former College of Technology s move to transform the learning experience with the creation of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute. The vision, mission, and goals of ipop align closely with those of the Polytechnic, and focus on the dual mission of addressing operational challenges within the aviation industry and facilitating positive educational outcomes for students by actively involving both graduate and undergraduate student researchers working closely with faculty mentors in a highly-collaborative multidisciplinary environment. (Mott, 2014) A conceptual model of ipop is presented below.
The ipop model is based on industry partnerships with the creation of branded entities between Purdue Aviation Technology and individual partners and their supporting units. The department has developed participation agreements with multiple industry sponsors, among them Delta Air Lines and Republic Airways Holdings, and continues to capitalize on industry interest in the model. Additional industry partners will include airlines, airports, aircraft manufacturing companies, engine manufacturers, flight training organizations, simulation manufacturing organizations, government agencies, and industry trade associations. Physical and virtual learning environments are created providing education and training to Purdue students and employees at the industry partners via two pipelines: the Purdue Student Pipeline and the Industry Partner Pipeline. Purdue Student Pipeline In the Purdue Student Pipeline, aviation technology students select an initial academic path. The pathway includes opportunities for accelerated undergraduate and/or graduate degrees, certifications, embedded experiences with industry (i.e., internships), guaranteed interviews with industry partners, and increased opportunities for employment with industry partners. The curriculum is based on industry trends, challenges, opportunities, and strategies. Industry partners provide real-life challenges that require addressing and aviation technology faculty, students, and staff provide solutions to those challenges. Once the department transitions to a School of Aviation and Transportation Technology, existing programs will grow and new curriculum offerings will be offered through the creation of new undergraduate and graduate programs. Such program offerings will include traditional degrees and a diverse range of research-based degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Throughout their academic journeys, students in these programs will have multiple opportunities to interface with industry partners. Interaction will take place in the classroom, in the laboratory, and at the industry partner s headquarters and/or network (local, regional, international). Such interaction will result in multiple opportunities for the students to be mentored by industry professionals and will provide opportunities for students to mentor employees at the partner locations. At selected points during a student s academic progression, the Purdue Student Pipeline will intersect with the Industry Partner Pipeline. Aviation technology students will learn in the same physical and virtual learning environments as employees from the industry partners. Industry Partner Pipeline In the Industry Partner Pipeline, select employees of the industry partners will have opportunities to pursue further education and training within their respective divisions, departments or units. Programs will be delivered by Purdue faculty and/or limited-term lecturers in physical and
virtual learning environments. Certain industry partner employees meeting Purdue standards and qualifications may be employed as limited-term lecturers entering train-the-trainer programs. The combination of Purdue faculty and industry partner lecturers provides an enhanced learning experience for all participants. In this pipeline, certain industry partner employees will have the opportunity to pursue further education and training initiatives on a volunteer basis while others will be mandated to do so by the employer, depending on the needs of the organization. Such opportunities will include undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, short-courses, seminars, and certifications customized to the organization s needs. Once the department transitions to a School of Aviation and Transportation Technology, industry-sponsored programs will grow and become more diversified in terms of offerings. The scalability of such programs is unrestricted and has global application. Throughout the education and/or training progression, employees at the industry partners will have multiple opportunities to interface with Purdue Aviation Technology students, faculty and staff. Interaction will take place in the classroom, in the laboratory, and at the partner s headquarters and/or network (local, regional, international). Such interaction will result in multiple opportunities for industry professionals to be mentored by students, a process which greatly assists in enterprise planning in terms of corporate culture, productivity, efficiency, employee transition, and employee recruitment. Impact on Students, Faculty, Industry Partners The ipop education and training model strives to create the employee of the future based on industry needs and demands. It also assists in enhancing the knowledge and skills of existing industry professionals, making them better at their jobs and creating internal career advancement opportunities. The School of Aviation and Transportation Technology at Purdue will become a primary educator and trainer in the fields of aviation management, professional flight, aeronautical engineering technology, aerospace financial analysis, and unmanned aerial systems for the future employees of the program s industry partners. The potential impact of ipop on students includes: Project-based learning Exposure to leading edge technology Career track Affordability and accessibility Decreased tuition costs Educational funding opportunities Networking and placement opportunities
The impact on faculty includes: Research with global application and recognition Professional development opportunities Networking opportunities Development of engagement pipeline Research and scholarship opportunities The impact on industry partners includes: Train, educate, retain, promote Develop talent management Reconnect with higher education Professional development (learn, mentor) Affordable, leveraged labor Preview of potential employees (reduced hiring costs) Exposure of students to industry culture Statewide Polytechnic Program in Indianapolis The Department has proposed that an aviation program be established at the Aviation Technology Center in Indianapolis, to commence operation in Fall 2016. This proposal was recently approved by ICHE. Students in the program, which will consist of the delivery of the Aviation Operations Technology (AOT) degree in a +2 completion format, are expected to be both traditional and nontraditional with regard to educational status and will be drawn from the Greater Indianapolis Area, which includes the cities of Indianapolis, Zionsville, Carmel, Fishers, Greenwood, Plainfield, Avon, and Brownsburg. Graduates of the program will have backgrounds in either flight or aviation maintenance with a focus on operations and will be readily employable at large area employers such as Rolls-Royce, FedEx, AAR, and Republic Airways. Each of these employers has hired AOT program graduates in the past. As the department moves to implement its academic-industry partnership model, these potential project sponsors could be instrumental in facilitating student success at the location. Facilities at the Aviation Technology Center are sufficient to meet the needs of the program, and the primary investment required will be the hiring of faculty to deliver the specialized courses required for the degree. Purdue previously operated a Statewide Technology location at the site. The aviation program at that location was slated for closure in 2012 due to a need to reallocate departmental resources.
Current School Designations at Purdue When looking for evidence of successful school proposals at Purdue University, one need not look far. All across campus are examples of fields of study which have evolved into successful programs with a school designation. Recent successful designations are described below. School of Engineering Technology The School of Engineering Technology was the result of a 2013 merger within the Polytechnic of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology. That merger was accomplished as a means to increase the number, quality, and diversity of incoming students, both undergraduate and graduate, to increase sponsored research, graduate education, and engagement, and to maintain the preeminent academic programs of the two departments. Nursing Nursing education commenced at Purdue University in 1963 with 30 students pursuing associate degrees. Leaders within the program and the University recognized the growing demand for nursing professionals and responded by creating a School of Nursing in 1979. The School then became part of the Schools of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Sciences. Today, as part of the College of Health and Human Sciences, enrollment in the School of Nursing exceeds 500 undergraduates on the West Lafayette Campus. Graduate degrees are also available within the school (Purdue University School of Nursing, 2010). Hospitality and Tourism Management The School of Science began offering a series of courses entitled Domestic Economy in 1887. More than a century later, this coursework has evolved into the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. This successful program has twice been named as top program in the nation by the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education (Purdue University Hospitality & Tourism Management, 2012). Communication On July 11, 2011, the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue replaced the Department of Communication. The School is named after the co-founder and CEO of C-SPAN, Brian Lamb. Lamb is a department alumnus and also one of two Purdue alumni to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom (Brian Lamb School, 2012). Languages and Cultures In 2012, a successful transition took place, transforming the 36-year old Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures to the School of Languages and Cultures. In so doing, Purdue is one of only two Big 10 schools that does not separate each of its languages into discrete departments.
Purdue s Adrian Del Caro stated, Let s be more accurate. Let s be more encompassing in the way we are a school of Languages and Cultures (Hunter, 2011). Peer Institutions Creating a list of institutions having programs that may be considered peers of those of the Department of Aviation Technology is not particularly straightforward, at least partly due to the consideration that a recognized national ranking of such institutions does not presently exist. It is clear, however, that such a listing of peer institutions must be based on objective standards rather than anecdotal evidence in order to be considered valid. The following list has been divided into two categories. The first consists of peers on the institutional level that are involved in aerospace research. This category has not been populated, as there are a large number of institutions that meet the criteria. The second consists of peer institutions that house aviation management and/or flight programs and that conform to the specified criteria. Domestic Institutional Peers o Criteria ABET-accredited aerospace/aeronautical engineering program Carnegie RU/VH classification Domestic Program Peers o Criteria AABI-accredited flight and/or management programs Carnegie classification of Prof + A&S/HGC or Bal/HGC 41 to 79% of undergraduate degrees in professional fields At least half of graduate programs coexist with undergraduate majors o Members Arizona State University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ERAU is classified as Prof-F/SGC, and does not meet the criteria for inclusion in this group, but we have historically included it in our program peer group and it is listed here for that reason Florida Institute of Technology University of North Dakota University of Oklahoma Purdue University Saint Louis University Southern Illinois University Carbondale Western Michigan University
Institutional Peers Within the Big 10 Conference Of Purdue s domestic institutional peers in the Big 10 Conference, only two offer aviation and/or transportation programs in addition to Purdue: the University of Illinois and The Ohio State University. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is home to the University of Illinois Institute of Aviation. The Ohio State University hosts the Center of Aviation Studies. While Pennsylvania State University is home to a well-respected aerospace engineering program, it does not offer degrees in aviation or transportation. Purdue University has the unique opportunity to further set itself apart as a leader within the Big 10 by being the only member of the conference to be home to a named School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. Domestic Program Peers With School Structures A review of institutions with programs that may be considered peers of those within the Department revealed that a significant number of these have adopted such a structure. It is readily apparent that an opportunity is present for Purdue University to elevate itself among its peers with regard to its credibility in this area. It should be equally apparent that it is imperative that Purdue do so because of the fact that the three top institutions with peer collegiate aviation and transportation technology programs have already led the way in this respect. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University consists of three campuses: two traditional campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona, and a Worldwide campus composed of satellite locations and distance programs. The Daytona campus, the oldest of the three, houses a College of Aviation constituted by four departments: Aeronautical Science, Applied Aviation Sciences, Aviation Maintenance Science, and Flight (ERAU, 2015). University of North Dakota The University of North Dakota has long been a respected provider of education for those pursuing aviation and aerospace careers, and is home to the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (UND, 2015). This school houses four departments: Aviation, Space Studies, Atmospheric Sciences, Computer Science, and Earth System Science & Policy. Southern Illinois University In 1993 a transition took place at Southern Illinois University, resulting in the decomposition of the College of Technical Careers into departments, including the Department of Aviation Management and Flight and the Department of Aviation Technologies (SIU, 2015). Those aviation-related departments, along with the Department of Automotive Technology, were recently reorganized as part of the School of Transportation, which is a unit of the College of Applied Sciences and Arts.
Domestic Program Peers Without School Structures St. Louis University Faculty of the John Cook School of Business serve as instructors for the Aviation Management program. The Aviation Science Department is housed separately under the Parks College of Engineering, Aviation, and Technology (SLU, 2015). Proposed School of Aviation and Transportation Technology A concept of a potential organizational structure and accompanying relationships for the proposed School of Aviation and Transportation Technology is illustrated in the following diagram.
Head The Head of the School will report directly to the Dean, Purdue Polytechnic Institute and provide leadership for all School activities through assigned faculty and a team of assistant/associate heads and directors. The Polytechnic Dean executes overall managerial and fiscal responsibility for the School. Associate Head The Associate Head will provide academic and operational leadership and oversight of the departments housed within the school. Assistant Head of Academic Affairs The Assistant Head for Academic Affairs will provide leadership for all academic program elements of the school. The duties of that individual will overlap with those faculty/staff members serving as advisors, lab directors, committee chairs and more. This cohesiveness will continue Purdue Aviation s legacy of successful standing with the Aviation Accreditation Board International and the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET (formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, now only known as ABET). The Assistant Head will also be responsible for curriculum evaluation and development, recruiting, and recurring scheduling activities. Director of Operations The Director of Operations, a staff position, will be responsible for all flight and flight simulation activities housed in the school, and for personnel assigned to flight program-related duties. This individual will have oversight of full-time and part-time flight instructors, flight operations staff, simulator personnel, and maintenance technicians in the school. This individual will also be responsible for a comprehensive flight safety management system and the turbine aircraft transportation program. Current flight equipment under the oversight of this position includes 18 advanced technology training aircraft, 3 turbine (jet) aircraft, and 6 flight training simulation devices. ipop Central The ipop structure, described earlier, will be administratively managed by a Managing Director. The responsibilities of that individual will be to provide administrative support for ipop projects and serve as a liaison with various industry partners. Research and Center Operations The Managing Director for Center Operations, a staff position, will provide administrative leadership and support for all funded research activities in the school, including those that occur in the school s established research centers. Such support includes that of faculty and students
involved with the PEGASAS FAA Center of Excellence, the Air Transport Institute for Environmental Sustainability (AirTIES), the Advanced Aviation Analytics Institute for Research (A 3 IR-CORE), and the National Test Facility for Fuels and Propulsion (NaTeF). This individual will also be responsible for facilitating new opportunities for faculty and student researchers, identifying collaboration opportunities with external researchers, and networking with granting agencies. Aviation Operations The Executive Director of Aviation Operations, a staff position, will provide oversight and management of two new activities within the school. These activities are related to the currentlypending acquisition of Lafayette Aviation, Inc., the fixed-base operator at the Lafayette airport, and to the organizational unit transfer of Lafayette Airport operations to the school. Currently, the Purdue Department of Aviation Technology encompasses a state-of-the-art primary academic facility (the Niswonger Hall of Aviation Technology), an airport terminal building which provides research/educational space, an aircraft maintenance facility, aeronautical engineering technology laboratories, advanced turbine engine test cells, a simulator training center, several hangars for university aircraft, and an administrative transportation hub for Purdue transportation flights. The successful growth of Purdue aviation to date has led to an academic unit of such substantial size and complexity that it is matched by few other academic units on campus. To continue this tradition of excellence and leadership in the global disciplines of aviation and transportation technology, and to ensure Purdue is the aviation leader for the next generation, designation as the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology is essential. Input from Constituents The members of the department s Industrial Advisory Board, in addition to selected Aviation Technology Alumni, have provided input and feedback that have been incorporated in this proposal. In general, feedback and support for the proposal have been uniformly positive, with strong approval voiced for the move to a school structure, new programs, and the ipop educational model. According to Anthony Gregory, Senior Director of Ground Operations for Southwest Airlines (personal communication, February 16, 2015), the proposal is strong and, I believe, will significantly advance Purdue s Aviation program in terms of relevance to industry and sector needs, student readiness, and research and innovation. The faculty of the Department of Aviation Technology have been an integral part of the development of this proposal; their involvement dates back to 2012, when the concept was first explored. In addition to creating significant portions of the proposal document, faculty members have provided general guidance throughout the development process and have also provided suggestions for the name of the school. The voting faculty of the department met on Wednesday, March 4 th, 2015 to vote on the proposal. 19 of the 25 voting faculty members were either present
for the vote or cast ballots in absentia. The votes to approve the proposal were unanimous. Faculty were given a choice of possible names; School of Aviation and Transportation Systems received support from a majority of the faculty, with 13 of the 19 ballots received favoring that name. The College of Engineering has expressed some concern over the choice of name, indicating that the Transportation Systems portion could potentially be confusing to students interested in the Transportation Engineering area, covered primarily by the Lyles School of Civil Engineering. Dr. Gary Bertoline, Dean of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, met with Dr. Rao S. Govindaraju, the Bowen Engineering Head of Civil Engineering and Christopher B. and Susan S. Burke Professor of Civil Engineering, to discuss the use of both the terms Transportation and Systems in the proposed title for the school. Subsequently, Dr. John Wensveen and Professor John H. Mott, Head and Associate Head, respectively, of the Department of Aviation Technology, met with Dr. Jon Fricker, the coordinator of the transportation group within the Lyles School of Civil Engineering, to discuss concerns related to the use of these terms. As a result of those discussions, the Polytechnic and the Department have chosen to drop the term Systems from the proposed school title, but to maintain the inclusion of the word Transportation, in the belief that the opportunities for the proposed school to diversify into areas of technology outside of the aviation discipline are too significant to discard on the basis of any remaining internal discomfort, which appears to be minimal. President Daniels (2013), upon arriving at Purdue, stated that he was struck forcefully by the separation among our eleven colleges. A newcomer quickly notices that we are less a university than a federation. Webster defines a federation as an organization that is made by loosely joining together other organizations. It is this degree of semi-autonomy among the various colleges and schools which constitute Purdue University that provides for a similar degree of flexibility with regard to deference to the wishes of the faculty and administration of an individual college. Regardless, it should also be noted that the Academic Organization Committee of the University Senate supported a resolution for the department to move to a school under the original name, School of Aviation and Transportation Systems. Dr. Leah Jamieson, the John A. Edwardson Dean of Engineering and Ransburg Distinguished Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, suggested inclusion of the word Technology at the end of the title, in order to better differentiate the proposed school from other schools within the College of Engineering. While the Department believes that the use of the word Technology in the title of the proposed school does not completely express the scope of the school s mission, which is focused as much on the management and operation of transportation systems as it is the supporting technology integral to those systems, and notes that this predominant focus on management and operations was described in the meetings noted above, departmental administration understands that the previously-expressed concerns could be a potential source of confusion among those who are not familiar with the mission of the school.
On the basis of the rationale presented herein, it is therefore the desire and intent of the Polytechnic Institute and the Department of Aviation Technology to advance the proposal under the name School of Aviation and Transportation Technology.
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