ABET AccreditationPolicy

By Shiraz Ahmad, Senior CECS

Upon entering Speed School, many of you wereinformed that you were embarking upon a five-year long

mission to receive an accredited Master’s degree in the

engineering field of your choice. It was also made clear that, without completion of the five year program, it wouldnot be possible to obtain an accredited degree. This wasdue to the regulation enforced by the Accreditation Boardfor Engineering and Technology (ABET) disallowing dual-accreditations on the graduate and undergraduate levels.This has been a great point of contention over the years for Speed School faculty and students alike.

In order to receive accreditation at the graduatelevel, it is a prequisite that the University's undergrad programs also meet the requirements set forth by ABET.Why then should dual accreditation not be granted? Thiswas precisely the question set forth by several influentialEngineering organizations, including the NationalAcademy of Engineering (NAE) and the American Societyof Civil Engineers (ASCE). Due to rising interest in thissubject, the debate was brought before and voted on byABET this past Spring.As of March 28

, 2008, ABET revoked the ban ondual accreditation. According to Dean Mickey Wilhelm,this means that as soon as ABET awards Speed Schoolaccreditation for its undergraduate programs students whohave received B.S. degrees up to one year prior will alsoretroactively receive accredited B.S degrees in their major.Dual accreditation will be implemented during the 2009-2010 school year. The Dean has requested that SpeedSchool be granted accreditation for its Bachelor's degreeswithout a formal visit from ABET, due to the prior accreditation of our Masters programs. If ABET choosesto require a formal evaluation, then a team will be sent inFall 2009 and a formal decision will be made by theEngineering Accreditation Commission in July 2010.

So, for those students who will graduate post 2008,a new door presents itself. Speed School students whowish to complete school at the undergraduate level willhave the opportunity to do so without the looming prospect of an unaccredited degree. And even if you intendto continue on the Masters track, it will be of benefit whenapplying to companies who look for accreditedundergraduate degrees. ABET's new policy, onceenforced, will serve as a great benefit to both current and

future Speed School students. ■

Edited By:

Brian Goessling

Email:

speednews@speedcouncil.org

September 8, 2008

EasierHarder

Sudoku:

Which will you choose?