Program Review
Flight Technology Department
9-10 April, 2007
Prepared by Dr. Joe Dunlap
I. General
Program review for the Flight Technology Department was conducted over a period of
two days. The review was conducted at CWU main campus, the Flight Technology
facility adjacent to Bowers Field, included Mid-State Aviation; a contracted training
provider not regionally accredited by Northwest Commission on Colleges and
Universities (NWCCU) located at Bowers Field Ellensburg, and extended to the CWU
Center located at Big Bend Community College, Moses Lake. Documents examined
included a self-study prepared by the department faculty, curriculum documents,
university catalog, flight standard operating procedures manual, and contract between
CWU and Mid-State Aviation. CWU administrators, faculty, students, staff, as well as
employees of Mid-State Aviation were interviewed.
Observations and analysis of the Flight Technology Department and programs is based
on experiences in managing collegiate aviation programs at the university and college
levels, industry and military experience, and as a researcher for the Federal Aviation
Administration.
The format of this report is organized to address the following categories; faculty,
facilities, program and curriculum, students, equipment, relationship with Mid-State
Aviation, library resources, information literacy, goods and services budget, and future
directions.
II. Faculty
Flight Technology faculty consists of four tenured/tenure track faculty and one nontenure track faculty member. The faculty are highly qualified; three possessing doctorate
degrees, which is unusual considering the terminal degree for aviation faculty is the
Masters. Faculty come with a wide variety of industry, collegiate, and military based
experiences and possess a wide variety of academic and aviation
credentials/certifications. In addition to flight technology CWU offers two aviation
related management programs which should influence future faculty recruitment efforts.
Concern was expressed about the high turn-over of tenure track faculty on and the ability
to recruit new and highly qualified faculty.
Strengths
 Highly qualified faculty with a variety degrees, credentials, and FAA certificates
 Variety of industry based experiences
 Very dedicated faculty
 Great faculty attitudes that places students “first”
Challenges
 There is inadequate number of faculty to serve student population, support
growth, or effectively respond to additional duties. For example, flight
technology faculty perform the following additional major duties to support the
flight program; FAA designated chief ground instructor, flight simulator
instructors, liaison to Mid-State Aviation, teach at the CWU Moses Lake
University Center, and provide advising to Big Bend students. Faculty workloads
are overwhelming, leave little to no time for research and publication, and do not
appear to be considered in the recently implemented Faculty Work Plan.
 Faculty are not participating in FAR Part 141 stage checks with their students at
Mid-State Aviation. Evaluating student progress via the periodic stage checks
provides a feedback loop on quality and assists in faculty maintaining their FAA
currency.
 There is no mechanism in place for faculty to maintain FAA currency
 The department has experienced a high turn-over in flight technology faculty and
small pools from which to draw from when recruiting.
 Starting salary is low--approximately $50K
 Faculty have limited airline operations and management experience
Recommendations
 Hire two additional tenure-track faculty [one with airline operations and/or
maintenance experience]
 Develop procedures that allow faculty participation in FAR Part 141 stage checks,
is considerate of L&I requirements, and is considered part of faculty workloads
 Include FAA unique requirements such as stage checks, simulator instruction, and
FAA appointed Chief Ground Instructor as part of faculty workloads
 Look to the airlines [retiring captains] and graduate schools as a source of
applicants for faculty positions. Market strengths to prospective faculty; i.e. low
cost of living, high quality of life, great location, and the only four year program
in the Pacific Northwest, etc.
 Examine salary structure and improve entry-level salary
III. Facilities
CWU operates a small temporary facility adjacent Bowers Field that has two classrooms,
a room for five flight training devices, faculty offices, a conference room, and small
planning room with two student computers. The facility is wholly inadequate to support
the number of students, faculty, and programs served and do not represent the University
or Department well to prospective students and parents. Instances were described in
which students and parents decided to attend other institutions after visiting the airfield
facility. Facility space, functionality, and condition were the primary complaints from
virtually everyone. Additionally, the University holds a long term lease to property
located on Bower Filed that presents opportunity.
Lower division students preferred to attend classes on campus. Upper division students
were split 50/50 in preference to location of classes. These student perceptions were
driven by parking and scheduling concerns. Faculty who taught and/or had offices on
campus preferred to be located on campus where there was more connection to the over
all campus community. Because CWU does not have a fleet of aircraft or manage flight
operations there is no compelling reason to locate the department at Bowers Field.
Strengths
 Department/program facility is close to campus
 CWU possess a long term lease for property [not currently being used] on Bowers
Field
 Space is available on campus to accommodate future facility plans
Challenges
 Existing facilities are inadequate
 Developing a comprehensive short and long-term strategy to address the future of
facilities considering the length of processing time and ability to develop capital
projects
Recommendations
 CWU has several short and/or long term options available relating to facilities:
 Remain in existing facilities and do nothing
 Remain in existing facilities and expand them
 Construct new facilities at the existing location
 Construct new faculties on the leased land located on Bowers Filed.
 Relocate the program to main campus
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That CWU develop a long term strategy consistent with a comprehensive and
compelling vision for the program and university master plan
Consider moving lower division courses back to main campus
IV. Program/Curriculum
Flight Technology has been a part of CWU for some time, offers high quality
comprehensive programming, and was recently reorganized into a stand alone
department. The curriculum consists of five degree programs, some that seem redundant
and confusing for the student. Because the Department offers programming in
management, maintenance management and may consider offering a masters degree
program at some point the name “Flight Technology” does not adequately describe its
nature, comprehensiveness, nor represent its potential. The Department lacks a
comprehensive and compelling vision for itself. That vision should be developed without
regard to existing limitations and advocated at every opportunity. The Department does
not have but is considering developing an advisory committee formed of aviation
industry practitioners and experts.
Strengths
 Quality degree offerings
 Quality of instruction
 Comprehensive programming
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CWU offers the only university based aviation degree programs in the
northwestern United States with the closest 4-yr competition at San Jose State,
CA and Rocky Mountain College, a private four-year institution located in
Billings MT
Programming has industry support as evidenced by the Horizon Airlines “DirectHire” program
Demand for aviation professionals in Washington State is forecast to be
significantly above the national average for the next tens years
Challenges
 Lack of a comprehensive and compelling vision for the department and programs
 Management students feel neglected because emphasis is on flight technology
 Lack of a comprehensive advisory committee
Recommendations
 Rename the department to one that represents the more comprehensive nature of
the programs and vision for the future
 Develop a comprehensive and compelling vision for the department and programs
based on demographics, industry and student demand, and university goals
 Offer more internships/cooperative experiences for management students
 Develop closer relationships with two year aviation programs, offer 2+2 degree
options, and offering more upper division courses through University Centers and
ITV to remote location
 Establish an aviation advisory committee comprised of governmental, industry,
and higher education representatives
 Eliminate the Airway Science Aircraft Systems Management Specialization. This
degree was developed to support employment in the aviation industry and the
Federal Aviation Administration and in many respects is redundant with other
flight related degrees offered. This option has not been well supported by
enrollment and is no longer actively supported by the FAA
 Focus on program quality rather than growth until adequate facilities and faculty
are available to support growth
V. Students
A variety of students were interviewed; lower and upper division, flight and management,
resident and Moses Lake. The Department served as many as 200 students in recent
years but currently serves approximately 150. The majority of students are enrolled in
flight degree options. The following are themes that emerged during students focus
groups:
 Appreciate and respect existing faculty however would like to see new faculty
with airline industry experience.
 Facility located at Bowers Field is inadequate
 Approximately two thirds of the students preferred classes on the main campus
 Thoroughly enjoy being in Ellensburg
 Thoroughly embrace CWU as their campus of choice
 Believe that Mid-State Aviation does a good job with the flight training
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Appreciate the high quality of aircraft Mid-State Aviation offers for flight training
and the state of maintenance of those aircraft
Believe flight fees charged by Mid-State Aviation may be slightly higher than
elsewhere but consider realize a value added with state-of-the-art and quality
aircraft
Students realize a value and are attracted to CWU, Ellensburg, and Flight
Technology programs because of low in-state tuition, low cost of living, small
town feel, and the four-year degree offerings
Strengths
 Strong student advocacy for the program
 More than adequate student and industry demand for Flight Technology programs
Challenges
 Maintaining contact with graduates of the program
 Recruiting new students with existing on-airfield facility
Recommendations
 Develop an alumni tracking system
 Utilize strengths and future market demand to market programs
 Address facility issues
VI. Equipment and Instructional Media
Equipment and instructional media primarily consists of flight simulators, flight training
devices, computers, and aircraft which are provided and maintained by Mid-State
Aviation. Instruction given in flight simulators provides revenue for flight simulator
maintenance but not for replacement
Strengths
 Mid-State Aviation aircraft are high quality, state-of-the-art, and are well
maintained
Challenges
 Flight simulators and training devices are old and in some instances powered by
DOS based software that are difficult to maintain. They lack visual flight
capabilities and flight data bases are limited and/or out of date
 The Department facilities at Bowers Field site do not provide adequate access for
students to computers, software, or internet access
Recommendation
 Develop and implement a fee structure that provides develops resources over time
to replace aging flight simulators rather than relying on capital project resources
or certificates of participation
 Replace and/or upgrade existing fleet of simulators and flight training devices
 Improve relationship with Mid-State Aviation. CWU should not consider
acquiring a fleet of university owned aircraft. The long term effect of acquisition,
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maintenance, replacement, operational costs, and managing flight training
operations are too costly in fiscal and human resources for CWU to sustain
Provide a student computer lab to support Flight Technology students
VII. Mid-State Aviation
CWU out sources to provide flight training for students and is seven years into a ten year
contract with Mid-State Aviation. Mid-State Aviation is a Federal Aviation
Administration FAR Part 141 certificate holder [approved flight training provider] but
not accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. They operate
a fleet of 18 well maintained aircraft. Mid-State Aviation is a non accredited
organizations. In general students are happy with Mid-State Aviation and the services
provided. They appreciate the quality/state-of-art of aircraft and quality of instruction
received. Student flight fees are consistent with the flight training industry.
I had opportunity to meet with Ron Mitchell, Owner, Mid-State Aviation and Andy
McIrvin, Assistant Chief Flight Instructor. Chuck Shivers, Chief Flight Instructor, was
not available. The relationship between CWU and Mid-State Aviation is quite strained
based on previous history. Mid-State Aviation is concerned about the directions of the
University program and drop in enrollment over the past two years. Mid-State Aviation
believes the relationship between CWU and Big Bend Community College has adversely
affected enrollment in Flight Technology programs and impacted the number of students
taking flight training through Mid-State Aviation. This does not appear to be a direct
cause and effect relationship.
There is concern about the nature of the contractual relationship between CWU and Mid
State Aviation with regard to accreditation. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and
Universities [NWCCU] state in policy A-6 that:
No higher education institution accredited by a regional
institutional accrediting commission can lend the prestige
or authority of its accreditation to authenticate courses or
programs offered under contract with organizations not so
accredited unless it demonstrates adherence to the
following principles:
a. The primary purpose of offering such a course or program is educational…
b. Any course offered must be consistent with the institution’s educational mission and
goals as they were at the time of the last evaluation….
c. Courses to be offered and the value and level of their credit must be determined in
accordance with established institutional procedures and under the usual mechanisms
of review….
d. Courses offered for credit must remain under the sole and direct control of the
sponsoring accredited institution which exercises ultimate and continuing
responsibility for the performance of these functions as reflected in the contract,
with provisions to ensure that conduct of the courses meets the standards of its
regular programs as disclosed fully in the institution’s publications, especially as
these pertain to:
1) recruitment and counseling of students;
2) admission of students to courses and/or to the sponsoring institution where
credit programs are pursued;
3) instruction in the courses;
4) evaluation of student progress;
5) record keeping;
6) tuition and/or fees charged, receipt and disbursement of funds, and refund
policy;
7) appointment and validation of credentials of faculty teaching the course;
8) nature and location of courses; and
9) library and information resources.
CWU is not exercising the controls outlined in d 3), 4) and 7) above as required by
NWCCU and the existing contract does not meet the requirements of an A-6 agreement
as outlined further in Policy A-6. When questioned about this relationship Mid-State
Aviation indicated that they were the FAA certificate holder [FAR Part 141] and
therefore they were the decision maker. Mid-State Aviation is in fact the certificate
holder at an operational level but not from an accrediting perspective. In my opinion
unless these issues are addressed it could place accreditation of the program in jeopardy.
The Commission is very explicit regarding the requirement for a non-accredited
organization to delivery for credit instruction.
Recommendation
That CWU:
 That CWU acquire copies of agreements between other college and universities
that utilize vendors to deliver flight training as a basis for comparison. The
University Aviation Association may be able to assist:
University Aviation Association
3410 Skyway Drive
Auburn, AL 36830-6444
(334) 844-2434
 The existing contract between CWU and Mid-State Aviation will be open for
renewal in 2-3 years. Open discussions with Mid-State to remedy this situation
and clarify who has responsibility and authority for oversight of curriculum,
faculty qualifications, and student progress. CWU must be involved to ensure that
curriculum delivered by Mid-State Aviation meets university criteria, that
instructors meet university requirements, and student progress must be monitored
[faculty involvement in flight stage checks remedy this situation].
 Develop an A-6 agreement with Mid-State Aviation in accordance with criteria
outlined in Policy A-6 NWCCU.
In meeting with students and faculty it appears that on occasion student concerns may not
be reaching the appropriate individuals at Mid-State Aviation to address concerns. An
example is that students do not feel comfortable being debriefed about a training flight or
a stage check when that takes place in the company of others, particularly if they did not
perform well. It was their [students and faculty] understanding that a trailer at Mid-State
would eventually be utilized as a debriefing area to provide confidentiality. Although it
was relayed to me that this problem was addressed with the Chief Pilot the owner
indicated he was unaware of the problem. Mid-State Aviation publishes Standard
Operating Procedures (SOP) that indicates who students should see if they have a
grievance, but does not indicate how concerns will be processed or resolved and there is
no documentation to provide an audit trail for follow-up. A window of opportunity exists
between May 15th and June 15th when the SOP may be revised.
Recommendation
That a documented student complaint/grievance process be instituted that parallels the
University student grievance process. This will provide an audit trail, ability to follow-up
with Mid-State Aviation, and provide a feedback loop for continuous improvement.
VIII. Library Resources
Library resources are viewed as adequate, personnel are outstanding and facilities and
equipment meet the department’s needs. “Current library resources include
approximately 300 books and 1400 journal articles on subjects relating to aviation and
aeronautics.” No concerns were expressed by faculty or students regarding the adequacy
of library resources however it is noted that there are few references to aviation
psychology related publications. This is an area of considerable emphasis within the
industry related to crew resource management, cockpit dynamics, and interpersonal skills
required for safe and efficient flight operations.
Uncertainty exists related to the library resource budget. When Flight Technology was
part of IET approximately $8000 per year was allocated in discretionary funding for
books, periodicals, subscriptions, media resources, etc with the aviation related programs
accounting for approximately 60% of those expenditures (which is comparable to the
percentage of FTE aviation represented with in that department). Now that aviation is no
longer part of IET it is uncertainty whether Flight Technology will receive a new
allocation or a portion of the IET budget for library resources.
Recommendation
 Allocate a library resource budget to the Flight Technology Department
 Assess and determine the need for additional publications relating to aviation
psychology and crew performance
IX. Information Literacy
Information literacy takes on added dimension with electronic flight information systems,
weather forecasting information systems, flight management systems, and global
positioning systems available to aviation professionals both in and out of the cockpit.
Flight simulators and training devices need to reflect these trends. Aviation related
simulation software is available for PC application which can reduce actual costs related
to time in aircraft and time in simulators. Aircraft available through Mid-State Aviation
have state-of-the-art systems installed. Only two PCs are available for student use at the
airfield facility. In general students have resources available to enhance their information
literacy however those resources are not state-of the-art [flight simulators] and not readily
available for use [no computer lab available at aviation facility for students].
Recommendation
 Once a decision is made regarding facility disposition a student computer lab be
made available for flight technology students at that location.
 That flight simulators be replaced or upgraded to reflect state-of-the-art systems
with current data bases
X. Budget
Goods and Service budget is a concern for the department. The budget is approximately
$9,100 annually with required expenditures of $6,000 for phones, fax and copier service
leaving $3,000 to support other requirements. The department has had to budget $5,000
from summer developed funding to cover projected shortfall in goods and services
budget.
Recommendation
 That Departmental Goods and Services budget be increased by $5,000
XI. Potential/Future Directions
The Flight Technology Department and faculty offer quality aviation related
programming. This Department has the potential to be THE leader in western United
States for aviation related education, not just flight technology. That potential is based on
location, industry relationships, quality faculty, relative low costs, and the only program
in the Pacific Northwest. However, potential is currently limited by; 1) lack of sufficient
faculty which contributes to overwhelming faculty workloads, 2) inadequate facilities,
and 3) lack of a comprehensive and compelling departmental vision. Addressing these
concerns while improving Mid-State Aviation relationship will position CWU Flight
Technology Department to become that leader.
The Flight Technology Department faculty and staff are to be commended for their
dedication to CWU, commitment to students, and attempting to meet all requirements
while being under-staffed. I would like to thank CWU administration for support of the
program and hospitality extended to me during my visit.