CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
PROGRAM REVISION FORM
REVISED 9/13/11
We recommend that you begin the program revision process by engaging in meaningful
conversations with your departmental colleagues, the department chair and the Vice President of
Academic Affairs (VPAA).
The program revision initiator and/or the sponsoring department chair should attend and be
prepared to address questions at the appropriate department meeting, Curriculum
Committee meeting and Faculty Council meeting.
I. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
DATE: January 31, 2014
SPONSORING DEPARTMENT:
Technology
PROGRAM EFFECTIVE DATE: FALL OF
2014
DESCRIPTION OF ALL PROGRAM REVISIONS:
Step 1:
Change Program Name
Current Program Name
Proposed Program Name
Industrial Technology (INT)
Mechanical Engineering Technology (MEC)
Step 2:
Remove an Existing Core Course and Replace with a New Course
Course Name
Credits
Proposed New Course
Credits
Industrial Operations
Introduction to Engineering
3
3
(INT 100)
Technology (MEC 100)
Step 3:
Remove Existing Courses and Employ Appropriate Liberal Arts
Courses
Course Name
Credits
Proposed Liberal Arts Course
Credits
Technical Writing
Technical Math I
3
4
(ENG 235)
(MAT 105)
General Chemistry I (CHE 111)
Social Science
3
or
4
Elective
General Physics II (PHY 112)
Step 4:
Develop new courses and incorporate three tracks into the degree program
Credit
Course
3
MEC 100 – Intro to Engineering Technology
3
MEC 101 – Technical Drawing/CAD
1
MEC 102 – Blueprint Reading & Tech. Schematics
3
MEC 203 – Intro to Quality Control/Quality Assurance
3
MEC 204 – Manufacturing Processes
3
MEC 206 – Principles of Fluid Power Systems
2
MEC 207 – Industrial Maintenance
3
MEC 209 – Industrial Health & Safety
MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING
TECHNOLOGY
(32 credits)
Maintenance Track
Manufacturing Track
CAD Track
Credit
Credit
Credit
Course
1
MEC 208 –
Maintenance
Troubleshooting
2
3
MEC 217 Instrumentation
3
11
3
4
CSC 230 – Intro
to Networking
or
MEC 222 –
Programmable
Logic
Controllers
or
ETE 105 –
Digital
Electronics I
ETE 102 –
Electrical
Circuits II
or
ETE 104 –
Electronics I
Course
MEC 205 – Geometric
Dimensioning and
Tolerancing
MEC 212 – Computer
Aided Manufacturing
Course
3
MEC 201- Solid
Modeling/Animation
3
MEC 202 –
Advanced Solid
Modeling
3
MEC 215 Workforce Leadership
2
MEC 205 –
Geometric
Dimensioning and
Tolerancing
3
MEC 217 Instrumentation
3
MEC 212 –
Computer Aided
Manufacturing
Develop new courses and incorporate three tracks into the degree program; Manufacturing,
Maintenance, and Computer Aided Design (CAD). The three tracks share 53 core credits.
Two new courses [Maintenance Troubleshooting (MEC 208) and Programmable Logic
Controllers (MEC 222)] will be part of the Maintenance Track; two new courses [Solid
Modeling/Animation (MEC 201) and Advanced Solid Modeling (MEC 202)] will be part of
the CAD track; one new course [Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (MEC 205)] will
be shared between the Manufacturing and CAD tracks.
Utilize the new CAD track to insert a 32 credit CAD certificate program in the future.
JUSTIFICATION FOR EACH PROGRAM REVISION:
Step 1:
Most people don’t known the current program exists and those that do have to ask “What is
Industrial Technology?” that question is usually followed by “What can I do with that?” The name
Industrial Technology is out dated and very focused. The current courses do encompass what
makes up Industrial Technology; however it also mirrors Mechanical Engineering Technology.
With Mechanical Engineering Technology more flexibility can be incorporated into the program,
such as incorporating 3 tracks. Changing the name to Mechanical/Industrial Engineering
Technology would better suit the program. The name is based on what other colleges; even SUNY
institutions call their programs which follow a similar curriculum structure. This will help in the
recruitment of students because the name speaks for itself, it is also one step closer to looking into
adding an ABET accreditation in ETAC (Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission)
which can be a huge draw for the college and the program.
Step 2:
Industrial Operations (INT 100) is currently the entry level class of the core INT classes in
the program. This may have suited the program when it had initially started, however the material
involved in the class has evolved drastically over the last decade and a half. The topics outlined in
the class are better suited to be described as Industrial Operations Management, which is a senior
level or graduate level class.
In its place Introduction to Engineering Technology (MEC 100) will be added to the
curriculum as the entry level class for the core INT classes. The new proposed course will provide
students with an opportunity to learn about technology and what is involved in the design and
manufacturing environments through projects revolving around design and creative thinking. The
class will provide students with the tools necessary to create the type of design and lab reports that
would be requested of them in industry. They will also obtain an introduction into Computer Aided
Design and Manufacturing, in addition to Lean Manufacturing Concepts. The course will wrap up
with resume writing and interview skills, both of which were areas that were stressed by companies
during Manufacturing Day.
Step 3:
The Introduction to Engineering Technology course (MEC 100) will fill the need of Tech
writing for the MEC students; therefore Technical Writing (ENG 235) will be removed from the
MEC Curriculum Worksheet. The current course load for the students requires them to take
Technical Math II (MAT 205), however there is a prerequisite for that course of Technical Math I
(MAT 105) which the students currently take but do not obtain credit towards their degree.
Technical Math I (MAT 105) will replace Technical Writing (ENG 235) on the Curriculum
worksheet; this will provide students with credit towards their degree and still maintain the
necessary liberal arts credits for SUNY seamless transfer. Incorporating Technical Math I (MAT
105) will aid in retention as well because a majority of the students coming through the program are
upset when they find out they have to pay for a class that they will not obtain credit for.
Currently the students are required to take 3 credits of social science elective and a 3 credit
choice of a social science or humanities elective. Replacing the extra 3 credit social science elective
with an option for students to take either General Physics II (PHY 112) or General Chemistry I
(CHE 111) would better prepare students for their core classes in the program. This would still
maintain the necessary liberal arts credits for SUNY seamless transfer, it would also better align
students with an opportunity to transfer into a 4 year technology degree if they so choose.
Step 4:
After meeting with Advisory board members and numerous discussions with students,
faculty, and companies within the community the general consensus was our program could benefit
from incorporating more options to suit the needs of industry. The current curriculum is a great
backbone for manufacturing. However, multiple companies have expressed interest in a need for
students to obtain more knowledge in CAD, troubleshooting equipment, and a few additional
classes pertaining to electricity. This brought about the opportunity to incorporate 3 tracks into the
degree program. The existing curriculum will serve as the Manufacturing track and remain
unchanged. The other two tracks will be CAD and Maintenance. The CAD track will take students
more in-depth into modeling techniques and introduce them to more advanced solid modeling
software used in industry. The Maintenance track provides the opportunity for more
troubleshooting with hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical systems. It also incorporates additional
electrical courses into the curriculum. Each track does contain 53 common credits; the remaining
11 credits are mainly specialized towards the designated track.
Currently CV-TECH teaches two CAP classes for the INT program, INT 101 (Tech
Drawing/CAD) and INT 102 (Blueprint reading and Schematics). Their CAD program currently
averages 25 to 30 students a year. Once they graduate CV-Tech has to send them elsewhere
because we don’t offer a program suitable for these students. If we add a CAD certificate track into
the MEC program this will not only provide a place for the CV-Tech students to come who already
have credit towards our degree, it will draw other high school students and more students from the
workforce. Our area currently has a large need for training on CAD software; the addition of the
program would also provide opportunities to companies for workforce development training.
Successful completion of the CAD certificate will give students not only great opportunities across
the North Country but also throughout New England.
The proposed CAD certificate would contain 32 credits, 12 of which would be liberal arts.
The certificate would include MAT 105 or MAT 224, MAT 205 or MAT 225, PHY 111, MEC 100
(New Introduction to Technology Course), MEC 101 (Technical Drawing and CAD), MEC 102
(Blueprint Reading and Technical Schematics), MEC 201 (New course Inventor/3DStudio Max),
MEC 202 (New Course Solid Works), MEC 205 (New course Geometric Dimensioning and
Tolerancing), and MEC 212 (Computer Aided Manufacturing).
POSSIBLE IMPACT ON CURRENT CURRICULA:
Step 1:
Changing the program name creates only minor changes throughout the curriculum. For
each course the abbreviation INT will have to be changed to MEC.
Step 2:
The new introductory course MEC 100 will replace INT 100 due to the complexity of the
course. INT 100 is currently listed as a prerequisite for almost all INT courses. MEC 100 will now
take place as the perquisite to most of the core courses and what was Industrial Operations (INT
100). INT 100 was a 3 credit course; MEC 100 will be a 3 credit course therefore not affecting the
overall credits towards the degree program.
Step 3:
With the new introductory course MEC 100 providing the Mechanical Engineering
Technology students the technical writing tools necessary for industry ENG 235 is no longer
necessary for the students. Tech Math I (MAT 105) is a prerequisite to multiple MEC courses and
should be incorporated into curriculum worksheet. Therefore MAT 105 will replace ENG 235, this
provides students credit towards their degree for taking a required class, and maintains the liberal
arts credits. Since MAT 105 is a 4 credit class and ENG 235 was a 3 credit class there will be an
increase in the overall credits for the degree program from 62 to 63 credits.
Replacing the current social science elective with General Physics II (PHY 112) or General
Chemistry I (CHE 111) will better prepare students for technical courses towards their degree. It
will also provide students with more transfer credits if they were to choose to transfer on and pursue
a bachelors degree in either Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology. By
replacing the 3 credit social science elective with a 4 credit science class the liberal arts credits are
maintained and there will be an increase in the overall credits for the degree program from 63
credits to 64 credits.
Step 4:
Incorporating 3 tracks into the program doesn’t change any of the existing curriculum. It
does however add 3 new classes for the CAD track [MEC 201 (Inventor/3d Studio Max), MEC 202
(SolidWorks), and MEC 205 (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing)]; and 1 new class for the
Maintenance track [MEC 208 (Troubleshooting)]. The remaining classes applied towards the tracks
are either currently offered in the program or are classes currently offered in other technology
programs.
II. ATTACH THE REVISED PROGRAM GRADUATION WORKSHEET TO THIS
DOCUMENT
III. APPROVAL
2/11/2014
X
X
Curriculum Committee Chair
Sponsoring Department Chair
X
X
Faculty Council Chair
Vice President for Academic Affairs