Two departments change names
The department of engineering and technology is moving forward as an official college.
The Board of Trustees on Thursday approved a designation as the “School of Engineering and Technology.”
Before that, a department committee voted unanimously on the change.
“We are reorganizing into two divisions — one will house technology and one will house engineering,” said Terry Lerch, interim department chairperson.
This is an ordinary step for a university to take, said Brian DeJong, assistant professor of engineering and technology.
“(The name change) reflects diversity between engineering and technology,” DeJong said.
The goal is to distinguish each division, said David Pape, professor of engineering and technology.
“It recognizes the wide range of disciplines that are more appropriately housed in a school rather than a department,” Pape said.
While there is potential for growth in the school, Lerch said he does not see any major changes in the near future.
“Under budget cuts, I don’t anticipate additional resources to the school,” he said.
This is not the first name change for the department.
Two years ago, the department building was changed to the ET (Engineering Technology) building from the IET (Industrial Engineering Technology) Building. This turned into a minor problem, Lerch said, as many people still refer to it as the IET Building — the name on the entrance doors.
He said many people do not acknowledge the change in name to the IET building.
“I wish people would call it by its name,” Pape said.
Geology and meteorology
The Department of Geology also is now the Department of Geology and Meteorology.
The change is because associate professor Neil Mower and assistant professors Leigh Orf and Marty Baxter are transferring from the geography department to the geology department.
The change passed with a majority vote by committees from the Department of Geography and College of Science and Technology.
“We’re trying to re-emphasize our program into more water and environmental water resources,” said Sven Morgan, chairman of the geology and meteorology department. “The meteorology department handles atmospheric water and the geology department handles ground water.”
