The Walla Walla University School of Engineering has received continuing accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Accreditation provides formal recognition of a program’s quality and is an important element for students who want to obtain a license in a specific area of engineering after graduation. The accreditation process began in June 2019 and took 12 months to complete. The application for evaluation included a 467-page self-study report that provided data on School of Engineering fulfillment of accreditation requirements. Two ABET team members visited WWU in November 2019. Their visit included interviews with students, faculty, and administrators, and review of thousands of pages of documentation.
The accreditation process includes reviews of program quality measures, such as institutional support for the program, student resources, and faculty qualifications. The most significant focus is on ABET’s seven expectations for student outcomes. “These outcomes focus on fundamental learning objectives that should be achieved by students in all high-quality engineering programs,” said Brian Roth, professor of engineering and dean of the School of Engineering.
“Student work was prominently featured in our self-study report and in coursework displays,” said Roth. “During ABET’s site visit, several students shared short presentations on their internship, club, or research experience. Students were also invited to participate in a confidential Q&A session with one of the site visitors. We are proud of our students and grateful for the important role that they played in our successful accreditation review.”
The five traits denoted in the School of Engineering mission statement describe the program’s strengths and vision for students. These include “close collaboration with peers and faculty, experiential learning in laboratories and professional venues, enriching engagement in a liberal arts environment, student leadership within a culture of service, and spiritual development within a faith community.”
“I am proud of the many students and graduates who use their engineering education in service to others,” said Roth. “We have a vibrant student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, and many of our graduates are active contributors to civic and religious organizations. I am also proud of our faculty who forego substantial industry salaries, instead investing deeply of their time and creativity to provide our students with an outstanding education.”
Posted Oct. 8, 2020
