FACULTY REWARD SYSTEM REFORM FOR ADVANCEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION FOR INNOVATION: REVISITING THE URGENCY FOR REFORM

摘要

This is the first of three invited papers prepared for a special panel session of the National Collaborative Task Force on Engineering Graduate Education Reform to enable a strong U.S. engineering workforce for competitiveness and national security. Initiated in 2000 by the ASEE-Graduate Studies Division, College Industry Partnership Division, and Corporate Members Council, the National Collaborative Task Force is a coalition of key leaders from innovative universities and industry who are working in a unique collaboration to respond to the urgency for reshaping the U.S. system of engineering graduate education to better serve the needs of modern engineering practice to strengthen the nation's capability for technology development and innovation. The National Collaborative is focusing on two primary questions: First, can an effective system of professional engineering graduate education be created in the United States for developing our engineering talent in industry so that the continuing future of engineering practice for creative technology development & innovation in this country may be assured for economic competitiveness and national security purposes? Second, how can this system of professional engineering graduate education be implemented across the United States using the combined resources of universities and industry to ensure world-class engineering leadership for innovation so that each state and region can prosper over the long-term? This paper looks primarily at the second question as it seeks answers to how faculty will be rewarded in a system where teaching professionals is as important as research. The need for reform to design a new faculty reward system as a complement to the traditional research-oriented faculty reward system for advancement of professional engineering education for innovation is no longer in question. However, little has changed at most universities, with a few notable exceptions, across the nation. Today, leading universities must be more responsive to their multi-faceted missions and provide more engagement in the professions.