Fullerton’s Engineering School Designs a Better Future

The future looked bleak for Cal State Fullerton’s engineering school. It was, a report last fall concluded, a school dying a slow death.

The outside audit found that the university’s School of Engineering and Computer Science had an outdated curriculum, declining enrollment and a bickering faculty. The report also said the school, which had been without a dean for nearly a year, had weak leadership.

The situation was so bad, according to the audit, that if the school did not resolve its problems, it should be dismantled.

Nearly a year later, the patient appears to be recovering.

“We want to assure the students that the school is here and it’s going to stay,” said acting Dean Richard D. Rocke, 60, who was appointed to the job the month the report came out.

The audit by San Francisco-based Schaffer Associates had been ordered by Mary Kay Tetrault, former vice president of academic affairs, because of complaints from students that the classes were out of date and faculty in the various departments didn’t work together.

The audit confirmed that faculty in the three engineering departments refused to work together to design course work.

Enrollment figures reflected the school’s sagging reputation. Last year, a total of 1,332 students were enrolled in the departments of computer science and electrical, mechanical and civil engineering. In 1986, that number had been 2,378. The only department to increase enrollment was computer science, from 665 to 715.

But several things have changed in a year, school officials say. For example, a chairman was named to oversee the three engineering departments, so faculty and their curricula are coordinated.

Teachers now are more focused on developing courses from which all engineering students can benefit, said Susamma Barua, associate professor of computer science. “There is talk of having a common goal rather than looking at my department versus your department.”

In addition, Rocke has given the computer science department permission to hire three additional faculty members.

He also plans to start a rigorous outreach program to community colleges and high schools, and to meet with business leaders to see what they are looking for in prospective employees.

“Hopefully, in the coming years we’ll make progress to meet the demands of the students and the industry,” said Ephram Smith, the vice president for academic affairs.

Meanwhile, the patient’s pulse has stabilized. Enrollment is up slightly, to about 1,380 students.

While many faculty members are optimistic, some say they need more time to see any progress.

For example, Chandrasekhar Putcha, an engineering department head, said, “It has only been two weeks” since the division chairman was named, “but it is a step in the right direction.”

In the meantime, school officials want to dispel any fears that it is dying.

“Yes, we had problems,” Barua said. “But we are making efforts to change things around.”