In the face of crippling budget cuts, College of Engineering officials are considering preliminary proposals to restructure the college and eliminate three programs – Engineering Mechanics, Engineering Operations and Engineering Science.

James Melsa, dean of engineering, met with Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics department faculty Friday afternoon to discuss the cost-savings proposals.

Melsa, emphasizing that all proposals are still in a preliminary phase, described a reorganization plan to increase the efficiency of the engineering college.

The main programs tagged for possible elimination include Engineering Operations and Engineering Science. The proposal would also eliminate the graduate program in Engineering Mechanics and move undergraduate courses to different engineering departments, effectively eliminating the major.

“The budgets cuts, as we all know, have forced us to look for ways to trim our budget and yet preserve the quality of our engineering program,” Melsa said. “Unfortunately, there are consequences.”

He said the cuts will help focus the remaining engineering programs.

“But it is my goal that, in fact, this strictening will instead help us to focus on what we have and need and may, in some ways, improve our quality so that when the budget does improve, we will be even more prepared to continue to build our program,” Melsa said.

The Engineering Mechanics program would be divided among other departments, he said, as the Engineering Fundamentals and Multidisciplinary Design division was when it was dissolved in 1996.

“Courses such as statics might find a home in the Civil Engineering, while courses in dynamics might wind up in Aerospace or Mechanical [Engineering],” Melsa said.

Instructors would follow each class to its new assigned department, he said.

“Hopefully, the new department will turn out to be a better fit for both the course and the instructor,” Melsa said.

Thomas Rudolphi, professor and chairman of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, said he and his fellow faculty members want the opportunity to meet with Melsa again to offer a counter-proposal that may include the preservation of the Engineering Mechanics department.

“It is hard to accept that engineering mechanics, which many of us deem the queen of all engineering sciences, may be eliminated,” Rudolphi said. “We would at least like the chance to come up with our own proposal that may meet financial restraints without disseminating some of our department members throughout the college.”

Ganesh Rajagopalan, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics, said he understands that some measures will have to be taken throughout the university to counter the cuts in the budget. But he emphasized that the morale of the faculty should not be compromised.

“The morale of the university faculty is the life-blood of the university,” Rajagopalan said. “Whatever measures must be taken, it is most important that we remember that the faculty represent the university, and their spirit is vital to its well-being.”

He said his department is encouraged that Melsa is willing to meet with the department to listen to future proposals. Rajagopalan said he is hopeful these financial challenges would force the department to focus on what they have and improve.

“We are eager to work with the dean to find alternative ways of maintaining the level of service by focusing and revitalizing our program,” he said.

Meetings about the proposed changes will take place among other faculty and student groups in the near future, Melsa said. College officials hope to submit a final proposal to the provost by Jan. 7.

“Students will be surveyed in class in the next few weeks before finals so that we can get their input before we finalize anything,” he said.

“And it is important to note that all students currently enrolled in any of the programs we’re considering eliminating will be catered to so that they may complete whatever degree plan they have prior to the change.”