“What do you want to do when you grow up?” We hear this question almost everyday until we graduate. Some of us decide early, some of us are still deciding, and some of us never get it quite figured out. Well, the College of Engineering Curriculum Committee has decided to take it upon themselves to help us decide, and decide fast.

Of the declared engineering students, 37.5 percent change their curriculum once and 31.7 percent change twice. Has the Engineering Curriculum Committee decided that students who make this change are bad? It would appear so, because they want to eliminate the Engineering Basic Program, which will make it harder for those students to change engineering majors. In other words, each curriculum will eventually have specialized introductory classes that will not transfer to any other engineering major. So once you have decided on a curriculum, it will be increasingly difficult to change. And this could prolong your graduation.

Last year, the College of Engineering spent a great deal of effort studying the merits of the Basic Program, and the faculty concluded it was good for students. Now they want to do away with it? What has changed in a year? The College of Engineering also spends a great deal of effort promoting graduation in four years. How does the elimination of the Basic Program promote this for people who change their minds? Oh, wait — you are not supposed to change your mind.

The basic program is a chance for students to explore different curriculums and to find out which career path is right for them. It is the professor’s responsibility to encourage students find the career path that is right for them. It is okay that this process takes time. Iowa State is meant to be a place where change and growth are encouraged. How does increasing the difficulty of changing departments encourage growth? Why weren’t students involved in making this decision? The success of ISU isn’t measured by the sheer numbers of engineers who graduate in four years, but by the quality of graduating engineers, regardless of the time it takes.

The Engineering Faculty will be voting on this proposal on Wednesday, April 29. The big problem, however, is that only a few faculty members will show up to this meeting. Do not let this committee determine your future without your input. Please let your professors know how you feel. Encourage your professors to attend and vote “NO” on the motion to kill the Basic Program.

Rachel Kenney

Senior

Ceramic engineering