The Town Hall Meetings, hosted by DSAC, provide an opportunity for students to interact directly with the Deans of the College of Engineering once a semester and discuss important issues related to the College, including recently established changes or improvements planned for the future. These meetings are designed to give all interested students a chance to voice their concerns directly to the administration of the College, the people who have the power to enact change based on these concerns. These meetings are just one of the important ways DSAC can bring about change in the College of Engineering, and we hope that you would take advantage of this opportunity to finally tell the administration what you think about your time here so far and what you think should be changed about the College.

Our next meeting will be early in the Spring semester - check back here often or look for posted signs around campus for the exact time and date. Come and make a difference in the College!

Minutes from Town Hall Meeting on October 5, 2006

  • Introduction (Scott)
    • Introducing DSAC members
    • How can we improve Town Hall Meeting?
    • Website
    • Introducing Deans Adesida & Hjelmstad
  • State of the College (Deans)
    • Dean Adesida, Dean of the College of Engineering
      • 8000 students in Engineering, 5500 undergraduates
        385 professors, 410 total (with agr eng.)
      • “Our Aim is to build on a tradition of Excellence”
      • Had a retreat for strategic planning in February
      • When people talk about Illinois, they think Engineering
        • We want to be the College that others are measured against
        • People make it a great university
      • How do you train leaders?
      • Engineering first, make sure you can interface with the world second
    • Dean Hjelmstad, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
      • Particularly concerned with first couple of years
      • Changes:
        • Summer registration program
          • Advised by deans instead of old professors
          • Program advisor track
        • Drop/probation changes
          • Lots of latitude
        • Put on the web all the forms you fill out for registration
        • New course for freshman, for guidance
          • Soft requirements addressed in the course
        • New agreement with OTCR (Ray Price advising)
          • See what consulting world is like (moved to college instead of RSO)
        • Engineering Initiatives
          • Not an RSO, team w/ Hjelmstad
        • Lots of stuff to better your education
  • Q&A Session
    • Auditing a class is difficult
      • “Sneak in the back”
    • Dropping a class is hard
      • Can swing your long term schedule by a whole year
      • Long strings of pre-requisites
      • “Stick with it”
    • Undergraduate research
      • Some departments have progress
      • Potential for crossover – poster session?
      • Hjelmstad → connect James scholar with Undergrad Research
        • Hjelmstad – too big of a gap
        • probably needs some funding
        • profs like grad students (4yrs, lots of time)
        • Europa website? -- convince them to put up the website
        • they may not match opportunity until you initiate
        • SHOULD BE – some formal training, exit procedures
      • Michael Stephens, Engineering Council:
        • Illinois Journal of Undergraduate Research
        • Career Fair, Poster session, website
      • How can we get students involved?
        • DSAC member – people feel like they don’t have an identity
        • Easier for research positions in smaller departments?
    • Lack of resources in TAM
      • Finding advisors
      • Supplies
Fenguin Design