1 Report from ABET Inc. 21 June 2008 Moshe Kam Alternate ABET Director Denver, Colorado.

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Report from ABET Inc.

21 June 2008

Moshe Kam Alternate ABET Director

Denver, Colorado

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IEEE Representatives to ABET

Fall 2007

Spring 2008

Fall 2008

Spring 2009

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Highlights from the Spring Meeting of the ABET Board of Directors

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Spring Meeting

March 29,2008 at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport, Linthicum, Maryland

IEEE staff and volunteers present: David Baker, Bruce Eisenstein, Doug Gorham, Moshe Kam, Willis King, Carolyn Solimine, Eric Tappert

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Dual Level Accreditation was Approved

Will allow institutions to seek accreditation for their engineering programs of the same name/discipline at two levels concurrently.

i.e., bachelor's and master's

Goes into effect with the 2009-2010

accreditation cycle

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Accreditation of On-line Programs A discussion on the subject exposed

some reluctance to engage

IEEE representatives recommended an aggressive plan to allow for routine accreditation of such programs

Later - Moshe Kam appointed to chair an ad hoc committee addressing the issue

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Financial Report

ABET reserves continue to be low

In the long term, ABET is looking to International Accreditation as a major source of revenue

In response to the financial forecast, we have discussed the 2005 and 2006 forecasts that were demonstrated to be unrealistic

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International Travel PolicyABET, at its sole discretion, may permit volunteer and/or staff travel to countries or locations with travel warnings only with the approval of the ABET Executive Director and the concurrence of the ABET Executive Committee

The ABET Executive Director will provide the traveler with the information obtained from corporations knowledgeable in international travel, State Department public announcements or other information from in-country consular offices

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The primary ABET liaison at each institution will provide the Executive Director with current information regarding personal safety or travel risks in the country or location

Travel to countries or locations with travel warnings or security risks is voluntary and the individual ABET volunteer or staff member may decide whether they wish to proceed with such international travel

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IEEE representatives’ response

This policy may expose ABET and IEEE to serious liability

IEEE will provide its own policy and will advise its volunteers as well as ABET about IEEE’s concerns

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New Proposal on Governance

The Governance committee was presented with a proposal to re-arrange the ABET Board of Directors

The proposal increases the size of the Board and transfers its real powers to other unelected and unaccountable bodies

It has since been withdrawn

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Summary

Work on accreditation of on-line program has started

Dual Level Accreditation was approved

ABET’s financial position continues to be difficult

ABET’s Travel policy and Board restructuring proposals create difficulties for IEEE

Our representation to ABET is somewhat in flux

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Questions or Comments?