Counting Down To 2004: Some Insights And Strategies For Satisfying Tc2 K While There Is Still Time

Next fall (2003) will be the last time a technology program may choose to be evaluated under the old criteria of the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC/ABET). Starting in 2004 accreditation visits will be governed by the “Technology Criteria 2000” (TC2K) criteria except for interim visits. What does this mean operationally for programs? It means that faculty and administrators must be prepared to prove that their students at the end of the program satisfy the required a through k outcomes of Criterion 1. Program criteria developed by professional societies must be satisfied and continuous improvement processes based on assessment data evaluation must be in place and producing results. Additionally, program objectives that satisfy constituents and are consistent with the institution’s mission, goals, and objectives need to be defined and data gathered on graduates to show the quality of the program in meeting these objectives. The authors are drawing on their TC2K program evaluator experience and on their TC2K evaluator training to prepare their programs at Purdue Calumet for a visit under the new criteria in fall, 2005. This paper will point out sources of information on how to prepare for an accreditation visit and will discuss preparations at Purdue University Calumet to meet the TC2K criteria. Thus far, a continuous improvement culture has been cultivated with several measures that will be mentioned in the paper. Ten new tools for assessment have been developed that fit within a continuous improvement paradigm and meet strategic planning needs at the school, department, and program levels. Course embedded assessment measures to collect student outcomes data are being implemented. And finally, curriculum adjustments to accommodate new TC2K requirements are considered.