The ABET accreditation process, EC2000, combines components of the accreditation process used in previous years with a new, process-driven, outcome assessment scheme unique to each department. Of the eight total criteria, which must be addressed in EC2000, six are nearly identical to the previous process. Two (2. Educational Objectives and 3. Program Outcomes and Assessment) are radical departures from the previous accreditation processes, although they are consistent with current concepts in total quality management or process control.
EC2000 will be used during the ABET accreditation process of the UW COE during Summer and Autumn Quarter 2001. In preparation for EC2000, the Department of Mechanical Engineering has implemented a multipart plan designed to implement a permanent and on-going ABET accreditation process beginning Autumn Quarter 1999. In this regard, tasks accomplished to date include the following:
1. Established a permanent ABET subcommittee within the Undergraduate Education Subcommittee (multiple ABET workshops have been attended in this regard).
2. Developed a task-oriented project plan showing the specific tasks and responsibilities of the ABET subcommittee, the ME faculty, and the COE administration.
3. Drafted Departmental Goals and Objectives.
4. Facilitated the development of learning objectives for each undergraduate core course as well as identifying responsibility for each course and assigning a course coordinator for each course.
5. Identified three broad assessment methods (fundamental exam for most technical objectives/outcomes; surveys of constituents for non-technical issues; reports for course coordinators and instructors for learning outcomes) as well as an annual timeline of EC2000 oriented tasks.
(Note that the comprehensive plan as well as the past and future tasks can be used as a "model" template of ABET preparation for other departments within the College of Engineering).
A comprehensive plan must be in place by Autumn Quarter 1999 in order to implement aspects of EC2000 during AY99-00. This comprehensive plan will be incorporated in a booklet style (both hard copy and web-based) format which explains the rationale and the specific steps necessary for the department and individual faculty to implement EC2000.
Therefore, the following items will be delivered at the end of Summer Quarter 1999 by the ABET subcommittee to the ME faculty at the annual Department retreat (advance).
1. Comprehensive plan detailing steps of ABET EC2000 accreditation process within ME. This plan will include sections on Scope; Mission and Objectives; Introduction and Background; Timeline; Step by Step Implementation Procedures with References to Appendices; Appendices (Outcome Mapping, Learning Objectives, Assessment Specifics, Feedback Methods).
2. Detailed Assessment methods including time-lines, specific tasks, and responsibilities.
3. Completed learning outcomes for all undergraduate courses (including options courses).
4. Detailed feedback mechanisms including tasks, documentation, and archive retrieval.
5. Trial completion of the detailed ABET pre-visit summary (EC2000 Criteria 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).