Biomedical Engineering major approved by faculty for next fall

There was some concern over whether the necessary laboratory space could be found and whether the program as a whole might cause the faculty to take on more work. The Provost's response to this was that revenue generated by the program would be reinvested in faculty and additional space.

It is expected that around 110 students will be ultimately involved in the program, starting with around ten this fall. Professor Cheetham, head of the Biology and Biotechnology Department mentioned that the program will increase diversity on campus, help to bring in more students and be overall be a healthy addition to what the school has to offer. He also jokingly remarked that perhaps this addition will merit a new building on campus for all of the biology related programs on campus.

Rachel Butland spoke on behalf of students when she voiced her concerns over the number of Category II classes (courses offered every other year) which might limit student's ability to go on co-op or to a project center. She also noted that the program's three separate interest areas (from which all BME students must choose one) might force students to become over concentrated.

There were reassurances that the faculty would be more than willing to work with students on small problems, as well as try to reclassify some of the category II classes if there was enough interest. On the topic of interest areas, it was pointed out that currently students interested in Biomedical Engineering at any level have to show strengths in particular areas. This cannot be assured if students do not concentrate on a particular interest.

Another issue considered at the meeting was the current policy on "SP" grading at graduation. Currently, students who drop an IQP or an MQP, and have letter grades, receive class credit for those units of work (but not credit towards their IQP or MQP). Students who have received SP grades must have those changed to letter grades to receive credit.

Confusion arises from the fact that audit sheets still count the SP as credit until graduation. If SP grades are not changed to letter grades, they evaporate at the time of graduation (this is because they are a record of progress, not achievement and after a student graduates they have presumably moved on). A motion was made to allow SP credit to stay on the final transcript, but this was denied by the faculty.

The faculty also approved a mechanism to enforce WPI's long-standing policy on pay and credit. In 1973 WPI adopted a policy that allowed students to receive pay and credit from the same organization, as long as the work for pay and the work for credit was clearly separated. The new method for ensuring that this policy is followed will probably involve a form that the student, the adviser, the employer and the director of co-op will have to solve.

A new masters program in Civil and Environmental Engineering was approved. There was also a report from the Financial and Administrative Policy committee with regard to next year's budget. Although the school is hoping to see 650 new freshmen, the budgeting process is counting on 630 in its most recent figures. There is a projected tuition increase of around 5%, but this figure is not definite as the budget process is ongoing. An interesting point was made that between 1992 and 1995 total expenses went up 16.5% while academic expenses for the college saw a 5.1% increase.

More information on minors and concentrations will be available to students in a supplement to the undergraduate catalog. This supplement should be distributed in conjunction with Academic Advising Day (February 15th).