Three Rivers Community College consulted with the wrong constituents for terminating its Civil Engineering Tech program. Architects and construction managers (wrong industry) were consulted to terminate CET, not civil engineers and surveyors (correct industry).
Please consider that not just one opposed, but 1,900 (1,500 members of Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers and 400 members of Connecticut Association of Land Surveyors) are opposed to terminating the last and only CET program in the state of Connecticut and are in favor of merging Civil Engineering Tech and Environmental Engineering Tech.
I am deeply disappointed in the process by which TRCC and the Connecticut State College and Universities Board of Regents plan to terminate CET:
- Not interested in listening to stakeholders (students, STEM faculty, civil engineers, surveyors, etc.).
- Not interested in considering alternate solutions.
- Not able to demonstrate that TRCC did their homework exploring and considering alternate solutions.
- Not able to provide any proof that terminating CET is the best solution.
The termination process for CET appears to have a significant element of secrecy and deceit.
TRCC administration and BOR are quickly losing credibility.
Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers and the Connecticut Association of Land Surveyors recommend delaying the vote to terminate CET until the proper due diligence has been done.
Gary J. Fuerstenberg is president of the Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers.