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OCR for page 86
6
The Two-Tiered System
Beginning in the 1950s, the federal government initiated a compre-
hensive system of support for academic research and graduate educa-
tion in the sciences. As the system grew, some engineering fields were
included. The purpose of this support system was to develop knowl-
edge and to improve research techniques across a broad spectrum of
disciplines, as well as to ensure a flow of graduate-level manpower to
meet the research needs of the nation.
Rapid growth in funding occurred during the 1950s and 1960s and
remained fairly level from 1969 until about 1975. Then another
upswing in the late 1970s slowed to a modest increase in the 1980s. The
federal government's support for academic research and development
in 1981 was about $5 billion.
Effects of Federal Funding
The impact of this comprehensive program of federal funding has
been substantial. Three decades of rising annual funding fostered a
group of research universities or institutions whose graduate and
research programs became heavily dependent on contract research.
This system of government grants and contracts has been of very great
benefit to many engineering colleges, but the focus has been almost
exclusively at the graduate level, so that government funding has been
the driving force in graduate engineering education.
The strong influence of governmental support on faculty and disci
86
OCR for page 87
THE TWO- TIERED S YS TEM
87
plinary efforts affects projects ranging from fundamental research to
those with a strong mission orientation. A number of sophisticated
laboratories have been established and equipped, so that approximately
20 schools now have several first-rate laboratory facilities. The process
has also resulted in a focusing of educational goals and approaches
especially at the graduate level, but the influence has been felt at the
undergraduate level as well.
Industrial Support
The rise of the government-funded research university also had an
effect on industrial support for engineering education. Several compa-
nies that had traditionally given graduate fellowships began to reduce
these programs. In fact, when some engineering schools attempted to
establish joint projects with industry, they encountered a complaint
from industry that because of large and continuing government fund-
ing, the universities were no longer interested in working with indus-
try. The industrial share of university R&D support dropped signifi-
cantly from just over 6 percent in 1960 to below 3 percent in 1965. Not
until after 1970 did the percentage rise above 3 percent to 3.8 percent
in 1981. In response to the "crisis in engineering education," some
major corporations have recently made sizable grants to a relatively
small number of institutions. However, many of these initiatives have
focused on the graduate research level at the institutions that have been
the dominant recipients of government funding. Such industrial sup-
port for academic R&D expenditures amounts to about 4 percent of the
total. Thus, the federal government plays the dominant role in this area
with its 80 to 85 percent funding of academic R&D.
Graduate Centers The First Tier
The major recipients of government-funded graduate education and
research enjoy a distinct advantage, which influences both graduate
and undergraduate engineering education. Their recruitment of faculty
is enhanced because the young assistant professor can continue work-
ing in a research environment similar to that of graduate school. Their
policies thereby continue and maintain the academic value system.
Teaching loads at research universities are relatively low, and a faculty
member has a cadre of research assistants. The research infrastructure
includes laboratory facilities, access to modern machine shops, and
extensive library holdings, and most recently it includes extensive
computer equipment. Typically, the benefits include special secretar
OCR for page 88
88
ENGINEERING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
ial and technical support as well as travel funds. Taken as a whole, these
benefits give a powerful emphasis to academic research in graduate
. . .
engmeermg ec .ucatlon.
The Second Tier
At the undergraduate level, no set of national policies or programs
recognizes the important role of undergraduate engineering education
in contributing to the imperatives of a technology-based world econ-
omy. The focus of government and industry on research and graduate
education has created a two-tiered or bifurcated system of engineering
colleges. This two-tiered system has had a strong influence on the
character of engineering education. For the purposes of this study, the
bifurcation index is taken as the point that separates those institutions
awarding 14 or more Ph.D. degrees per year in all engineering disci-
plines {the first tier) from institutions in the second tier.
Approximately half of the B.S. engineering degrees come from pro-
grams that are basically undergraduate schools those that award
fewer than 14 Ph.D. degrees a year. Government, industry, and aca-
deme will continue to depend upon graduates from these colleges for at
least half of their engineering work force. Yet, because both govern-
ment and industry focus their funding on graduate study and research,
these colleges are forced to depend on other, appreciably smaller
sources of funding.
The Need for Balance
In order to provide a measure of balance to this two-tiered system, the
needs of primarily undergraduate institutions require recognition.
Funding for modern laboratory equipment is an urgent need. At the
present time, many undergraduate students never have access to the
latest equipment and modern data-handling systems. Colleges are
experiencing a wave of computerization at the undergraduate level, but
they lack the resources to respond in a timely and comprehensive man-
ner. Tax incentives at both the federal and state levels are urgently
needed to assist industry with equipment grants to engineering educa-
tion.
Faculty who carry heavy undergraduate loads need support and
access to creative programs of faculty development. Release time is
especially valuable because it enables the faculty member to keep cur-
rent in a professional field and to develop new teaching techniques at
the undergraduate level. Recognizing that the number of advanced
OCR for page 89
THE TWO- TIERED S YS TEM
89
academic research laboratories will necessarily be limited, faculty
members in primarily undergraduate programs need access to major
research centers in order to remain vital. Thus, programs and policies
are needed to enable these faculty members to take advantage of such
advanced facilities.
The separation in the two-tiered system will widen unless both gov-
ernment and industry introduce imaginative programs accompanied
by more than token support. Without strong public policy in support of
a balanced system, undergraduate education will not be able to main-
tain the pace required to meet national economic and strategic objec-
tives.
The Panel on Undergraduate Engineering Education recommends
that, if the quality of engineering education at undergraduate-oriented
colleges is to keep pace with the quality at graduate research centers,
these colleges must have access to special, new sources of income. And
if the program qualityoflow-researchinstitutionsis to keep pace with
that of research institutions, faculty at the former will need to gain
access to some of the facilities and programs of the major centers of
research.
Reference
National Science Foundation. 1982. University-Industry Research Relationships.
Fourteenth Annual Report of the National Science Board (Washington, D.C.:
National Science Foundation).
Representative terms from entire chapter:
government funding
