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The emphasis on technology in today's society has resulted in unprecedented enrollment in IT math and science courses. The heightened popularity is frustrating students, many of whom find themselves unable to get into required courses. Chemistry, computer science, math, and physics have seen dramatic enrollment increases. Part of the problem stems from the dual populations that IT serves: IT major students and students from the rest of the University who take basic math and science courses as electives. Because many of the second group is eschewing other subjects in favor of IT courses, IT suddenly faces an influx of students that it is unprepared to handle.
The administration has tried to reduce the impact of the situation by offering priority enrollment to students who have previously been unable to register for required courses. Dean of Student Personnel Services Paul Cartwright hopes to implement a system under which students would submit a tentative course schedule during spring quarter. The results would help planners better allocate faculty and sections to courses.
Undergraduate enrollment has been increasing slowly and steadily except in the computer science and environmentally-oriented programs, whose enrollments have risen rapidly because of heightened interest among students this decade.
--Fall 1977
Using teaching assistants in courses, a widespread solution to the lack of teaching personnel, has lowered the quality of the University. These instructors are usually graduate students working toward a degree of their own. Mentally strained and financially troubled, they tend to value their faculty positions mostly for the salary.
Teaching assistants often come to class unprepared for lecture. They spend even less time on the courses they teach when they have their own exams to study for or theses to write. Students suffer from their instructor's unavailability.
The current system should be eradicated. Education is a vital tool, and teaching assistants must accept their responsibilities. If they can't, then they don't belong at the University in an instructional capacity.
(Excerpt from an editorial)
--November 1962
The demand for agricultural engineers is likely to increase as farming moves toward mechanization. Agriculture boosts its productivity rate by 6% per year, highest of any industry. To continue this trend, agriculture will require engineers to design and produce machinery and irrigation systems.
IT's Department of Agricultural Engineering is located on the St. Paul campus. Students enrolled in the agricultural engineering program follow the traditional engineering curriculum for two years and then train specifically in the agriculture field. Because demand for agricultural engineers is high, several scholarships are available to prospective majors.
Diverse opportunities exist for agricultural engineers. In addition
to farm implement manufacturers, many work for companies that handle the
storage, preservation, processing, and refrigeration of agriculture produce.
The Soil Conservation Service and Department of Agriculture also employ
agricultural engineering graduates. Some graduates work as contractors
in land surveying and irrigation; others teach college courses.
--January
1956
The Engineers' Bookstore has been a profitable student corporation for 13 years. In the early 1920s, the success of the Engineers' Bookstore led members to open a branch in the business school. That store was later closed due to financial woes. Since then, however, dividends have risen to a high of $8,579 in 1931.
A Board of Directors determines financial policy and operating procedure. Board members include three faculty members, a manager, and elected representatives from each college in the technical school.
All University students are eligible for membership, but only students in the College of Engineering and Architecture and the School of Chemistry can participate in its government. Students who wish to become members deposit $5.00 to be used as working capital until they leave school, at which time the deposit is returned.
Each fall, members have received a dividend of 16% based on the operating profits and the purchases made by each member. Dividends distributed to members have ranged from a low of $2,127 in 1921 to the 1931 figure. Recent dividends have been somewhat less impressive: $6,854 in 1932 and $4,749 in 1933.
--October 1933
Last June, the University graduated its first class of evening students. Among the 39 graduates receiving diplomas were 13 engineering students. Although many students assume that the day ends when the 5:20 bell has rung, hundreds of students take evening courses. Enrollment has climbed to 660 this year, and the Electrical, Experimental, and Main engineering buildings are open five nights per week.
Evening classes are growing in popularity, particularly among Minneapolis students. The Extension Division reports a 15% increase in Minneapolis enrollment this year, with the number of students in Duluth and St. Paul night courses decreasing slightly from last year.
The University conducts classes around the metropolitan area to accommodate students. Some Minneapolis courses are held at the Courthouse. In St. Paul, students can take courses at the YMCA, the Mechanics Arts School, and the American Hoist and Derrick company plant. Duluth courses are held at Central High School and Washington High School.
--December 1927
