I had heard of University of North Dakota's Engineering distance degree's that were ABET approved, but I just found out about SUNY doing similar programs from three schools (Binghamton, Buffalo and Stony Brook). This is news that came out last june, bu t I haven't seen it discussed here. The article below is from this URL: SUNY Press Release - http://sln.suny.edu/sln_bee_faq.htm SUNY Receives Prestigious Sloan Foundation Award for Online Degree Program June 09, 2005 Albany – State University of New York Chancellor John R. Ryan today announced that the University is the recipient of a $300,000 grant award from The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to support the creation of the world’s first online bachelor’s of electrical engineering degree in electrical engineering. Three SUNY Schools Collaborate in Online Education The award announcement represents the culmination of eighteen months of planning and collaboration among three SUNY Schools of Engineering: the University at Buffalo, Stony Brook University, and Binghamton University; the extraordinary efforts of their respective deans, Mark Karwan, Yacov Shamash, and Charles R. Westgate, and the Office of Learning Environments, part of the System Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “The State University of New York very much appreciates the continuing generous support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for our distance learning programs,” said Ryan. “SUNY’s position as a national and world leader in distance learning is clearly demonstrated by our continuing growth in online enrollment, the increasing number and variety of courses and degree programs offered online, and through the recognition and financial assistance provided by independent organizations such as the Sloan Foundation.” The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has provided more than $4.5 million to support the distance learning efforts of the State University of New York since 1994. A trend in online education and online learning “This signals a major trend in education and online learning,” said Frank Mayadas, program director, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. “American workers can now get the higher skills they need to compete in an era of off-shoring and globalization and do their regular jobs at the same time.” “This program represents the first SUNY online degree created cross-institutionally,” said State University Provost Peter D. Salins. “We will be pooling faculty resources of three campuses to achieve something no one institution could do on its own. This is a tremendous testament to the benefits of a system and the value of collaboration.” The planned program will represent a breakthrough for the world of online learning and for the State University on several fronts: It will be the first online degree in the scientific or technical disciplines of this stature coming from campuses in the Research I Carnegie classification; and It will drive innovation in online learning technology and pedagogy, requiring the development of laboratory simulations, mathematical notation and group project collaboration on technical subjects and designs. “This is a great opportunity for the State University,” said Office of Learning Environments Executive Director David Porush. “It symbolizes the power of online learning to leverage our resources across SUNY and to offer high-quality SUNY education to a much broader audience.” Geography No Longer a Barrier “Geography will no longer be a barrier to a SUNY education for engineering students who live outside this state, or for that matter, this nation, or who cannot attend classes on campus because of professional and personal commitments,” said Mark Karwan, Ph.D., dean of UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. "The development and implementation of this program will have far-reaching impact on engineering education in the U.S. and the world. This program will provide SUNY with a leadership position in engineering education," said Yacov Shamash, Ph.D., vice president/economic development of Stony Brook University, and dean, of its College of Engineering of Applied Sciences. “Binghamton, Buffalo and Stony Brook have had a long-standing collaboration in online education in engineering. This new partnership will create additional educational opportunities for a significant student population and will greatly advance online education by drawing from all three institutions to offer this degree,” said Charles R. Westgate, Ph.D., dean of the Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science at Binghamton University. The online electrical engineering degree will serve as a valuable resource to the 1,172 of State University students currently enrolled in a SUNY community college or technology college in a related associate degree program. This program will allow them a unique opportunity to continue their education online. Program provides Access to American Workers This degree program will also open up new outreach opportunities for the University: There are tens of thousands of workers in American industry who possess associate degrees in related fields, or who are working their way toward completion of bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering. An online degree program will provide a flexible, convenient opportunity for these individuals to complete their four-year degree, allowing them to continue in their industry or government jobs or compete for higher level positions. The University plans to develop a NYS-based industrial affiliates program to educate in-service personnel in partner corporations. The University envisions a large international population for this program. The online degree creates broader reach to these students. The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic nonprofit institution, established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan, Jr., then President and Chief Executive Officer of the General Motors Corporation. The Foundation's programs and interests are divided into five main areas: Science and Technology; Standard of Living and Economic Performance; Education and Careers in Science and Technology; Selected National Issues; and The Civic Program. This achievement is enabled by the SUNY Learning Network, the University’s online learning arm—currently serving 100,000 enrollments on 40 campuses and already offering 94 complete degree and certificate programs. The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 413,000 students in 6,688 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. For more information please contact: David Henahan Office of Public Relations State University Plaza Albany, NY 12246 518-443-5311
My bad.... jbh gave the same link back in October, 2005. That being said, its still probably worthwhile pointing out that this program is advertised on the FAQ page as being ABET approved.
