Industrial Advisory Board
Mission Statement
The Industrial Advisory Board's mission is to:
- Monitor the current and future technical employee skills needed in industry.
- Offer new programs and upgrades to existing programs by the Kutztown University Computer Science Department that meet these needs.
- Prepare KU students as well as provide the opportunity to employees of industry to better prepare them for entry and advancement in their chosen professional field.
HISTORY
The concept of monitoring local industry needs to improve KU programs offerings was developed by Dr. Rieksts working with Randy Schaeffer, Bill Bateman, Dr. Fran Vasko and Cherry Mauk, all of the KU Math and Computer Science Department around 1993. The initial intention and focus of the IAB was to bring together members of IT departments of various industries in the locality of Kutztown with faculty to exchange ideas on current and future directions of IT.
Since 2011 the IAB has become an action-oriented advisory board with concrete goals and outcomes. Achievements include helping to craft the Professional Master's Program, investigation of potential sources for educational grants, and promotion of student internships, employment, and research opportunities. The current mode of operation is for IAB members and faculty to meet for planning in April, and to meet with students to discuss internship and job opportunities via mini-interviews in November. The primary agenda item for April 2014 is to explore means for expanding enrollment in our Computer Science Master's programs, with an emphasis on real-time virtual classrooms in which students have the option of attending interactive classes in-person or online.
CONTACT CURRENT CHAIR
Dr. Dale Parson
Office Phone: 484-646-4296
E-mail: parson@kutztown.edu