Nassau Bay Hilton, Houston TX
Date: Friday,
January 18, 2002
Time: 9:00
am – 1:00 pm
Steve Ames, President, opened the meeting and
welcomed everyone in attendance.
The participants introduced themselves.
There were 54 members and guests in attendance.
The
following members were approved by the steering committee.
Voting
– Pam
Bethscheider, Galveston College, Galveston, TX
Non-Voting
– Ken
Cohrs, Salem Community College, Carneys Point, New Jersey
Mitch Fralick, Producers Assistance Corporation, Houston, TX
Tony Otero, San Juan College, Farmington, New Mexico
Greg Shaffer, Chevron Phillips, Cedar Bayou Plant, Baytown,
TX
Executive
Director Report – Merv Treigle
– Merv reported there was a significant increase in interest in
the GCPTA efforts in Process Technology education.
He noted that a number of people from around the United
States had contacted him and were interested in becoming partners in
the GCPTA effort.
Merv reported
that the new Glossary of Terms produced by the GCPTA were
sent out to all college members.
He encouraged all members to institute its use by the
students in the Process Technology courses.
Merv reminded
everyone in attendance about the upcoming Career Expo to be held on
the San Jacinto College, Central Campus, February 22, 2002.
He noted that the GCPTA would sponsor this Career Expo at no
cost to the participants. He
encouraged all companies involved in the GCPTA to attend and support
the effort. He reminded
all that attendance at the Career Expo was not a commitment to take
applications for hiring purposes.
He pointed out, however, that this was an excellent
opportunity for companies to take a look at perspective candidates
for hire and also give the students in Process Technology and
related disciplines an opportunity to talk with industry
representatives about the career paths they have chosen.
Merv reported
that the subscription requests for 2002 had been mailed out to all
members of the GCPTA on January 7, 2002.
He encouraged everyone to promptly reply to these requests,
as it is the primary means of funding for the GCPTA.
Merv reported
that Larry Bell with Conoco in Houston had contacted him about
distributing the GCPTA brochure at the Education and Career Fair to
be held at the George R. Brown Center in Houston on January 26,
2002. Mr. Bell has
agreed to pay the costs of printing 500 GCPTA brochures.
He also stated that he would create a display board on the
GCPTA from the information he had gathered from our website.
Mr. Bell’s and Conoco’s interest stems from the
participation of Conoco in the Lake Charles area Process Technology
Advisory Committee.
Merv reported that Dr. Alan Lewitt with the University of the Virgin Islands had requested of him a survey of the GCPTA college partners seeking salary information in order that a new professor of Process Technology might be hired at the university. Merv asked all members to respond to Dr. Lewitt’s request.
Merv reported
that the site for the 2002 IPTA meeting had not been determined.
He also reported that a number of hotels in the Houston area
would be contacted to secure a site and date for the IPTA meeting.
Steve told
everyone that the cost of attending future GCPTA meetings would
increase from $30 to $35 to reflect the increase in costs of holding
the meeting at all the hotels.
Gary reported that a form for recommended
curriculum changes is being developed and the Executive Subcommittee
will be asked to provide a reasonable time line for updating course
materials.
The Subcommittee recommended that student workbooks
be three-hole punched and shrink-wrapped in order to provide the
students with the ability to insert appropriate information more
easily. Steve Ames
commented that this has been adopted and all future student
workbooks will reflect the change.
Gary reported that the Education Subcommittee was
developing Lab Activities at low cost for colleges.
He said criteria have been developed for what each lab should
contain. They are
currently going through the Process Technology I Course looking for
lab activities to match the course.
He asked that any suggested activities be sent or brought to
the next Education Subcommittee meeting.
Joanna
announced to the group that CAPT and its partner GCPTA along with
other alliance partners, APICC, LaPTech, Oklahoma, New Jersey,
California, and North Dakota, is a finalist for a National Science
Foundation National Center of Excellence Grant in the amount of
$3,000,000. Joanna
noted that she had responded to 16 questions requesting detail
information that had been posed by the National Science Foundation. A meeting with the National Science Foundation
representatives will be held January 22, 2002, at the College of the
Mainland. All members
were invited to attend. Joanna
noted that this was recognition of all the hard work of the
membership and leadership of the CAPT partners, and in particular
GCPTA.
She reported
that a facilitator meeting for Web Base instructors was held January
8th and 9th at the College of the Mainland.
Joanna
reported that a new scholarship program endowed by BP and Dow
Chemical Company was being instituted through CAPT. John Payne, BP,
and Mike Gragg, Dow Chemical, explained the criteria for these
scholarships. For
information concerning these scholarships, contact CAPT.
Joanna noted
that the CAPT Center has been staffed by three people and that the
many hours of work over the past few months put in by these people
were great. She noted
that Leslie Hunt had worked through the holidays to update the
Quality program, as did Cindy Washington to do all the necessary
CAPT work and updates.
A
presentation of appreciation in the form of inspirational wall
pictures was made to Leslie Hunt and Cindy Washington for their
special contributions and hard work.
These pictures will be hung in their new offices of CAPT.
Steve Ames and Merv Treigle made these presentations along
with Joanna on behalf of the GCPTA and CAPT.
Steve Ames also thanked Joanna for all the hard work she has
done.
Kathy
reported that the GCPTA has received $64,035.25 in subscriptions and
other income for 2001. GCPTA expenses year-to-date are $39,643.81.
The Bank Balance at the end of November 2001 was $53,197.90.
Anyone wishing to see the subscriptions and/or expenses
should contact her. Kathy
asked that everyone consider giving of their time in addition to
their financial contributions.
§
LCTCS & Baton Rouge Community College—John
Hough reported
that Louisiana Chemical Association is soliciting for a Statewide
Coordinator to work with the colleges in their PTech Programs. At present, it will be a 1-year position.
Baton Rouge Community College is in need of a Director for
their Process Technology Program and they are currently developing a
job description for this position.
John also reported that the simulation labs are being received and installed at the Baton Rouge Community College, Louisiana Technical Colleges at River Parishes and Ascension and at Louisiana Technical College - Sowela.
§
Brazosport College – Gary Hicks reported
they held an Orientation night for their PTech program and over 100
people attended. He
reported that they are delivering the PTII Web Base Program for the
first time and that it consists of Internet work and four hours a
week of lab at the college.
Gary reported they are working with the Tech Prep Program at Sweeny Independent School District. The District bought 14 computers and found four more to accommodate the 18 students who had enrolled in the Introduction to Process Technology program, which would be taught both Web Base and by lecture at Sweeny High School by Process Technology instructors from the college.
The college has met with
the Brazosport Independent School District and is planning to offer
1 or 2 courses in the fall to high school students in the district.
The college will host 2
Process Technology Instructor Workshops during 2002.
These workshops are a week long and they introduce high
school and college instructors to both lab and PTech course
instruction through an American Chemical Society grant.
Those interested in participating should contact Gary Hicks
or Sam Stevenson with the American Chemical Society.
The grant will pay for the course, hotel expenses and
associated travel expenses for attending the workshop.
§
Wharton Junior College – John Poland reported
they are currently teaching using the GCPTA objectives and working
with Joanna Kile on getting up to speed with the curriculum. They have 5 adjunct instructors at the present
time. They are
currently teaching at the Testingeer Building.
§
Houston Community College – John Payne reported
their Advisory Committee was meeting every other month and that
their last meeting was January 17, 2002.
There are 198 students in the Process Technology program. The Houston Community College system is looking at
what it would take to start offering PTech courses at the other 13
campuses.
John reported that Shell
Research Center has funded 13 PTech scholarships.
John reported they are
currently working with industry on internships.
He stated that they are working with the college on a linkage
to secondary education. Also,
they should have a new website for HCC Northeast shortly.
Also, a subcommittee was formed on how to handle the big
influx of new PTech students in the program.
§
College of the Mainland – Evan Starke,
Student reported
there were 229 students in the program.
Eighty new students enrolled in the spring. The college is currently offering 5 new Internet
Programs and there are 80 plus students in these programs.
COM is currently piloting the Web Base Quality Program.
Evan also reported that the new Unit Operations Course, which
has a redesigned glycol distillation unit, started today.
He reported that Betty Heverly with Dow had arranged for a
$1000 donation to help with the redesign of the glycol unit.
Norton Packing made a donation of new packing to help get
better separation in the unit.
§
Texas A&M Corpus Christi – Tim
Coppinger reported
they had moved into their 15,000 square foot office and lab space.
He reported his program has grown and there are now 105
majors in the Mechanical Engineering Technology Program.
He also reported he will hire 2 more fulltime instructors for
the fall.
§
Galveston College – Pam Bethscheider reported
they have started a new program in cooperation with College of the
Mainland. Pam expressed
her thanks to John Payne, Mike Kukuk, and Dennis Link for their
industry support. They
have just joined the alliance and will be building their program
with the GCPTA curriculum. At present, they are offering the Intro to Process
Technology, one section with 4 students taught by Jerry Byrum.
§
San Jacinto College – Mike Varnell reported
they have 22 sections with an average of 18 students per section
enrolled in the Process Technology Program.
They currently have 58 students enrolled in Web Base PTech
Courses. They have
hired 2 new instructors, Michael Speegle and Kenneth Jackson whom he
introduced to the group.
Mike reported they are
looking forward to hosting the Career Expo on February 22nd.
Also, the college will be holding an open house at Dow
Chemical in LaPorte, TX to inform the incumbent workforce on how to
enroll in Web Base and other college courses to upgrade their
education. He said the
college is hoping to offer a full slate of Web Base Courses this
summer.
§
Alvin Community College – Mark Demark reported
they are currently offering 12 courses in Process Technology and
that they are in need of a couple of part-time adjunct instructors.
§
Del Mar College – Denise Rector reported
they are currently reorganizing their advisory committee.
She reported they had 10 new students enrolled in the spring
to add to the enrollment of 50 students already in Process
Technology. She
reported they are planning to attend several Career Fairs.
§
McNeese State University – Carol Schulte reported
their program has been in existence for 10 years and that they have
140 students in the 2-year program and had 17 graduates in December
2001. She reported that
a number of past students are coming back and enrolling in the 2+2
BS program in Engineering Technology.
§
Lamar Institute of Technology – Walter
Tucker reported
they currently have 17 students enrolled in the Web Base
Introduction to Process Technology Course and 20 students enrolled
in the Web Base PTII Program.
§
Lamar State College-Port Arthur – Larry
Neff reported
they offer the first year of Process Technology and then the
students articulate to Lamar Institute of Technology- Beaumont for
the degree. He reported
that enrollment is down and that only 2 classes made.
Larry believed this is due to some economic downturns in the
Port Arthur area. He
stated, however, this is the time for students to enroll in the
program as it takes 2 years to finish and the future opportunities
in industry are bright.
§
Lee College – Paul Bolmanskie reported
their student enrollment is approximately 500 in the Process
Technology Program. He
reported that he is currently teaching Process Technology in 2 high
schools.
§
Louisiana Technical College-Sowela –
Clarence Hughes reported
that Kathy Trahan is the new Chair of the Advisory Committee.
They had 27 new PTech students enrolled and currently have an
enrollment of 135 students in Process Technology.
He reported they have A, B, C & D simulation labs in
place. Clarence said
they are working in cooperation with McNeese State University to
utilize these labs. They currently have 2 fulltime and 5 adjunct
faculty instructors.
§
Texas State Technical College – Martha
McKinley reported
that Tommy Edgar has done an excellent job in reviving the program
and currently has 16 students enrolled in the Process Technology
Program, which has been revised to reflect the needs of local
industry.
Martha reported Kaylan
Dutta-Choudhury had a stroke and that the prognosis is good.
She asked all members to remember him in prayer.
Mike Kukuk asked the following question of the
group: Would they be
willing to support an award for the Outstanding Process Technology
Student at their college with these students competing for an award
from the Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance?
This award would be made at the annual IPTA meeting.
If the member colleges are willing to participate, a
subcommittee of the GCPTA Executive Committee would establish the
criteria for the award. All college members in attendance were in favor of
pursuing this idea. Mike
Kukuk and Kathy Trahan will develop a framework of the
aforementioned award.
§
Website www.processtech.org
is fully active and maintained by Bob Kosar of Grand Isle Group If
your school or company has a website and it is not accessible by
just a click, contact the Webmaster by e-mail bobkosar@hal-pc.org.
DellNet is providing the
host server.
§
Center for the Advancement of Process Technology
(CAPT) website www.captech.org.
§
Contact the GCPTA at sderickson@sbcglobal.net.
Sulphur, LA
Friday, March 22, 2002
Nassau Bay, TX
Friday, May 17, 2002
Sulphur, LA
Friday, August 2, 2002
***Other Events***
Meeting adjourned at 1:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ed Stiles, Secretary
Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance
MT/at