Preparing the Future Civil Engineer: Review and Update of the ABET Civil Engineering Program Criteria

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) employs a methodical approach to aligning the needs of the civil engineering profession with its standards for education and practice. The primary tools involved in this approach are the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (CEBOK) and the program criteria for Civil Engineering programs within the ABET accreditation process. Following the publication of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge, 2nd Edition (CEBOK2), in 2004, an eight-year cycle of review of both the CEBOK and the program criteria for Civil Engineering programs within ABET was developed. In accordance with that eight-year cycle, ASCE convened a Civil Engineering Program Criteria Task Committee (CEPCTC) in January 2020 to: 1. Determine if there is a need to recommend changes to the ABET Civil Engineering Program Criteria based upon (1) the publication of the CEBOK3 in May 2019, (2) the major revision to the EAC/ABET General Criteria effective for reviews during the 2019-2020 accreditation cycle, and (3) compliance w/guidance from EAC/ABET on curricular topics and faculty qualifications. 2. Develop any needed changes to the Program Criteria. 3. Develop and implement a plan (with ASCE staff assistance as needed) for stakeholder communication, receipt, and processing of stakeholder feedback. 4. Develop modifications to the guidance documents, including initial drafts of commentary and training materials, to reflect any changes that we may recommend. 5. Assist in the implementation of the recommended changes through the ASCE and ABET committee structures. 6. Analyze and, if necessary, change the applicability clause of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria ("These program criteria apply to engineering programs that include 'civil' or similar modifiers in their titles") to ensure that these criteria are applicable to the full breadth of the civil engineering discipline. Ensure that any changes are coordinated with the construction engineering and architectural engineering communities. 7. Provide any relevant recommendations for future CEBOK committee to consider. This paper will be the first in a series of papers to document the process employed by ASCE in forming the CEPCTC, and the Task Committee's activities towards accomplishing its charge over the course of its planned two-year lifespan. This paper will focus on the call for members, selection of members, and work in 2020 related to item #1 above. COORDINATING NOTE: This abstract is submitted at the specific invitation and request of the co-chairs of the ASCE Liaison Committee of the Civil Engineering Division of ASEE. It should be considered for inclusion in the session on "Educational & Professional Issues of Strategic Importance to the Civil Engineering Profession – and ASCE." that Leslie Nolen and Tom Lenox are organizing for the 2021 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition (June 27-30, 2021; Long Beach, California).