FACULTY ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS AT WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

As an element of its fundamental mission of community service, Western Carolina University aids businesses, industries, and individuals in western North Carolina through the expertise of its faculty, staff, and students. The faculty of the Kimmel School of Construction Management and Technology gain contacts to local businesses through their own initiative, through students and through University administrators. The Kimmel School offers programs in Construction Management, Engineering Technology, Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology and Electrical Engineering. The services provided included energy audits, ventilation equipment design verification, rapid prototyping and building improvement and renovation estimates. When possible, students are invited to assist with the individual projects. These projects also provide the participating faculty members with tenure and promotion opportunities. This paper briefly discusses four individual projects performed by Construction Management faculty members during the 2008-2009 academic year and how these projects fit into the mission of the University and the faculty’s tenure documents.