A model of successful student recruitment for satellite engineering technology programs

In recent years, many engineering technology programs have experienced decreases in enrolment. Many theories exist as to the cause of this recent decrease in enrolment. Of these engineering technology programs, the Purdue Statewide Technology site in New Albany on the Indiana University Southeast campus has been an exception. Enduring many of the same obstacles as the main campus programs and additional obstacles as a Purdue Statewide Technology site remote from the main West LaFayette campus, the program in New Albany has grown at a steady rate. In this paper the authors, faculty members at the New Albany site, offer their own theories as to the recruiting issues faced not only by satellite engineering technology programs but those faced by engineering technology programs as a whole. Citing past examples and experiences, and their results, the authors assimilate characteristics for a model for successfully recruiting in an engineering technology program. The issues discussed by the authors include: 1) recruiting problems encountered by the satellite facility as an engineering technology program, including their origin and how these problems perpetuate, 2) solutions that have provided positive results at the New Albany site, 3) the most effective solutions in the form of a proposed model for an engineering technology recruiting program including experimental methods derived from extrapolation.