Purdue University. Polytechnic Institute

Dates

• Existence: 1964 - present
• Usage: 2015 - present
• Usage: 2005 - 2015
• Usage: 1964 - 2005

Biography

During World War II, the United States Office of Education launched the Engineering Science and Management National Defense Training Program (ESNWT). This program was designed to train personnel for war production. C. W. Beese oversaw the ESNWT program at Purdue. Purdue ESNWT training centers were established in every major city in Indiana to allow more Indiana residents to participate in the program. When World War II concluded, federal funding for the program was withdrawn. Most of the Purdue ESNWT training centers were discontinued. Four locations: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Hammond, and Michigan City remained open as part of the Technical Extension Service. These locations were the foundation for Purdue regional campuses. In 1958, the Division of Technical Extension was combined with the Division of Adult Education and the Division of University Centers to create the University Extension Administration. The dean for the University Extension was C.H. Lawshe. When the University Extension was created, the technical departments and programs were placed together in a subunit called the Division of Applied Technology.

One major problem that the Technical Service and later the University Extension faced was that it did not belong to a college or school within the University’s academic hierarchy. This meant that University Extension staff were not recognized as faculty and did not receive the same benefits and support as the rest of Purdue academic units. To address this issue Lawshe proposed in 1960 to Engineering Dean George Hawkins and the engineering faculty that the College of Engineering and the Division of Applied Technology from the University Extension should be combined and reorganized into a bifurcated program of engineering science and engineering technology. This proposal was rejected due to strong opposition from the engineering faculty.

In 1962, Helen R. Johnson was hired by the University Extension to develop a two-year Nursing program for all Purdue campuses. The Nursing program expanded and soon included a bachelor program. In 1963, Lawshe proposed a new school of technology as a solution to the Universit y Extensions’ lack of status. The proposal was accepted by the Board of Trustees on April 15, 1964, and the new school went into effect on July 1, 1964. The new school included the Division of Applied Technology which consisted of Department of Aviation Technology, Department of Nursing, Department of General and Applied Studies, Department of Electrical Engineering Technology, Department of Architectural and Civil Engineering Technology, and the Department of Industrial and Mechanical Engineering Technology. It also included the Department of Industrial Education, and the Department of Technical and Applied Arts from the School of Industrial Engineering. The Board of Trustees also authorized the creation of the Office of Manpower Studies which was to conduct education research about the changing needs and demands in the technology and industry. The Office of Manpower Studies began operation on June 7, 1965, with J.P. Lisack as Director. The Department of Nursing was transformed into its own school on July 1, 1979. The growth of the school led to it being redesignated and renamed the College of Technology in January 2005.

In 2015, the college was renamed the Purdue Polytechnic Institute.

Several satellite statewide locations have been added to the college over the years including Anderson, Columbus, Indianapolis (International Airport), Kokomo, Lafayette, New Albany, Richmond, South Bend, and Vincennes. These satellite locations have allowed the college to partner with local businesses and communities to provide applied learning experience for students.

Deans of the college are as listed: Charles H. Lawshe (1964–1966), George W. McNelly, (1966–1987), Don K. Gentry, (1987–2001), Fred Emshousen, (2001–2002 interim), (Dennis R. Depew(2002–2011), Gary Bertoline (2011–2021), Carrie Berger, (2021–2022 interim), Daniel Castro-Lacouture (2022–present)

Found in 5 Collections and/or Records: