School of Technology aims to improve local workforce’s progress

Raj Chowdhury, dean of the School of Technology, said Ohio’s work force needs help.

“Ohio is dominantly an industrial state, and we need to revitalize that,” he said.

Chowdhury addressed fellow deans, faculty and students in the Moulton Hall Ballroom at yesterday’s Academic Affairs Priorities Presentation to Provost Paul Gaston.

The dean referenced the School of Technology’s mission while talking about his hope for changing Ohio’s labor force.

“The mission of the School of Technology is to enhance socio-economic well-being, and workforce development,” he said.

While showing his PowerPoint presentation to the audience, Chowdhury said, “The bottom line is to create jobs so our students can stay in Ohio.”

Chowdhury said the School of Technology, which will become the College of Technology this summer, is doing exceptionally well placing students into jobs after they graduate. The job placement rate is almost 100 percent.

“We are pumping knowledgeable workers into the economy,” Chowdhury said.

The dean also said the school has had a 7 percent increase in enrollment over the last nine years, according to the Research, Planning, and Institutional Planning Department of Kent State.

Chowdhury talked about the School of Technology’s affiliation with its international partners. The school is partnered with universities in Turkey, India, Japan, China and Mexico. Chowdhury said he believes diversity is very important, and international students help make the program “rich.”

Steve O. Michael, vice provost of diversity, asked how Chowdhury planned to attract more minority students in the School of Technology by 2010.

Chowdhury discussed the programs that are currently in place to promote diversity among technology majors. He said one program, Upward Bound, is geared toward low-income families and invites local students to work in Kent State computer labs on Saturdays. There also is a summer program offered to middle school and high school students of minorities.

Chowdhury ended by discussing the School of Technology’s priorities. He said priorities include finding a full-time assistant dean, funding support, requesting more faculty positions and a requesting more space.

Contact College of Technology reporter Holly Mueller at [email protected].