Department of Automotive Technology

Department of Automotive Technology
News
Fall/Winter 2010 Edition
Pittsburg State University
PSU’s KANSAS CITY METRO CENTER
The Department of Automotive Technology is pleased to announce a new degree opportunity. Over the past
year our department has been working with the Dean of Graduate and Continuing Studies, Dr. Peggy Snyder,
the Dean of the College of Technology, Dr. Bruce Dallman, and the Director of the Kansas City Metro Center,
Dr. Victoria White to develop a program that will enable AAS graduates located in the Kansas City Metro Area
a logistically friendlier way of completing their baccalaureate degree. This degree program is the same degree
as our current Bachelor’s of Applied Science Degree in Technology (BAS) also known as the 2 + 2 degree. However, this degree will be delivered in a format that will allow students to remain in the Kansas City Metro area
and not have to relocate to Pittsburg, KS.
The program will consist of forming a cohort group of Automotive Service Technology AAS graduates and enable
them to complete their degree over the course of 3 and a third years by completing 6 to 7 credit hours per semester. The classes will provide the group of students a combination of: (a) night classes in Kansas City, (b) on-line
classes, and (c) hybrid-format classes (half online and half lecture). The prerequisites for the program are:
graduate of an AAS Automotive Service Technology program from an accredited college, minimum of a 2.5 GPA,
and a few specific general education classes must be completed ahead of time. If you are interested or know
someone who might be interested, then act quickly. This is a limited opportunity and the cohort group will begin their sequence of classes August 2011. For more information about this new venture, you may contact Mr.
Steve Polley, 620 235 6516, spolley@pittstate.edu or Dr. Tim Dell, 620 235 4182, tdell@pittstate.edu
The KC Metro Center is located at 12345 West 95th, Suite 204, Lenexa, KS 66215
http://kcmetro.pittstate.edu/home/index.dot
Kids Summer camp at PSU focuses on auto education
Last summer the Department of Automotive Technology hosted the first-ever summer camp for kids 9 to 14
years of age. Professors Lindbloom, Norman, Schroer, and Thompson developed and hosted the one week event.
Broken into morning and afternoon sessions, children experienced everything from how to check fluid levels
and tire pressure to testing batteries and performing auto body work. Students disassembled and reassembled
a Honda engine, watched an airbag deploy, assembled electrical circuits, and received instruction in diesel technology. Students paid $100 for the morning session and $100 for the afternoon session. Student also received
$300 worth of tools that were donated from companies that support the PSU automotive program. With the
success of the first automotive summer camp, the department plans on hosting the camp again next July.
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Fall/Winter
2010 Edition
Fall/Winter 2010 Edition
Page 2
CRIM Update
Collision Repair and Insurance Management (CRIM) students are becoming noticeably excited
about the new paint booth installation. Since the last newsletter, we received permission from
the State Fire Marshall and the Kansas Division of Facilities Management to install the Colmet
paint booth we purchased from our friends at Sherwin Williams. The booth is equipped with a
bake system with an air make-up unit feeding the semi downdraft booth. It is located in the collision lab and progress has been steady all semester. Soon the program can begin to offer refinish courses every semester, including summer. In addition, PSU and ICAR have continued to
work together to provide on campus training to students and local professionals with training
being offered in the evenings and on the weekends. The CRIM program currently has 56 stuDuring construction of the booth
dents and has seen success with placement of
students in insurance and collision repair businesses. We have also added two insurance representatives to our Advisory Board and look to
them to help guide and support the program.
Thank you to the Page family and all who have
contributed to the success of this still growing
automotive option.
Finished Paint Booth
Fall/Winter 2010
Page 3
Faculty/Departmental Updates
Matthew Keller joins the AGCO team
PSU automotive instructor Matthew Keller joined AGCO
this past summer. He taught four years at PSU, teaching
classes in both the 2-year Automotive Service Program and
classes in the 4-year BST program. Matthew also advised
transfer students. While at PSU Matthew was a co-sponsor
of the SAE Baja team and also assisted the SAE Formula
team. Matthew's new career at AGCO is working for the
combine harvesting group in Hesston, KS. Matthew joined
a group of more than 40 PSU gorillas who work for AGCO.
Steve Polley joins AT Department
Steve Polley comes to us from Grand
River Technical School in Chillicothe,
MO. He is a PSU Alum with a B.S. in
Technical Education. Steve has a combined 16 years of teaching and industry experience. He is currently teaching for the AST and BST programs. He
also is advising students within the
BAS program.
Spring, Summer and Fall 2010 Placement
The 2010 Placement is going well for the 4-year automotive technology area. Of the 48 spring graduates;
47 of them have known employment. Of the 12 summer graduates, 11 of them have accepted positions.
For the fall, there are 19 graduates. Several of these fall graduates have accepted jobs and four fall
graduates are still looking for a position. If you have any job postings available please let the PSU Automotive Department and David Hogard (dphogard@pittstate.edu) at Career Services know.
PSU Faculty Attend University Automotive Technology Association at Ferris State University
Automotive Chairman Dr. Tim Dell and Professors’ Roger Adams, Bob Frisbee, Ken Gordon and Bob
Schroer attended the annual University Automotive Technology Association (UATA) meeting at Ferris
State University in Big Rapids, MI in July 2010. The other 4-year automotive schools that participated
were Colorado State University at Pueblo, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Ferris State University (Big Rapids, MI) and Weber State University (Ogden, UT). Program updates and changes were
presented. Curriculum and other program issues were also discussed. PSU will host the 2011 meeting.
Phonathon
Endowment
Soon many of you will be contacted
by PSU faculty and staff during the
annual phonathon. We appreciate
your support. We cannot make it
without you. This next fiscal year
will be a specially difficult year
considering the end of the federal
stimulus funding. We truly appreciate all you have done for our programs. It certainly makes a difference!
During the Fall 2010 advisory board, plans were discussed to
begin an endowment that would help the program become more
sustainable over the course of the next several years. The concept would consist of utilizing foundation dollars that were donated to the programs and place them in a fund that could grow
over the next several years. The advisory board encouraged the
BST/BAS programs to begin the endowment.
The goal is to utilize the financial support given to the programs
each year and position the BST/BAS programs for the long term.
Therefore, if state funding continues to decrease, the programs
will have the ability to draw upon the annual interest from the
endowment, making the programs more financially sustainable.
Fall/Winter 2010 Edition
Page 4
Automotive Headlines
PSU to host SAE/BAJA Event
Universities from all around the world will be travelling to Pittsburg State University to compete in the
2011 SAE Baja Competition, May 26 through 29. PSU will host 100 universities that have registered for
the event. Among the 100 collegiate teams, 23 of them are international competitors from the following
countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, India, Israel, Mexico, and Venezuela. The competition
will be located east of the Student Recreation Center and the Kansas Polymer Research Center.
Professors Trent Lindbloom and Bob Schroer are overseeing the Baja event at PSU. Mr. Lindbloom
states that the event has special importance to him. "I was on the very first baja team. I was the SAE
president at the time. That was in 1991." Lindbloom says although PSU's Society of Automotive Engineers has had teams participating in the competitions since then, the organization has never had the
chance to compete at home. "They were looking for Midwest schools that were willing to host, and we
had wanted to for a long time." Lindbloom states that because of the growth of Pittsburg, the town now
has the accommodations to host the event.
The College of Technology is using the competition as a learning experience for students.
"Every department in the College of Technology is actually jumping on board," Lindbloom said.
Students are working hard this academic year in preparation for the event. Construction Engineering
and Management students have designed and are currently building the dynamic events, such as an acceleration course, a suspension course, a sled pull course, and a 2.5 mile endurance track. Students from
the Graphics and Imaging Technology Department will be designing signage, banners, and apparel for
the event. Other departments and students will be helping facilitate the actual competition.
The competition will be split up into four days. The first two days are static events. The cars overall
design will be judged, engines will be tested to ensure that they have not been modified, and the vehicle
brake systems will be tested.
The next two days are the dynamic events, which will include a sled pull, steering and maneuverability
event, an acceleration event, and the culminating
highlight will be a 4-hour endurance event taking
place on a 2.5 mile endurance course.
PSU is one of three locations that will host baja
competitions in 2011 - other sites include Birmingham, AL, and Peoria, IL.
For more information visit the following website:
http://students.sae.org/competitions/bajasae/
kansas/
http://www.pittstate.edu/press-media/detail.dot?
id=241226
Fall/Winter 2010 Edition
Page 5
New Automotive Technical Option Implemented
The BST program has introduced a new option area, the “Automotive Technical Option.” Automotive
majors who are more interested in the technical side of the business may now choose this automotive
technical option. Graduates enrolling in this option are likely to pursue a career as a technician, hotline troubleshooter, field service engineer, or a manufacturing test technician. Students are offered
additional technical classes and advanced automotive classes as part of this option. Several of our
new students have already chosen this new educational pathway. Students choose to complete seven
of the following eight courses.
EET 141 Introductory Electronics
AT 301 Fundamentals of Collision Technology
AT 416 Fluid Power
AT 418 Failure Analysis
AT 511 Service Techniques Laboratory
AT 611 Diesel Fundamentals
AT 635 Advanced Engine Performance
AT 650 Dynamometer and Performance Testing
PSU Baja Team Update
This year is an exciting year for the PSU baja team. It will be the first time that Pittsburg State University hosts the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Baja event. Along with hosting the event the PSU
Baja team is also attempting to build 2 baja cars. One car for the Pittsburg event, and the other car for
the Peoria, IL event. The Peoria event will take place two weeks after the Pittsburg event. Usually the
team reuses parts off the previous year’s cars and uses them for the new cars that they build. However,
this year the team cannot do this because the old cars will not be disassembled. The old cars will be used
to test the track as it is being built for
the upcoming event. This means that
the team has to purchase all new parts
for both cars, therefore fundraising is
very crucial and important. Without
adequate funding, the two cars might
not be completed or lack the funds to
compete at both events. The teams have
already begun the process of building
this coming year’s cars. The cars are
two totally different designs. Each car
will be designed for their specific location, Pittsburg or Peoria, with the hope
that each car has the best all around
design for the specific events that will
take place in Pittsburg and Peoria.
Fall/Winter 2010 Edition
Page 6
NSF Hybrid Grant
The Department of Automotive Technology at Pittsburg State University has been awarded a $150,000
grant from the National Science Foundation to bolster faculty education in the area of hybrid technology.
The two-year grant will provide training to professors, who will pass along those tools to students. Automotive professors Trent Lindbloom and Roger Adams worked to pursue the grant, which will help the
Automotive Service two-year program during its recertification process with the National Automotive
Technical Education Foundation this fall. The foundation, which requires schools to recertify every five
years, recently added the area of hybrid technology as a new focus. “We’ve been seeing hybrids on the
road more often now and seeing them end up in independent repair facilities, so there’s a growing need
for our students to know how to work on these vehicles,” said Lindbloom. The department began working on securing the grant last October and began receiving money in September. The funds will go toward purchasing hybrid components for the lab, developing self-learning units, creating a new curriculum to enhance the two- and fouryear automotive programs, and
training faculty. The department
has three hybrid vehicles that have
been donated by Toyota and General Motors. Lindbloom said that
with students seeing more hybrids
on the road, word of the grant
couldn’t have come at a better
time.
Nan Kai University students and faculty visit PSU
Professor Dr. Huang and four Nan Kai University students travelled to PSU August 28th to
spend 10 days studying Automotive Technology
and experiencing the U.S. culture. PSU professors John Thompson, Scott Norman, Bob Frisbee, Roger Adams, Trent Lindbloom, Bob
Schroer, and Tim Dell hosted the Taiwanese
delegation during their 10 day trip to PSU. The
delegation audited numerous PSU automotive
classes, toured Springfield Remanufacturing
Company, Prime Trucking, Cessna Aircraft,
John Thompson’s Autobody shop, attended a
PSU home football game, toured the City of
Pittsburg’s Little Balkans Days including the
annual car show, attended the Labor Day race
at MoKan Dragway, toured Big Brutus electric
coal shovel, toured Bass Pro, experienced Silver
Dollar City, and the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. PSU has an articulation agreement with Nan
Kai University. We have had one student graduate from our BST program and have two more planning
to attend in 2011.
Save the Date!
SAE/BAJA Event
May 26-29 Pittsburg, KS
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http://www.pittstate.edu/autotech
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Automotive Tec
Department of
2011 PSU Automotive & Diesel Calendar
January 2011
Dr. Tim Dell, Chairman 620 235-4182
tdell@pittstate.edu
Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Kindra O’Connor 620 235-4973
koconnor@pittstate.edu
Automotive/Diesel Technology (4 Year)
17
Martin Luther King Holiday
18
Classes Begin
February 2011
17
Spring Career Fair
25
COT Spring Open House (9 am - 2 pm)
March 2011
3-6
KC Vision Hi Tech Training
21-25
Spring Break
22-26
ConExpo
Dr. Roger Adams, Professor
620 235-4386 radams@pittstate.edu
30
BST/BAS advisory board, 4-7 pm (N117)
Dr. Robert Frisbee, Professor
620 235-4380 rlfrisbe@pittstate.edu
30
AOD Dinner 7 pm (E101)
31
Automotive Orientation Day
31
Ethics Seminar (Be Smart Forum) 4 pm S102, KTC
(Automotive Coordinator)
Mr. Ron Downing, Assoc. Prof 620 235-4825 rdowning@pittstate.edu
Mr. Ken Gordon, Professor
620 235-4378 kgordon@pittstate.edu
April 2011
2
Junior Jungle Day
4-8
Early Enrollment
8
COT Awards Banquet
Mr. John Thompson, Asst. Prof 620 235-6516 jthompso@pittstate.edu
27-29
State of Kansas Skills Contest - Wichita, KS
Mr. Steve Polley, Instructor 620 325-6515 spolley@pittstate.edu
May 2011
Mr. Bob Schroer, Asst. Prof
620 235-6126 rschroer@pittstate.edu
(Diesel Coordinator)
Mr. Scott Norman, Asst. Prof 620 235-4826 rnorman@pittstate.edu
Automotive Service (2 Year)
Mr. Perry Cummins, Professor 620 235-4827 pcummins@pittsate.edu
(Program Coordinator)
Mr. Trent Lindbloom, Asst. Prof 620 235-4198 tjlindbl@pittstate.edu
Fax: 620 235-6190
11-12
KS/MO Ford AAA Competition Kansas City
13
Spring Semester Ends
14
Spring Commencement
26-29
Kansas SAE Baja Competition, Pittsburg, KS