History
The Department of Building Construction
Management grew from a craft-oriented, non-degree program that was initiated
in 1946 to re-train the returning GI's. The nature of this program slowly
shifted from post-war, non-academic teaching of construction craft skills
to academic teaching of drafting and surveying skills through the 1950s.
After this period, in 1964, the the post-war program became the new
Department of Architectural and Civil Engineering Technology, of the newly created
School of Technology. The new Department was housed on the three regional
campuses--Fort Wayne, Hammond, and Indianapolis--with eight fulltime faculty
and 187 students in the two associate-degree programs of architectural
technology and civil engineering technology.
In 1966, the department name was changed to the Department of Construction
Technology, and Prof. D. Dorsey Moss, a faculty member at the Fort Wayne
campus, was appointed department head. The following year, a two-year,
add-on baccalaureate curriculum--construction technology--was approved.
During the same year, the position of department head was moved to the
West Lafayette campus where the construction technology program could be
initiated there.
By 1974, the four-campus department had grown to 588 students and 27
fulltime faculty. However, 427 of the students and 26 of the faculty were
located at the regional campuses, leaving 161 students and Dr. Moss (as
the lone fulltime faculty member and department head) at the West Lafayette
campus. At that point in time, the University granted autonomy to the regional
campuses which, for all practical purposes, made them separate institutions,
and freed
the department at the West Lafayette campus from responsibility to
the regional campuses. Dr. Moss was able to pursue his goal of excellence
in construction management education at the West Lafayette campus.
The Department continued to grow to an enrollment of 200 students and
a faculty of 6 by 1976, and its name was changed to the Department of Building
Construction and Contracting.
Additionally, revisions in the curriculum were initiated to meet the
standards of the American Council for Construction Education, and by July 1979, the Department
was accredited by the Council and has continued to be accredited in 1984, 1989, and 1994.
In 1981, funding was approved for the construction of a School of Technology
building. Construction began in 1982 on the new Knoy Hall School of Technology.
By 1984, the Department of Building Construction and Contracting, along
with six other departments and the school's administrative offices, moved
to Knoy Hall. For the first time, the Department would have dedicated space for classrooms and laboratories.
Also in 1981, Dr. Moss stepped up to devote all of his energies to the
teaching of future constructors, and Prof. Donald C. Ellison was appointed department
head in 1982. Prof. Ellison remained in that position until 1992 when Prof.
Stephen Schuette was appointed to the leadership position.
From 1981 until today, many improvements and positive changes have taken
place. In order to reflect today's departmental vision and mission that
incorporate the changing technology and advances, the department's name has changed to the Department of Building
Construction Management (BCM), effective late 1996.
Please feel welcome to peruse the rest of BCM's web pages to learn more
about our department's mission, our faculty, staff, and students, the latest
in departmental and curriculum information, and much more.
|
