Engineering Department Recognized by National Organization

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Civil engineering students practice surveying techniques on the front lawn of Old Main on the University of Arkansas campus.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Department of Civil Engineering has been selected to receive the 2016 Walter LeFevre Award in the large program category by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The Walter LeFevre Award is named for E. Walter LeFevre, a University of Arkansas civil engineering professor who endowed the award to recognize the promotion of licensure, ethics and professionalism in civil engineering. The department will receive a trophy during the ASCE Department Heads National Conference in Fayetteville in June.

“Dr. E. Walter Lefevre was a long-time faculty member at the University of Arkansas, and a champion of ethics and professionalism,” said Kevin Hall, head of the civil engineering department. “His legacy lives on through the programs he helped to create within the Department of Civil Engineering to promote the highest ethical and professional standards among students and faculty.”

Hall explained that the department prioritizes licensure, ethics and professionalism. In the field of engineering, licensure is important to maintaining high standards of quality. The Professional Engineer, or PE license, requires passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, completing four years of engineering experience, and passing the PE exam.

All tenure track faculty must obtain licensure as a Professional Engineer in order to be considered for tenure and promotion, and they are given the time and help they need to prepare for the PE exam. All non-tenure track faculty are required to possess a PE license as well, and civil engineering students are encouraged to obtain licensure.

The department also requires all students to complete the Fundamentals of Engineering exam in order to graduate, and the department provides review sessions and mock exams. The Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineering, an alumni group, contributes over $7000 a year to refund the cost of taking the exam for every student who passes. The academy also promotes professionalism through their annual “Evening with the Pros” event, in which teams of alumni host small group discussions with current students.

The department promotes ethics and professionalism throughout the curriculum, and especially through a required course called Professional Issues. In this course, students apply the ASCE Canon of Ethics to case studies to identify possible ethical issues and recommend a course of action.

“This is a great honor for our civil engineering department and for the college,” said John English, dean of the College of Engineering. “One of our priorities is to make sure our students are ready for the workforce when they graduate, and thanks in part to the legacy of Dr. LeFevre, our civil engineering department definitely succeeds in that endeavor.”

About the College of Engineering: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the largest engineering program in the state of Arkansas. Over the past decade, the college has experienced unprecedented growth. Undergraduate enrollment has doubled since 2007, and total enrollment in the college is now over 4,000 students. The College of Engineering offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in nine engineering fields, as well as incorporating distance learning and interdisciplinary programs. Faculty in the college conduct research in many key areas, including electronics, energy, healthcare logistics, nanotechnology, transportation and logistics.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.