PETITION TO REINSTATE B.E.E. WOOD AND METAL COURSES

We are very concerned about the decision on the part of the Deans of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering to terminate the long-running and very popular courses “Introduction to Wood Construction”, “ Introduction to Metal Fabrication” and “Advanced Metal Fabrication” offered by instructor Tom Cook. These courses offer practical, hands-on instruction in building siting, concrete construction, carpentry, fine woodworking, repair and maintenance of buildings and equipment, sheet metal working, plumbing, forging, welding, brazing and a host of other critical construction and fabrication methods and techniques. The course content informs and supports curricula across many disciplines throughout the University. Students in Agriculture, Architecture, Art, Engineering, and City and Regional Planning have found the courses especially beneficial.

It is particularly urgent that the decision to terminate these classes be reconsidered because Spring preregistration begins next week and students who had planned to take one of the welding courses will need to have it included in the computer course listings.

Mr. Cook has been informed that the reason for the termination of these courses is the need to use the fully equipped and professional workshops as ‘surge space’ (temporary storage). He has provided 24 years of dedicated teaching that has empowered thousands of Cornell graduates and employees with knowledge and skills. These include: how to fact find, design, organize and safely construct everything from footers and foundations to complex farm machinery and implements, to understand the physical and chemical properties of the materials used in both the wood and metal fields, and much more. It is a great disservice to both future students and Mr. Cook to cancel these courses for the sake of ‘additional storage’.

These courses give depth, breadth, hands-on and critical experience to students and employees in their quest for excellence in the Solar Decathlon, Habitat for Humanity, Formula SAE , Hybrid Vehicle, Baja SAE, Energy Efficient Home Challenges, Automotive X Prize challenge, BioFuels Development, and many other endeavors all over the campus.

As our country enters an era of economic instability, where all indicators point to a future America that will be self-sufficient in its energy, manufacturing and food production, Cornell needs practical courses such as Mr. Cook’s more than ever. Cornell University, with its reputation as a world leader in cutting edge research and education, will need to produce thousands of future leaders who will grow the food, fiber and bio-feedstock needed to supply America’s food and energy needs. These future leaders will need practical skills in design, welding, machinery repair, construction, carpentry, and masonry to become successful farmers, manufacturers, and sustainable builders. Similarly, engineers, designers, instructors and architects need practical hands-on experience with materials in addition to theoretical knowledge.

Please reconsider the decision to cancel Mr. Cook’s courses. He produces students who are self-sufficient and who exhibit ingenuity and a ‘can do’ attitude. It is inexcusable for Cornell to cancel these courses when the knowledge Mr. Cook imparts is so useful and is unavailable elsewhere.

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