FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PROGRAMS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

INTRODUCTION

The opportunities for the professional development of members of construction faculties are, of course, many and varied. Among these opportunities are arrangements with agencies of the federal government, some of which are accessible to faculty members with engineering qualifications. The Construction Management and Construction Engineering faculty at North Dakota State University (NDSU) have found two of these programs to be especially appropriate for its objectives.

TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS UNDER THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PERSONNEL ACT

One of these, under the provisions of Title IV of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970, permits and encourages the temporary exchange of employees of states, local governments, institutions of higher learning, and other eligible organizations with agencies of the federal government. The act provides that civilian employees of federal agencies may serve with eligible non-federal organizations and employees of state and local governments and some institutions may serve with federal agencies for periods of up to two years without loss of employee benefits. A single assignment is not to exceed four years. Such assignments are not to be used as recruitment tools; employees are expected to return to their previous employers on completion of an assignment.

Purpose of the Assignments

These temporary assignments of qualified people are intended to make possible and encourage cooperation among federal, state, and local agencies. The assignments must be for work that the managers of the federal agency deem to be of mutual concern to the participating federal and non-federal agencies. Furthermore, the assignment of employees on a temp­orary basis must serve a sound public purpose. Assignments that satisfy these criteria are:

1) those that strengthen the management capabilities of federal, state, or local agencies;

2) arrangements that help state and local officials develop and implement federal programs

and policies;

3) assignments that contribute to the transfer of new technologies and new methods of solving governmental problems;

4) personnel transfers that offer opportunities for developmental experience that will enhance the assignees capabilities in his or her regular job.

Eligibility for Intergovernmental Assignment

These last two purposes, and especially the last one, suit the needs and goals of university faculty members well.. And the act clearly and specifically includes accredited institutions of higher education, both public and private, among the eligible agencies. Of course, there are some limitations regarding the eligibility of individuals: a participant must have been employed for ninety days before he can be assigned by his employer to a federal agency, and he must not be employed as some kind of graduate assistant. There are some difficulties also for non-US citizens, since federal agencies are generally prohibited by law from making compensation payments to individuals who are not citizens of the United States, though there are some exceptions to this restriction. In selecting employees for temporary assignment, agencies must meet the Equal Employment Opportunity requirement of disregarding political affiliation, race, color, national origin, age, sex, religious creed, or physical handicap.

Payment for Assignments

The costs of a temporary assignment are negotiable between the participating agencies. It would be expected that agencies would share costs in proportion to the benefits that each receives from the arrangement. Costs may be employee pay, including supplemental pay, fringe benefits, and travel and relocation costs. If a salary equivalent to a faculty member's regular pay is to be maintained during a temporary assignment, pay for the university employee may be considered to include income from private consulting work, especially when the regular arrangement with the university provides an allotted time for consulting, or when the university employee is performing work that cannot be continued during his temporary transfer assignment. A federal agency may also, under some circumstances, pay a per diem allowance to a temporary assignee.

Administrative or indirect costs are not, however, reimbursable. Costs for preparing pay roll records, developing reports on the assignment, or negotiating the assignment agreement, as well as tuition credits, office costs, support staff, and computer time cannot be paid by the participating federal agency to state or local agencies.

Arranging an Assignment

Assignments may be initiated by either a federal agency or an interested non-federal agency. They may involve one or several persons and may be reciprocal exchanges of personnel or one-way agreements. Formally they are management initiated and the development of any proposed assignment is to be management controlled. The benefits to the agencies, rather than the personal needs or desires of an individual, should be the primary consideration in initiating the assignments. Specific details of agreements may vary according to the assignment. Position information, type of assignment, goals and how they are to be attained, and benefits of the arrangement are presented on the appropriate federal form and accepted by the parties to the agreement [3].

Assignment Arrangement at North Dakota State University

In NDSU's own experience, the effort to arrange a temporary assignment was initiated by the interested faculty member. He sent his resume, along with a letter indicating his interest in a temporary assignment, specifically a summer assignment, to the US Army Engineers Waterways Experiment Station. The letter and resume were apparently circulated there, and a response was received from a research engineer who felt that he could use the faculty member's assistance in one of his current projects. He first telephoned the faculty member to discuss the possibility of summer employment under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act. Subsequently he wrote a letter advising that their basic requirement was that the person was a bona fide faculty member who was paying into a retirement fund. He suggested that, if these conditions were in effect, that NDSU initiate action for a temporary assignment by having the chairperson request by letter the employment of the faculty member by the Waterways Experiment Station for the full summer period and on a full-time basis. The chairperson's letter was to include the prospective transfer employee's current job title, major areas of expertise, date of employment, years of service on the faculty, and salary information, including fringe benefit rates. He also requested an additional letter from the university's director of personnel that would confirm the initial date of employment, the type of appointment, current salary, and would supply the person's social security number.

With this information and additional information that the Experiment Station's research engineer provided that clearly stated the reason for the temporary assignment, the position description, and other details, administrative personnel at the Waterways Experiment Station prepared an Assignment Agreement. It was sent to NDSU for acceptance by the assignee and by the• university's official responsible for research agreements. It was then returned to the Waterways Experiment Station where it was certified by the personnel officer.

The Work Arrangement

Under the agreement that was executed, the faculty member traveled to the Waterways Experiment Station at Vicksburg, Mississippi and spent the summer working there. Travel and per diem payments were made to him in accordance with federal government policies. Payment of the equivalent of his salary plus fringe benefits was made by the Experiment Station to the university upon billing by the university. The faculty member, who had a nine month university appointment, then was paid his regular salary through the summer months also.

During the summer it was decided to extend this arrangement on a part-time basis through the school year. In this case the arrangement was 25% of full-time employment with the faculty member continuing his work for the Waterways Experiment Station while at the university. Payments under this arrangement are also made by the federal agency to the university on receipt of the university's billing. However, the university can handle the faculty member's obligations in accordance with its own practices. It may reduce his university work load to free him for his part-time federal assignment, or it may arrange for him to perform his federal obligation on his own time and give him additional compensation for that time.

The Work Assignments

Our faculty member's work assignment was to the Hydraulics Laboratory at the Waterways Experiment Station. His qualifications for the work were primarily his many years of construction experience. His duties were to obtain information on the repair and rehabilitation criteria and procedures and also on the repair methods that are currently being used in the maintenance of certain navigation-channel structures for which the Corps of Engineers is responsible. The information was tabulated and a descriptive narrative report was written.

Other university faculty members assigned temporarily to the Waterways Experiment Station worked on various projects. Also, in the Hydraulics Laboratory, a summer employee worked on computer modeling. Some of his projects had the purpose of validating computer programs. Other temporary employees worked in the geotechnical laboratory, the structures laboratory, the environmental laboratory, and the coastal research center at the Experiment Station.

Benefits of the Program

This type of assignment is of mutual benefit to the federal agency and the university. The federal agency can obtain help for a particular assignment which may be of short duration and for which they are inadequately staffed or are lacking in expertise. The university employee is able to enrich his own experience by working in the current engineering environment, thus keeping his knowledge up to date. Beyond that, as in most work, he is likely to broaden his experience and acquire additional expertise. Improvement of his personal qualifications will in turn help his department and his school in its efforts to establish itself as a center of expertise. Moreover, it provides a means of supplementing faculty salaries and offsetting the attraction of industrial employment.

In NDSU's particular case, it brought the faculty member into contact with Corps of Engineers' construction personnel throughout the country and with their current operations. Furthermore, it provided a summer income.

Prospects for Intergovernmental Assignments

The Waterways Experiment Station provides a number of opportunities for summer and part-time employment for university faculty members. Its personnel recognize and understand the need for professional development that people in academic jobs have. It is likely that other Corps of Engineers organizations could also use people with engineering qualifications and credentials and would be similarly sympathetic. Moreover, they may have people who could make valuable contributions to a school's program. Thus, some sort of exchange that would send academic personnel to Corps of Engineers offices and Corps employees to temporary academic assignments might be possible. Temporary assignments under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act might be arranged with any federal agency that can use the technical qualifications that construction faculty members possess.

OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE RURAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The second opportunity that has contributed to faculty professional development is the Rural Technical Assistance Program (RTAP). In 1982, the U.S. Department of Transportation provided funding for the establishment of regional transportation technology transfer centers under this program. North Dakota State University, using a team of qualified personnel, submitted a successful proposal to establish a Center. The North Central Technology Transfer Center at North Dakota State University is one of forty-one centers now operating throughout the United States. The Center serves a region which includes the States of Minnesota and North Dakota. Initial funding support for the Center was provided by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) but is now shared by the FHWA, the Minnesota Department of Transporta­tion and the North Dakota State Highway Department.

Mission of the Program

 The mission of the Center is to provide for information transfer from the federal and state governments to local units of government and also to consulting engineers, contractors and other organizations involved with transportation issues. The general areas of concern include roads, bridges, work zone safety, traffic operations, drainage control, and public transportation (4). Centers are to provide the staff necessary to meet these goals.

The Center is staffed by five people from the university. Included as staff engineer for the Technology Transfer Center is a faculty member in the construction management and engineering program at North Dakota State University. His education in civil and industrial engineering, experience in public works management, and teaching responsibilities in construction management and engineering contributed to the selection of the university over other proposals. While working on Center activities, the faculty member is provided salary and expenses based on his regular pay, fringe benefits and expense regulations. Pay is calculated at an hourly rate and is included in the regular monthly paycheck. Travel costs are reimbursed at the costs incurred.

Various methods are used to carry out the mission of the Technology Transfer Center (5). One of these is a quarterly newsletter that focuses on new developments, noteworthy applications, practical tips, upcoming events, and innovations in transportation technology. Typical innovations are related to new equipment, new construction techniques, new materials, and unique applications. The Center also sponsors short courses, seminars and conferences on a variety of topics in the field of transportation. Another form of technology transfer that is effectively used is the distribution of technical materials that are made available from governmental and private organizations. A final service of the Technology Transfer Center is response to requests for technical services. These responses may be provided in the form of a direct answer, a referral to another party, or by furnishing technical information.

This opportunity, in contrast to the other, was less rigidly structured; therefore, the emphasis of this portion of the paper focuses more on faculty benefits and less on employment arrangements. The discussion in the following sections provides further detail on the contribution of the Technology Transfer Center to the professional development of the staff. The discussion also discusses certain benefits that the technology transfer program offers to the overall construction industry.

The Educational Opportunities

As already noted, a faculty member is the staff engineer for the North Central Technology Transfer Center with responsibilities related to all aspects of the mission of the Center. A primary duty has been to develop and coordinate many of the short courses, seminars and conferences that the Center has sponsored. As a result of being responsible for program formulation, the author has enhanced his knowledge of the subject areas. For example, he assembled the program for a seminar on construction specifications and quality assurance. The effort to decide on topics, arrange speakers and evaluate the program served as an educational experience in itself.

In an effort to keep current on technology, part of the Center's efforts has been directed toward review of literature. References are commonly used as resources for individual sessions of workshops and seminars. Pavement maintenance, for example, has been an item of high interest. Numerous publications that were researched provided background information on what governmental agencies or contractors are currently using for techniques, materials, and equipment.

Much of the development work for the Center's activities has called for communication with vendors and contractors. Vendors and contractors have provided important input to formal programs and newsletter articles related to geotextile applications, bridge rehabilitation, and work zone signing. The staff has gained from the communications with these vendors and contractors.

A seminar on equipment management also included an equipment display. The variety of equipment displayed provided an education for the staff as well as the seminar participants.

A number of the special programs that the Center has been part of have been co-sponsored by other organizations. The Associated General Contractors, the American Public Works Association, Ready Mix Association and Fly Ash Association have been joint sponsors of seminars and conferences that have related to topics of interest to their members. One such jointly sponsored event was a concrete conference that included presentations related to pavement construction, high strength concrete, total quality, and nondestructive testing. The speakers for these topics provided dynamic, thorough presentations on the material such that everyone learned something.

The Exchange of Information

The workshops, seminars and conferences that the Technology Transfer Center has been associated with have attracted participants from various work backgrounds. A single event might include contractors, suppliers, highway officials, engineers, and elected officials as participants. Each participant has his unique interest in a specific topic. Opportunity is given for the Center's staff and participants to share their thoughts or experiences.

The various educational opportunities have served to synthesize experiences of the variety of participants. Enthusiastic discussion has sometimes developed over the interpretation of specifications, the quality of work or the methods of construction or rehabilitation. This discussion, moderated by the Center's staff, commonly ends with some agreement related to improvements or changes. The Technology Transfer Center staff often takes the initiative in follow-up action.

Specifications for construction, materials or equipment have been a major topic at nearly all of the programs. The exchange of information amongst program participants and staff has helped to clarify and improve specifications.

Project inspection is another topic that often surfaces at workshops and seminars. The Center's staff has prepared information to disseminate that is available on this subject.

The workshops and newsletters have provided the staff with an opportunity to exchange information on privatization of public works. Elected officials, especially, have been interested in the potential for privatization of services.

A "Reader Response" section in the quarterly newsletter has provided a means for those that read the newsletter to provide feedback or comments. The responses are sent to the Center and often shared with others in later newsletters.

Survey forms are typically used with workshops and seminars to gain feedback on current operations in the transportation area. Surveys have been used to accumulate data on such items as aggregate specifications, fleet inventories and geotextile usage. Results of the survey forms are compiled and used for future reference.

The Implementation of New Technology

In many instances the efforts of the Technology Transfer Center have led to more effective procedures and state-of-the-art applications. This can be illustrated with a number of examples.

The activities of the Center have provided exposure to new technology in many specific areas of transportation. As a result, a number of governmental agencies in Minnesota and North Dakota have experimented with new practices. A municipality in Minnesota contracted for the placement of a variety of geotextiles on a single project as a means to evaluate performance. A city in North Dakota contracted to experiment with a new asphalt milling machine in an effort to maximize rehabilitation costs.

The potential for contracting out governmental services has also been discussed as part of the technology transfer program. Based on information made available through the Center, one city has decided to contract its snow removal to area contractors who have equipment available over the winter months.

The equipment display mentioned earlier served as a means to introduce public and private users to state-of-the-art equipment. Newer machines are typically directed toward improved versatility, productivity and ease of operation.

An Infrastructure Awareness

The public works infrastructure in the United States is in need of a massive effort to restore it [2]. Efforts of the Technology Transfer Center have been instrumental in increasing the awareness of infrastructure problems.

The Center's attention to infrastructure concerns has not only focused on problems but also results. This emphasis has been directed toward two areas, potential solutions and associated costs. A major goal has been to maximize the use of dollars spent on infrastructure work (1). Emphasis on this subject has, and will continue to, put more contractors to work.

Other Benefits of the Program

The earlier sections of this paper have described contributions of the technology transfer program to the construction industry and to the Center's staff professional development. There are, however, a number of subtle ways that the technology transfer program has contributed to staff professional development.

Personal management skills have been improved as a result of the technology transfer program. The staff has had to better manage time to meet teaching requirements and accomplish Center activities. The demands to develop, organize and conduct the many programs has also contributed to improved managerial skills.

The staff efforts in programs varies with each offering, sometimes staff serves as presiding coordinators and other times as speakers. These efforts have helped to increase the staff's presentation skills. Effective communication has been a major challenge with the audiences as diverse in backgrounds as commonly experienced.

The technology transfer program has required a significant amount of technical writing to prepare course outlines, newsletter articles and responses to questions. A number of proposals for grants have been submitted by the Center staff in response to FHWA solicitations for proposals. The Technology Transfer Center staff has been successful in obtaining support for research related to low volume roads and highway shoulder design.

The technology transfer program has provided a vehicle to establish contacts of interest to the construction management and engineering department. Participants or speakers at Center functions have also served as guest lecturers in university classes. Vendors initially contacted for Center activities have provided material for classroom use. Publications that have been researched for the Technology Transfer Center have often times provided valuable resource material for classroom discussion.

CONCLUSIONS

These opportunities provided for the exchange of information, implementation of effective procedures and technology and synthesis of experiences. Involvement with these programs provided faculty with an opportunity to transfer current expertise, to learn of new technology and to improve management skills. These development experiences have served to enhance the job performance of the participants.

REFERENCES

1.        Business Roundtable, More Construction for the Money, 200 Park Avenue, January, 1983.

 

2.        Choate, Pat, Bad Roads. The Hidden Costs of Neglect, National Asphalt Pavement Association, Riverdale, Maryland, 1983.

 

3.        Federal Personnel Manual, December, 1983, pp. 334-1 to 334-10.

 

4.        Phillips, David K., "T2 Centers--A New Resource," APWA Reporter, September, 1986, pp. 14, 51.

5.            Schmitt, Robert P., Mulroy, Mary J. and Beimborn, Edward A., Technology Transfer Primer, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August, 1984.