To Introduce and Support Undergraduate & Graduate Value Methodology Courses in Engineering, Architectural & Business Curricula

Objective 

To establish more courses in the Value Methodology (VM) in undergraduate and graduate programs in the engineering, architectural and business curricula. 

To provide technical, material and financial support for existing courses being taught at universities and to ensure their continuity. 

Background 

Business and government strive to combat waste, inefficiency, bureaucracy, poor quality, and mismanagement. Colleges and universities need a specific curriculum to educate and direct youth to identify and deal with these problems. 

Schools teach a wide variety of courses involving cost control, quality control, cost estimating, life cycle costing, economic analysis, pricing policy, cost reduction systems, measurement systems, and budgeting. This effort may be fragmented. Few programs teach the difference between cost and value. 

In the engineering field, for example, the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) defines the term "engineering" in part as, ".... the profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences gained by study, experience, and practice is applied with judgment to develop ways to utilize, economically, the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind." Yet as we plan this project, there is no accreditation requirement in the United States by the Accreditation Board for Engineering Training (ABET) for any school offering a degree in engineering for cost or value, that we know of. Therefore, the practical application of cost and value considerations in the design profession must be learned on the job. The same case can be made for architecture and business. 

A purpose for the creation of the Miles Value Foundation was to establish a constituency concerned with improving the value of goods and services. The Foundation has established this Education Project as its focus for concentration of resources and effort. The goal of our Education Project is to introduce the concepts of cost and value into the undergraduate and graduate curricula before our students enter the workforce. 

The headlines indicate daily the need for better value. A workforce trained in the Value Methodology would contribute to solving the nation's major problems with its budget, debt, healthcare systems, legal costs, and social programs. The list is endless. The number of people requiring education in VM to address these issues is staggering. We need to educate our youth, the leaders of tomorrow, by building a new population base with concern for and understanding of value. 

The Education Plan

The following defines the Plan in four areas: 

• Ensure Geographical Diversity 
• Provide Model Courses 
• Offer Educator Development
• Provide Financial Support 

1. Ensure Geographical Diversity

The MVF Plan is to ensure that at least one university or college in each major geographical zone of the United States, as defined by ASEE, offers a degree credit course in VM in its catalogue. These zones are:  

• Zone I: New England St. Lawrence Middle Atlantic
• Zone II: Southeastern North Central Illinois-Indiana
• Zone III: North Midwest Midwest Gulf-Southwest
• Zone IV: Pacific Northwest Rocky Mountain Pacific Southwest

2. Provide Model Courses

Three courses have been published by the Foundation along with supporting library materials, training aids, lecture outlines, homework and examinations. These are:

• Value Engineering Theory for architectural and engineering curricula.
• Management Application of Value Engineering for business and commerce curriculum.
• Value Engineering: Theory in Practice and Industry, for the engineering, manufacturing and industrial sectors.

The program content of our three Instructor Guides comprises lesson plans, schedules, grading standards, reading assignments, lecture outlines, homework assignments, independent value study assignments with a workbook, reading, quizzes, mid-term examination, and final examination. 

A fourth course, internet-based, is now available for Colleges to offer on-line. It is entitled Basic Value Analysis and provides text, narrated power point slides, and quizzes for each of its 10 lessons as well as on-line mid-term and final exams.   

3. Offer Educator Development

Instructors for this material can be either Certified Value Specialists (CVS) or educators. The Foundation will seek a qualified instructor, as the college/university desires, or provide preparation to an educator to teach the subject matter. 

To support the introduction of a VM course the Foundation will pay tuition for instructor VM workshop training, registration fees, and travel expense reimbursement and allow instructors the experience of taking our on-line course with Foundation mentoring. 

In addition this, subject to budget availability and on a first-come, first-served basis ber university, the Miles Value Foundation will fund 100% of the SAVE International Conference Registration fee on a one-time basis for any full-time college/university professor in the world. Candidates not selected will be priortized for future consideration. 

To support the college/university and the educator the Foundation will provide a selection of library materials from the  SAVE International publications booklist. The MVF will also provide each educator with a coach to personally assist him/her as a resource to answer questions, and guest lecture if called upon. In addition, the Foundation will offer direct e-mail service to assist educators in answering student or course questions.   

4. Provide Financial Support

In addition to providing financial support for model courses and educator development the Foundation has created the Miles Scholarship Award program to provide student motivation. 

It is our goal to ultimately endow a chair in the study of the Value Methodology. Approach

• Program Manager 

The Foundation is implementing this Plan in cooperation with SAVE International, the professional Society for the Value Methodology. The Foundation has designated a Program Manager to lead this Plan:  

Vice President Education - Stephen J. Kirk, PhD, FAIA, CVS, FSAVE

• Liaisons

The Foundation, through its extensive contacts in SAVE International and other professional and academic organizations will assign a volunteer coach for each university. Coaches will provide support for each institution, and its educator, who is teaching a course in the Value Methodology or who desires to begin such a course. 

Liaison services will involve consulting on course content, providing the MVF materials, ensuring library materials are available, providing training to the professor, as appropriate, guest lecturing on request, and providing local help for operation of the MVF scholarship program as desired. Coaches will provide progress reports and needs to the Program Manager. 

The Program Manager will provide oversight of the liaison network and maintain contact with the institution to ensure that support is being provided in the desired manner and at the proper pace.

• Project Phases

The Plan is being implemented in phases, which coincide with the SAVE International Conference held annually in the spring. The Foundation will accept one or two new Colleges each year into the Plan. Work with individual colleges/universities will match their schedules for approval of a new course, preparing the educator to teach, publication in the course catalog, and the class cycle (quarter or semester system).

Budget

The following budget is presented on a per school basis. It indicates what internal costs the Foundation will pay in support of each College and what external reimbursable expenses the College can expect to receive.

Education Fund  (on a per school basis)	Paid by MVF	Maximum reimbursed to College
Reference Library	$ 1,500
Educator Development:
SAVE Conference
Registration Fee	$ 600
Travel (Reimbursable)		$1,000
Library Membership	$ 175
Faculty Forum	$ 400
On-line Course	$ 135
Module I Workshop
Registration	$ 1,200
Travel (Reimbursable)		$1,000
Module II Workshop (6 mos. after Module I)
Registration	$ 1,000
Travel (Reimbursable)		$1,000
Teaching Materials	$ 1,000
On-site Coaching	$ 1,500
MVF Program Development	$ 800
TOTAL COST PER SCHOOL	$ 8,310	$ 3,000

In addition to the above, with the cooperation of the University, we will seek an endowment for a teaching chair and scholarship funding. 

Source of Funds 

The Miles Value Foundation will contribute 15% of its assets, contributions and earnings to the Education Fund for two schools per year. 

As a 501(c)(3) corporation, the Directors of the Miles Value Foundation will seek financial support, gifts, and grants from major corporations and other Foundations in support of these educational objectives. This funding may be designated by the donor to support the endowment of one particular college or be left to the discretion of the Foundation for distribution. 

Education Agreement 

To receive funding and other support from the Foundation the school must submit an Education Agreement to the Foundation subject to approval by the Foundation Board. The Agreement must be on University or College letterhead and be signed by a Department Head or other authorized member of the administration. Contents of this Agreement can be reviewed by clicking on Educational Agreement. 

In addition, the school will be registered on our Assisted Colleges page, which is our contact list for notices and other information. Upon receipt of an Education Agreement, a Director of the Foundation will be assigned to make an on-site visit to coordinate planning, implementation and receipt of support. 

Module I Workshop Approval 

Full-time faculty instructors of MVF curricula can receive SAVE International Certification Board Approval for their course as a Module I course for students desiring credit for SAVE certification leading to Certified Value Specialist (CVS) designation. Additional information for this approval can be reviewed by clicking on Module I Approval Requirements. 

For submittal information and forms to register your course with SAVE International click on Certification Board Requirements.

After SAVE approval, students may take a written exam administered by the professor to achieve the certification status of Associate Value Specialist (AVS). 

Implementation 

The successful implementation of this Plan obviously requires commitment from colleges and universities. Motivating schools to introduce the Value Methodology as a viable and integral course of study in the architectural, engineering and business curricula is the goal of this Plan. The strategy to meet this goal consists of five action plans:  

Action Plan 1.   Gain interest 

1.1  Announce each SAVE International Conference and all scheduled Faculty Sessions on the web.  

1.2  Establish MVF/SAVE International network of coaches.  

1.3  Provide training guidance for coaches.  

1.4  Make personal contact with engineering, architectural, and business colleges and universities who express interest.  

1.5  Gain commitment from two engineering, architectural, or business colleges and universities per year and fund startup costs as itemized in Education Fund budget.  

Action Plan 2.    Maintain interest 

2.1  Find educators who have a strong belief in the importance of value, want to learn about the subject and teach it.  

2.2  Provide Foundation support to these Champions.  

2.3  Use the network of coaches on a continuing basis to monitor results and suggest corrective action for the Foundation.  

Action Plan 3.    Provide support 

3.1  Provide the following support for each selected school:   

Instructor training   Instructional material and training aids   Reference library   Local coach/assistance   E-mail technical support

Action Plan 4.    Encourage student achievement 

4.1  Present the Miles Value Foundation Scholarship Award to one student who is currently enrolled in a Value Methodology course sponsored by the MBF Education Plan annually for the next three years.  

4.2  Educators select one award winner (or team) per class and apply for the award by submitting a copy of the winning value study project workbook.  

4.3  Foundation will select a national winner based on the submission of the local winners.  

4.4  Provide national winner with paid trip to the SAVE International Conference.  

Action Plan 5.    Ensure continuity 

5.1  Submit grant applications for endowment and scholarship funding.

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Please consider contributing to this project and joining the Miles Value Foundation. We need your support. Click on our membership page for more information.