After a controversial semester, the Carleton Student Engineering Society (CSES) is making efforts to change its image, a problem shared by engineers across the country.
“A lot of people have impressions of engineers that we’re rude and arrogant,” said Nicole MacDonald, incoming CSES president and fourth-year environmental engineering student.
MacDonald angered members of the engineering society in March after describing CSES as “unprofessional” and saying she was “kind of embarrassed” by the society.
In a letter to the Charlatan, fifth-year electrical engineering student George Boulous expressed his displeasure with MacDonald’s comments.
“I’m not arguing that the society does not have problems, but initiatives have been taken,” Boulous wrote, including a collaborative Frosh week with CUSA and “working with several other student groups this year.”
“Engineers aren’t the most liked people around,” Boulous acknowledged. “Personalities clash. Sometimes it’s their fault, sometimes it’s our fault, but it always gets blown out of proportion.”
MacDonald said her comments were sparked by “a small number of unprofessional actions taken by the society — mostly with regards to the recent Iron Times controversy.”
In early February, the Iron Times, the official news publication of the CSES, faced suspension after the publication of two controversial articles spoofing a sex guide.
“You’ve an image problem with the administration and with your fellow students,” said Alan Steele, associate engineering dean academic (student affairs) at a Feb. 4 CSES meeting. “You could potentially cause an image problem for the institution.”
But this perceived image problem isn’t exclusive to Carleton’s engineering society. Last March the University of Ottawa Engineering Students’ Society (ESS) almost lost funding from the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa after the publication of a mock sex-advice column in their monthly newspaper, the Oral Otis.
Across the country, engineers admit to encountering stereotypes.
“We’re crazy, both for being perceived heavy drinkers, and for our heavier course load,” said Andrew Curran, a first-year engineering science student at the University of Toronto. “It simply seems that most engineers share a common quirkiness of sorts.”
“I think the common perception is more towards us engineers being overworked, studious, nerdy types, rather than beer-loving party animals,” said Adam Lohonyai, a fourth-year civil engineer at the University of Alberta.
“Although the engineers at my school may not have the best reputation at times,” said Andrew Lappalainen, a first-year general engineering student at Queen’s University, “the Queen’s University Engineering Society (EngSoc) seems to have a very good reputation. They are very active in organizing both faculty-specific and inter-faculty events.”
Andrew Harte, the outgoing CSES president, said the reputation of Carleton engineers is dependent on how involved you are with CSES and how well you know him.
“There is obviously a totally different culture comprised within engineering at all levels,” Harte said. “There’s obviously some false impressions and negative things out there. Our reputation, depending who you talk to, is good or poor. It’s very subjective that way.”
And CSES is making efforts to change those perceptions. This year the society started doing a little more outreach, Harte said.
“I think in the next few years it should change a lot.”
MacDonald has also promised several initiatives, such as having closer contact with the dean’s office, improving relations with the Carleton University Students’ Association, moderating the society more closely and getting more first years involved.