This doesn't belong here, but it's damn funny anyway.

[sonofdaxjones]

http://www.kansan.com/stories/2007/apr/27/steel/?news

[ECN]

“K-State looked like they didn’t even use nuts and bolts,” Pattison said. “Everything just clicked into place. It only took them about six minutes.”

[cireksu]

anyone that would choose to go to ku over ksu for that field   

[konofo]

What Josh Crain might lack in engineering acumen, he makes up for with well honed buck-passing and excuse-making skills.  Bright future in middle-management.

During the judging for ku’s steel bridge, the infrastructure collapsed. Josh Crain, Overland Park junior and team co-captain. said the company who made the red box trusses that lined the base structure did not weld them correctly.

 

He said the University’s program was different than others, because it was all voluntary and an out-of-class commitment. He said Kansas State University’s program got credit through a mandatory class, making it easier for people to get involved.

 

kono

[Racquetball_Ninja]

hooraaaaaaaay bridge builders!

[The Whale]

The ku team of about 20 engineering students has been preparing since September, when they started designing the structure. Joe Pattison, Overland Park junior, said the team looked at what other successful teams had done to create its own original design.

Apparently they didn't look very hard.

[sonofdaxjones]

I would say those of you traveling the highways and byways of Middle West need to start asking about the Alma Maters of the engineers who designed and managed the construction of various bridges.

If it's a ku guy or gal, I think I'd find a different route.

You don't want to be viewing a guy like Pattison from the afterlife (after the bridge you were crossing collapsed) standing in front of a microphone saying, "well, at ku this whole bridge building thing was voluntary, and the guys we hired to do the welds didn't do them right."

[Wildcat Jack]

http://www.engg.ksu.edu/ASCE/index.htm

As a CE alum I find this interesting.  We didn't have Steel Bridge when I was there, but we did have concrete canoe and I started the HS balsa bridge competion they hold at Open House.

As far as it being a "credit course" I don't know if that's true.  It never used to be.  ASCE was a no credit requirement.  You were required to attend half of the regular meetings.  If you didn't you didn't get to graduate, but there was no credit earned.  All of the extra curriculars were voluntary.  Don't know if that's changed, but it sure sounds like whining.

This was just part of the culture about doing something extra for professional development.  KSU CE has always viewed that as being important.

[jeffy]

They use something in the design of bridges to help prevent them from failing.  It's called "Safety Factor."  In reality, it should be called the "ku Engineer involved in design of this bridge Factor."

[KSUWFIP]

What the story doesn't tell you is that Wichita State actually won the competition, but was disqualified for using a Barton County cheerleader on their team.