K-State ASCE - American Society of Civil Engineers

Welcome to the home of the Kansas State University Student Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. Founded in 1852 with 12 members, the Society was created to distribute information among engineers who were building the roads, canals, bridges, and railroads of a rapidly expanding nation.

The KSU Student Chapter of ASCE was founded in 1923 and has approximately 200 student members.

ASCE is a way for civil engineering students to meet with peers, prospective employers, and professors.  In addition to learning in the classroom, the ASCE Student Chapter of ASCE provides opportunities to learn more about the practice of civil engineering and to grow their professional contact network.

Explore the website to learn about these opportunities.

Fundamental Principles of ASCE

Engineers govern their professional careers on the following fundamental principles:

• create safe, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure;
• treat all persons with respect, dignity, and fairness in a manner that fosters equitable participation without regard to personal identity;
• consider the current and anticipated needs of society; and
• utilize their knowledge and skills to enhance the quality of life for humanity. 

Code of Ethics of ASCE

All members of The American Society of Civil Engineers, regardless of their membership grade or job description, commit to all of the following ethical responsibilities. In the case of a conflict between ethical responsibilities, the five stakeholders are listed in the order of priority. There is no priority of responsibilities within a given stakeholder group with the exception that 1a. takes precedence over all other responsibilities.¹

I. SOCIETY

Engineers:

1. first and foremost, protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public;
2. enhance the quality of life for humanity;
3. express professional opinions truthfully and only when founded on adequate knowledge and honest conviction;
4. have zero tolerance for bribery, fraud, and corruption in all forms, and report violations to the proper authorities;
5. endeavor to be of service in civic affairs;
6. treat all persons with respect, dignity, and fairness, and reject all forms of discrimination and harassment;
7. acknowledge the diverse historical, social, and cultural needs of the community, and incorporate these considerations in their work;
8. consider the capabilities, limitations, and implications of current and emerging technologies when part of their work; and
9. report misconduct to the appropriate authorities where necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

II. NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Engineers:

1. adhere to the principles of sustainable development;
2. consider and balance societal, environmental, and economic impacts, along with opportunities for improvement, in their work;
3. mitigate adverse societal, environmental, and economic effects; and
4. use resources wisely while minimizing resource depletion.

III. PROFESSION

Engineers:

1. uphold the honor, integrity, and dignity of the profession;
2. practice engineering in compliance with all legal requirements in the jurisdiction of practice;
3. represent their professional qualifications and experience truthfully;
4. reject practices of unfair competition;
5. promote mentorship and knowledge-sharing equitably with current and future engineers;
6. educate the public on the role of civil engineering in society; and
7. continue professional development to enhance their technical and non-technical competencies.

IV. CLIENTS AND EMPLOYERS

Engineers:

1. act as faithful agents of their clients and employers with integrity and professionalism;
2. make clear to clients and employers any real, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest;
3. communicate in a timely manner to clients and employers any risks and limitations related to their work;
4. present clearly and promptly the consequences to clients and employers if their engineering judgment is overruled where health, safety, and welfare of the public may be endangered;
5. keep clients’ and employers’ identified proprietary information confidential;
6. perform services only in areas of their competence; and
7. approve, sign, or seal only work products that have been prepared or reviewed by them or under their responsible charge.

V. PEERS

Engineers:

1. only take credit for professional work they have personally completed;
2. provide attribution for the work of others;
3. foster health and safety in the workplace;
4. promote and exhibit inclusive, equitable, and ethical behavior in all engagements with colleagues;
5. act with honesty and fairness on collaborative work efforts;
6. encourage and enable the education and development of other engineers and prospective members of the profession;
7. supervise equitably and respectfully;
8. comment only in a professional manner on the work, professional reputation, and personal character of other engineers; and
9. report violations of the Code of Ethics to the American Society of Civil Engineers.

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¹ This Code does not establish a standard of care, nor should it be interpreted as such.

What does ASCE do?

ASCE seeks to enhance the quality of living throughout the world by advancing professional knowledge and improving the civil engineering practice.  To further these goals, ASCE sponsors conferences and professional education courses, consults with government on CE related issues, conducts public awareness programs, and publishes important CE books and journals.  Volunteers serve on different technical, administrative, coordinating, and professional committees.  Including the activities of the Society, sections, branches, student chapters and clubs, as well as the national and local committees, ASCE groups average 100 meetings throughout the country every day!

What can ASCE do for students?

Educational activities extend to college campuses through Student Chapters and Clubs.  These groups sponsor meetings, regional conferences, student competitions, community service projects, social events and other activities to help future engineers become better prepared for their careers.  Numerous scholarships and awards are made available for deserving civil engineering students.

Students begin membership in their student chapter and then can opt to join ASCE as a National Student Member.  Benefits of joining ASCE National include, but not limited to:

• Monthly issues of Civil Engineering magazine and ASCE News.
• Eligibility for ASCE scholarships and competitions.
• Eligibility for positions on local and national committees.
• Access to a national resume database which can match members with prospective employers.
• Information on EIT/PE review courses.

Mid-America Student Conference

There are hundreds of ASCE Student Chapters associated with universitites located in the United States and many other foreign countries. The American Society of Civil Engineers divides these student chapters into 21 geographical regions (20 within North America and 1 International) and assigns student chapters to each of these geographical regions.  The KSU Student Chapter is a member of the Mid-America Student Conference along with students chapters from Benedictine College, Dordt University, University or Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Kansas, University of Missouri - Columbia, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Missouri Institute of Science and Technology, Missouri State University, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, University of Nebraska - Omaha, Saint Louis University, South Dakota State University, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville and William Jewell College. To learn about the annual regional student symposium, click this link Mid-America Student Symposium.

National ASCE Student Membership

Students can become a National ASCE Student Member by requesting free membership.   To sign-up to become a National ASCE Stduent Member CLICK HERE, then click on the SIGN UP NOW button near at the bottom of the STUDENT section of the page.

Civil Engineering Salary Survey

Click on the following link to learn about Civil Engineering Salary & Workforce Research by ASCE. If you are going to graduate and have a full-time job, use this link to make sure you are getting paid a competative salary. CLICK HERE.

Email: ce-asce@ksu.edu
Webmaster: scottdschiff@ksu.edu