Who built your robot?

[Wayne Doenges]

Let me first start out by saying that this posting is not written to offend or single out any one team. If it does, I'm sorry.

I've been thinking about this subject for a long time and I would like to know how you all feel about it.
During the regionals and nationals I kept hearing about how some of the robots were built entirely by the engineers and the students just learned how to run them.
I do not consider this fair to the students. They are the main reason F.I.R.S.T. was founded. What does the student learn from having the robot built by someone else? NOTHING!
I think the students should have a major share in the building of the bot. Oh, there are some thing that the engineers may have to do. On our bot an engineer did most of the TIG welding because none of the students could do it. Next year we have a couple of students that can weld, so they will.
Our robot was designed and built mostly by the students. The engineers helped with the hard tasks.
I know there is nothing in the rules about how much the engineers can do, but common sense should win out.
That's my opinion and I will stick to it.
Any comments, pro/con, would be appreciated.

*puts on asbestos underwear and prepares for the worst

Again, if I have offended anyone, I'm sorry.