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In this paper we address the challenges and importance of developing the students' affective engagement with the cognitive content offered in systems engineering education. Systems engineering is concerned with developing the most appropriate total system solution to address a need. Systems engineering methods used to find this solution require applying a systems perspective while making tradeoffs of the relative benefits of each set of possible approaches to a problem. However, the practical application of systems engineering is to seek a comprehensive design solution that satisfies a range of constraints and provides an adequate solution that "satisfices" the stakeholders. Applying the systems engineering method in order to gain the advantage of an optimal rather than adequate solution, demands that the systems engineer believes in the value of the methods, techniques, and perspectives of the systems engineering method, even at times where the method may seem indirect or counterintuitive to performing engineering work. Therefore, systems engineering education must engage the students in both the cognitive domain - developing ability to perform the techniques, and in the affective domain - transforming the student's belief to recognize the positive value of the systems engineering method. This paper discusses: 1) the current gap in addressing the affective domain in systems engineering education, 2) the importance of closing that gap to enable the effective implementation of systems engineering on the job, and 3) related issues and challenges. Following this discussion, the paper proposes a framework for assessing the development of the student's affective engagement in systems engineering methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]