DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND INFORMATION
Last Updated MArch 18, 2009
Please send and Questions/Comments to:
Marsha Zaidman, Chair
Department of Computer Science
1301 College Avenue
Fredericksburg, VA 22401-5358
Table of Contents
2.Purpose and Role of the Department
3.Faculty Information, Department Phone & FAX Numbers, Website URL
4.Procedures, Policies, and Information Relating to Students
4.1 Requirements for Major in Computer Science (BS)5. Procedures, Policies, and Information Relating to Faculty and Staff4.2 Scholarships
4.4 Placement Credit for Entering Freshmen
4.7 Course Waivers for BLS Students
4.8 Credit Deficiency/Translation for Transfer Students
4.9 Force Adds
4.10 Student Grievances
4.11 Helping Another Professor's Students
4.12 Internships
4.13 Individual Study
4.14 Graduation with Departmental Honors
4.15 Outcomes Assessment
5.1 Student Aides6. Physical Resources5.2 Course Syllabi
5.3 Business Cards
5.4 Membership Dues
5.5 Responsibilities of the Department Secretary
5.6 Coverage of Classes/Exams when Professor is Absent
5.7 Determination of Grades for Courses in the Major
5.8 Departmental Committees/Responsibilities
5.9 Third Year Review Procedures
5.10 Merit Pay Plan for the Department
Departmental policies and procedures have tended to evolve over time. Most new policy decisions are formalized during department meetings and are recorded in the official minutes of the meetings. This document provides a central, convenient source of rules, regulations, requirements, responsibilities, and general information which can be used by the current and new faculty. Additional material will be added as new procedures and policies are formulated.
2. PURPOSE AND ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT
The department assists the college in fulfilling its mission by providing a major course of study in a discipline essential in modern society. Because a general education includes preparation in the use of the computer as a tool for acquiring knowledge, organizing information, and solving problems, the department also offers courses of importance and interest to non-majors. The semester track book has a list of the department course offerings for the current semester. The University of Mary Washington Catalog has a general description of each course the department offers. A detailed course outline for each of the courses in the computer science core can be found on the department Website.
2.1 Course Offerings
We intend to offer the following courses each semester:
110, 125, 220, 230, 370, 470, and 491.
The following courses will normally be offered only in the Fall semester:
326, 330, 405, 430
The following courses will normally be offered only in the Spring semester:
305, 310, 401
3. FACULTY INFORMATION, DEPARTMENT PHONE & FAX Numbers, Website URL
Ernest Ackermann, Ph.D.
Rank: Professor
Office: Trinkle B21
Phone: 654-1320
Email: ernie@umw.eduKaren Anewalt, Ph.D.
Rank: Assistant Professor
Office: Trinkle B24
Phone: 654-1362
Email: anewalt@umw.eduRank: Assistant Professor
Office: Trinkle B22
Phone: 654-1317
Email: stephen@umw.edu
Jennifer Polack, Ph.D.
Rank: Assistant Professor
Office: Trinkle B18
Phone: 654-1318
Email: polack@umw.eduRon A. Zacharski,, Ph.D.
Rank: Assistant Professor
Office: Trinkle B20
Phone: 654-1321
Email: raz@umw.eduMarsha Zaidman,Chair
Rank: Associate Professor
Office: Trinkle B19
Phone: 654-1319
Email: marsha@umw.eduDepartment Phone Number : (540) 654-1592
Department FAX Number: (540) 654-1109
Department Website: http://www.umw.edu/computerscience
5. PROCEDURES, POLICIES, AND INFORMATION RELATING TO STUDENTS
5.1 Requirements for Major in Computer Science (BS & BLS)
Students with LITTLE or NO PRIOR computer programming experience who wish to explore Computer Science as a possible major and/or satisfy Goal 2 of the General Education requirements should select CPSC 110.
Students with prior computer programming experience who wish to explore Computer Science as a possible major and/or satisfy Goal 2 of the General Education requirements should select CPSC 220. An online diagnostic test is available to interested students to assist them with course level selection. Students who wish to take this online test should send an email request to cpscdept@umw.edu.
Students who have completed an AP course in Computer Sc
Students who have completed an AP course in Computer Science: Refer to section 5.4.
Students transferring from other institutions should consult the Computer Science Department's Website or a College catalog for course descriptions of other available courses.
In all cases, placement adjustments can be made during the first week of the semester.
Computer Science Major Requirements (Effective Fall 2007)
1. The Computer Science Major.
Students study the classic discipline of Computer Science, with emphasis on the theoretical foundation and practical applications of computers and computer software. Courses explore such subjects as system architecture, object-oriented design, and computational theory, in addition to the rich mathematical under-pinnings that support these topics. Graduates are well-equipped to solve problems in a broad spectrum of application areas and begin satisfying careers as software engineers, system architects, or application developers.
Requirements for the Computer Science Major.
31 credit hours consisting of Computer Science 220, 230, 305, 326, 330, 350, 401 or MSCS 501, 405 or MSCS 505, and 430 or MSCS 530. Three additional credit hours chosen from mathematics 300, 312, or 351. Three additional credit hours chosen from 410, 414, 415, 420, 425, 444, 470-471, 491, any approved MsMIs course or any approved MSCS course that was not used to satisfy any of the preceding requirements. Three credits of any Computer Science or Mathematics course numbered 300 or higher, except Mathematics 325, any approved MsMIs course, or any approved MSCS course, that was not used to satisfy any of the preceding requirements.
Note that Mathematics 122 (Calculus II) is a prerequisite for Computer Science 326, Theoretical foundations of Computing and should be taken before the junior year. Also, note that Computer Science 125, Introduction to Discrete Mathematics is a prerequisite for Computer Science 305, Computer systems and Architecture, and 326, Theoretical foundations of Computing, and should be taken before the junior year.2. The Computer Information Systems Concentration in Computer Science.
This combines the foundations of Computer Science with an applied approach to application development and computing in a business environment. It offers our students an avenue to consider the use of computing as it applies to problems in business and related fields. Together with courses in economics, decision support, and accounting, this alternative focuses on how technology applies in an organizational setting. Graduates are well-positioned for careers as software developers, systems analysts, network and systems administrators, project leaders, database administrators, or business analysts.
Requirements for the Computer Information Systems Concentration in Computer Science
34 credit-hours consisting of Computer Science 220, 230, 310, 330, 350, 414 or MSCS 514, 430 or MSCS 530, business Administration 132, 353, and any Economics course numbered 200 or above. An additional three credits from among Computer Science 410, 414, 415, 420, 425, 444, 470 through 477, 491, any approved MsMIs course, or any approved MSCS course that was not used to satisfy any of the preceding requirements.
An additional three credits of any Computer Science or Mathematics course numbered 300 or higher, any approved MsMIs course, or any approved MSCS course, that was not used to satisfy any of the preceding requirements.
Note that Computer Science 125, Introduction to Discrete Mathematics, is a prerequisite to Computer Science 414 and should be taken before the junior year. Business Administration 131, Principles of Accounting, is a prerequisite for business Administration 132. Mathematics 200, Introduction to statistics, is a prerequisite to business Administration 353.
- CPSC 230A Computer Science II: Data Structures (4 credits)
- CPSC 305 Computer Systems and Architecture (4 credits)
- CPSC 321 Advanced Data Structures (3 credits)
- CPSC 326 Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science (3 credits)
- CPSC 390 Software Engineering (4 credits)
- CPSC 401 Organization of Programming Languages (3 credits)
- CPSC 405 Operating Systems (3 credits)
- Math 300 Linear Algebra or Math 312 Differential Equations or Math 351 Numerical Analysis (3 credits)
- An additional six credits from among Computer Science 410, 415, 420, 425, 470 through 477, 491; and three credits of any Computer Science or Mathematics course numbered 300 or higher, except Math 325, that was not used to satisfy any of the preceding requirements.
Note that Mathematics 122 (Calculus II) is a prerequisite for Computer Science 326 and should be taken before the junior year. Also note that Computer Science 125 is a prerequisite for Computer Science 305 and 326.
Computer Science Major Requirements (Prior to Fall 2003)
5.2 ScholarshipsStudents completing a major in Computer Science must satisfy the following course requirements (37 credits, effective Fall 2001):
- CPSC 220 Computer Science I (4 credits)
- CPSC 230A Computer Science II: Data Structures (4 credits)
- CPSC 305 Computer Systems and Architecture (4 credits)
- CPSC 326 Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science (3 credits)
- CPSC 390 Software Engineering (4 credits)
- CPSC 401 Organization of Programming Languages (3 credits)
- CPSC 405 Operating Systems (3 credits)
- Math 300 Linear Algebra or Math 312 Differential Equations or Math 351 Numerical Analysis (3 credits)
- An additional six credits from among Computer Science 410, 415, 420, 425, 470 through 477, 491; and three credits of any Computer Science or Mathematics course numbered 300 or higher, except Math 325, that was not used to satisfy any of the preceding requirements.
Note that Mathematics 122 (Calculus II) is a prerequisite for Computer Science 326 and should be taken before the junior year. Also note that Computer Science 125 is a prerequisite for Computer Science 305 and 326.
The department has been instrumental in establishing five scholarships for computer science students:5.3 Student OrganizationsThe Ralph A. Niemann Scholarship in Computer Science -- awarded on merit to a rising senior who is majoring in computer science.Interested students may apply for these scholarships when the department circulates application announcements--usually each Spring. Copies of the scholarship application form can be found on the department Website, under the heading STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES & ACTIVITIESThe Society for World-Wide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, Inc. (SWIFT) scholarship -- two scholarships awarded on merit and need to rising juniors or seniors who are majoring in computer science and meets certain residency requirements. Students who are residents of the counties of Culpeper, Rappahannock, Madison, Orange, Spotsylvania, and Fauquier, the City of Fredericksburg, or the northern Virginia area are given preference. Applicants must have demonstrated financial need.
The Don and Kathleen Edwards Scholarship in Computer Science -- a scholarship awarded to a declared major in computer science. Preference will be given to residents of Virginia who have demonstrated academic excellence and have demonstrated financial need.
The Alumni Scholarship in Computer Science -- -- a scholarship awarded to a rising junior or senior Computer Science major who has demonstrated excellence in COmputer Science studies.
5.4 Placement Credit for Entering FreshmenThe Local ACM Chapter
The department encourages its students to participate in the local student chapter of the ACM, which sponsors a yearly lecture series, occasional field trips, and several social events each semester designed to provide interested students with opportunities to interact with each other and with working computer professionals.
Theta Chapter, Upsilon Pi Epsilon
Upsilon Pi Epsilon is the first and only existing international honor society in the computing sciences. It has received endorsements from the two largest computer professional organizations in the world, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the IEEE Computer Society (IEEE-CS). The mission of Upsilon Pi Epsilon is to recognize academic excellence at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the computing sciences. University of Mary Washington received its charter for a chapter of Upsilon Pi Epsilon in 2002. Requirements for eligibility are: a declared major in Computer Science, at least 72 semester hours completed, with 18 semester hours in Computer Science, a GPA of at least 3.25 in Computer Science and at least a 3.00 overall GPA. Graduates, who at the time of completion of degree requirements in Computer Science satisfied the grade point average and class rank requirements, shall also be eligible for election to membership in this Society. Students and graduates who do not qualify under these provisions, but whose achievements in and contributions to the computer and information science field qualify them, in the view of the Membership Committee, shall also be eligible for election to membership.
5.5 Credit by Examination5.4.1 Advanced Placement (AP) Credit for Entering Freshmen
Entering freshmen who have taken the computer science AP exam will be exempt as follows:
Students who earned a 4 or better on the A exam will be awarded three credits and be exempted from CPSC 110. These students should select CPSC 220 to continue their studies in Computer Science.Students who earned a 3 on the A exam will be awarded three credits of elective credit. These students should select CPSC 110 to continue their studies in Computer Science.
Students who earned a 4 or better on the AB exam will be awarded four credits and be exempted from CPSC 220. These students should select CPSC 230 and CPSC 125 to continue their studies in Computer Science.
Students who earned a 3 on the AB exam will be awarded three credits of elective credit. These students should select CPSC 220 to continue their studies in Computer Science.
5.4.2 Department Placement Exam
Students who enter the College with significant computer programming experience, but without an AP Computer Science exam score, may elect to take the CPSC Department Placement Exam to determine their appropriate first course. Students interested in taking the exam should contact the CPSC Department Chair via email (cpscdept@umw.edu) for instructions.
This exam is available on-line and should be completed prior to arriving on campus. Based on a student's performance on the exam, the department will recommend that the student take CPSC 110 or CPSC 220 as their first course in Computer Science.
Students who place out of CPSC 110 as a result of taking the Department Placement Exam will NOT be awarded credits for the CPSC 110 course.
The department does not grant 'credit by examination' for any course. There are no standardized tests for such examinations, and the department has no funds to pay faculty to develop and administer such examinations. In the rare instance when a student may have received equivalent course content by some other means, a course substitution may be granted.5.6 Course Substitutions
A formal request by a student to substitute one or more alternative courses for one required in the major may be granted. The request must be in writing and must be brought before the full department for consideration and approval. In general, the course to be substituted must have the same emphasis and prerequisites as the one to be replaced.5.7 Waiver of Courses for BLS Students
On occasions, BLS students with considerable technical background can have lower level courses waived, or can take both a course and its prerequisite concurrently. The department considers requests of this type on an individual basis, on the recommendation of the student's advisor/mentor.5.8 Credit Deficiencies/Translation for Transfer Students
Transfer students who have a credit deficiency due to having attended an institution on the quarter system, or because of differences in course credit distribution, can make up the deficiency by taking an extra computer science course at the 300 level or above.5.9 Force AddsTransfer credit for courses taken elsewhere is determined by the department after a review of the course content.
The term 'force add' refers to allowing a student to register for a class section which is already full. Students most frequently request force adds into the lower level classes. The number of workstations in laboratory B13 limit the number of students who can be enrolled in any section of the lower-level classes (CPSC 110, CPSC 220, and CPSC 230). These classes are capped at 25 students. Under no circumstances are students allowed to force add these classes during advanced registration. In rare instances, when all sections of a course are full, a faculty member may allow a student to force add a lower level course if the student is intending to major in computer science , and if the department chairperson approves.5.10 Student Grievances
Official College procedures for the resolution of academic disputes between students and faculty members are stated in the UMW Student Handbook. However, every effort should be made to resolve differences at the departmental level. In general, if the involved faculty member and student cannot settle a grievance to the satisfaction of the student, the faculty member should then send the student to the department chairperson.5.11 Helping Another Professor's Students
The feedback from helping ones' own students is important in determining the true difficulty of an assignment and often in discovering deficiencies in background concepts. Encourage students to obtain help from their own professors. However, if a student's professor is not on campus and this student has a problem, then another professor can assist the student if he/she wishes. In general, students are to be discouraged from asking "other professors" for help instead of investigating the solution themselves.5.12 Internships
Internships are designed to give traditional non-working, full-time students a real-life experience. They are not appropriate for students who are currently employed in Computer Science related fields. Members of the department should be sure to inquire of the student who applies for an internship as to whether he/she is currently working in the field, before granting internship permission.5.13 Individual StudyStudents who have successfully completed two CPSC courses numbered greater than 302, and have a major GPA of 2.0 or higher may elect to complete an internship. Any student whose major GPA is in the range 2.0 to 2.49 may take an internship on a pass/fail basis. A student whose major GPA is in the range of 2.5 to 2.89 may take an internship on a graded basis, but not in fulfillment of the requirements of the major. A student whose major GPA is 2.9 or higher may take an internship for graded credit and in fulfillment of one of the requirements of the major.
If a student has a GPA just short of the 2.9 required for graded credit toward the major, he/she may still receive graded credit after a review of the student's academic/computer science course history.
A student must first get approval for the internship from one faculty member in the department. The department chair will be the final signature authority on the internship, and completed paperwork must be submitted to the department chair for signature no later than the first Friday in the semester in which the internship is to be done. Before the chair gives final approval, there may be a review and approval of the application by the full department. The above applies to internships during all semesters - Fall, Spring, as well as Summer.
The Internship application form can be found on the department Website.
Individual study requests must be approved by a majority of the full-time department faculty. Requests for enrollment need to be in writing. A copy of the form is in on the department Website, http://www.umw.edu/cas/computerscience/docs/indivualstudy.rtf. Students who wish to enroll in CPSC 391 ned to have completed CPSC 230. Students who wish to enroll in individual study CPSC 491 need to have successfully completed two CPSC courses numbered greater than 302, and should have at least a 2.7 major GPA.5.14 Graduation with Departmental HonorsIn special cases when a student requesting an individual study project either does not have the required minimum GPA of 2.7 or has not taken the required prerequisite courses, permission can still be granted on the advice of the sponsoring faculty member, after department meeting discussion and approval of the department members.
The department has also informally agreed that an oral presentation before the department and interested students should be considered as an additional requirement for individual study credit.
The Individual Study application form can be found on the department Website.
In order to graduate with departmental honors, the student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.00, a major GPA of at least 3.25, must have completed two semesters of individual study (3 credits each) culminating in a project of superior quality, must be nominated by a member of the department faculty, and must successfully present his/her thesis before the department. Upon departmental approval, supervised individual research conducted at an accredited college or university may be counted as one of the two required semesters.5.15 Outcomes Assessment
Outcomes Assessment consists of:
- A focus group session--a group discussion among randomly selected graduating seniors, moderated by faculty not currently instructing those seniors, to solicit student opinions about the adequacy of our program's administration and resource support. The focus group sessions will be conducted in alternating years, beginning with the 1993-94 academic year.
- Administration of the Major Field Test (MFT) test--in order to compare the technical knowledge of UMW Computer Science students with Computer Science students at other institutions. This will be accomplished by having CPSC 405 students who had completed CPSC 401, and CPSC 401 students who had completed CPSC 405 take the MFAT test as a course requirement. The MFAT Test will be administered in alternating years, beginning with the 1994-95 academic year.
- A periodic alumni survey--mailed to recent Computer Science graduates, to gather their opinions on the overall effectiveness and relevance of our program. The survey will be administered every four years, beginning in the 1993-94 academic year.
Honor Code Guidelines as Accepted by the Department of Computer Science (12/5/05)
Policies and Procedures Regarding Academic Honesty
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
The Department enforces the general university and school policies on academic honesty, as described in the University Honor Code. Further, the Department expects conduct appropriate to computer science professionals as specified in “ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct,” http://www.acm.org/constitution/code.html. Additionally, this policy addresses those aspects of academic honesty that are especially related to the use of computers and other electronic devices.
GENERAL POLICIES
Unless specifically authorized by the instructor,
· all coursework is to be done by the student working alone
· no external aids or electronic devices are allowed in exams.
An instructor may refine academic honesty as appropriate for the course. As an example, instructors may specify rules regarding the conditions under which work done by other people or by the student previously, can be incorporated into an assignment, project, or exam. Violations will be subject to the standard academic and disciplinary penalties. If group work is permitted by an instructor, academic honesty policies continue to apply on a student-by-student basis; the full team is not necessarily held responsible for an individual's violations.
Instructors are asked to explain and to encourage student exploration of the Department's policy at the beginning of every course. They are to announce in class or by website that, by taking the course, the student is presumed to be aware of the departmental policy, and that the text of the policy can be found on the Web page with URL http://rosemary.umw.edu/CSHonorCode.html. However, regardless of any question of instructor announcement or student discussion, student understanding of the policy is assumed.
PROCEDURES AND PENALTIES
If an instructor suspects academic dishonesty, the instructor contacts the student or students involved and asks for explanations. The instructor can request a meeting with the student or students, who may be seen individually or as a group, and with witnesses. If the explanations appear inadequate, the instructor informs the student or students with witnesses that academic dishonesty is suspected. The accuser has five days to report the suspected violation to the Honor Council.
5.17 Modifying/Waiving course prerequisites
Prerequisites for a course may not be waived or modified for an individual or group of students only after all an opportunity for discussion of the waiving or modifying the prerequisites for a course by all departmental faculty through an in-person meeting, email discussion, or some other electronic group forum. The chairperson shall notify all departmental faculty of any action that waives or modifies the prerequisites for a course for an individual or group of students.
6. PROCEDURES, POLICIES, AND INFORMATION RELATING TO FACULTY AND STAFF
Each semester, given that funding is available, the department hires a limited number of interested department majors as student aides. In general, their responsibilities include assisting instructors during lab sessions, answering student questions regarding assignments and equipment operation, assisting in the operation of the department equipment, and assisting the faculty in preparing course materials. The faculty member who supervises the aides requests that each faculty member supply an estimate of the number of hours and, if possible, specific schedules when student aides will be needed.6.2 Course Syllabi
At the beginning of each semester, faculty members must submit to the department secretary a copy of the course syllabus for each course that they will be teaching.6.3 Business Cards
Business cards with the UMW logo are available for department faculty members. See the department secretary for information.6.4 Membership Dues for Professional Organizations
Within reason, faculty dues for membership in professional societies are paid by the department. Applications and renewal notices should be taken to the department secretary for processing.6.5 Responsibilities of the Department Secretary
The department secretary works half-time for Computer Science. The secretary's office is in the Computer Science Department, Trinkle Hall, room B17. The responsibilities of the position include:
- handling travel requests and reimbursements
- handling department purchases
- maintaining department personnel and administrative files
- maintaining office hours lists
- maintaining copies of course syllabi
- ordering business cards
- typing official letters
- ordering desk/examination copies of textbooks
- handling professional society dues payments
- handling general office work requests
- maintaining department forms and documents
If an instructor is out of town or is otherwise unable to meet a class, he is expected to notify the department chair of his absence and have a contingency plan if possible. For exams, a faculty member must be present to distribute and collect the student examination papers.6.7 Determination of Grades for Courses in the Major
Students are evaluated, and grades are assigned, on the basis of written examinations and outside-class exercises of various kinds, with other factors such as oral or written reports included when applicable. For those courses in the major, the department requires each passing student to have a minimum passing grade of 60 on each of outside work average and examination average and limits the weight of the outside work average to 40% of final grade. The department has agreed on the following grading scheme: 92-100 A, 89-91 A-, 87-88 B+, 82-86 B, 79-81 B-, 77-78 C+, 72-76 C, 69-71 C-, 67-68 D+, 60-66 D, below 60 F. Course grading schemes are otherwise left up to the instructor.6.8 Departmental Committees/Individual Responsibilities
Department committees tend to consist of one or two people. Following is a list of most of the current faculty responsibilities:
- ACM Advisor and Speakers Coordinator
- Budget
- Bulletin Board Coordinator
- Career Advisor
- Class Scheduling
- Curriculum Planning/Revision (all department faculty)
- Department Meeting Recording Secretary
- Departmental Publications & Website
- Departmental Self-study (all department faculty)
- Documents and Records
- Equipment
- Faculty Senator
- Graduate School Information Coordinator
- Library: Books and Audio-visual (all department faculty)
- New Faculty Search (all department faculty)
- Outcomes Assessment
- Policy Document Creation/Update
- Scholarships
- Social Events
- Student Aide Supervisor
- UPE Honor Society Advisors
1. Collected by the Chair and reviewed by all tenured members
- Annual activities reports and performance evaluations
- Student evaluation of teaching summary sheets
- Statement of educational goals and objectives
- Statement of professional goals and objectives
- Course syllabi and representative exams and assignments.
- Copies of all professional/scholarly publications, presentations done while associated with UMW.
- A current curriculum vitae, prepared according to the UMW format, containing
2. Submitted by faculty member and reviewed by all tenured members
6.10 Merit Pay Plan For The Department( Revised: Aug. 25, 1999)3. Deadlines
- A summary of contributions to the department
- A summary of contributions to the University
- A summary of contributions to the Computer Science community
- Other achievements while associated with UMW
4. DispositionAll materials collected and submitted made available to tenured members by November 15. Meeting of tenured members for discussion by December 15. Written report presented to faculty member undergoing review by January 15. The report is not to be used by or referred to anyone outside of the department, or to be used for any purpose other than the Third Year Review, except that portions may be used by the Chair to recommend continuation or termination in a recommendation to VPAA & Dean.
As part of its discussion regarding our updated Merit Pay Plan, the department addressed the overall concept. The Computer Science faculty has always found it beneficial to work cooperatively and share teaching materials and experiences. The premise of extra compensation for greater success is discouraging to the cooperative effort by seeking ways of differentiating faculty achievement. In addition, the department feels that the time and energy expended on the preparation of materials for this evaluation and the other activities associated with it could be better spent. Because of these beliefs, the department voted to include the following statement in our plan.
“ The department believes that a merit pay system is detrimental to
faculty morale, and this document is not to be interpreted as support
for that system. We realize that a merit pay system is required by the
College Administration in response to direction from the State
Department of Education. In the event a merit pay system is no longer
required by the state, the department will happily abandon this policy.”
INTRODUCTION
All department members are meritorious in their own ways. The department
also realizes that the chair is responsible for the final merit recommendations.
It is the consensus that the evaluation process not be the sole responsibility of the chair, but that department members conduct peer reviews of materials agreed upon.
Each reviewer will also do a self-review.
Using the prepared portfolios, the areas of teaching, professional
activity, and service will be examined using the criteria in the Faculty Handbook.
The faculty member’s efforts in support of the department’s program and goals will also be taken into consideration. The department recognizes that each reviewer may interpret these criteria in his/her own way. In addition, a peer may incorporate personal observations regarding the quality of the activities discussed in the portfolio. In such cases, a written note must be included on the evaluation form. A positive feature of a peer review is that differing and individual value systems contribute to a much fairer composite than can be obtained by a single evaluator. Thus, one has a better chance for equitable distribution of merit ("sharing the wealth") while also distributing the decision ("sharing the blame").
Section 2.5.2 (Performance Criteria) of the handbook states that meeting basic expectations is a necessary condition for favorable consideration of merit (or tenure/ promotion) but may not in itself be sufficient to achieve such recognition. That is,
faculty must demonstrate high standards of effectiveness beyond basic expectations. Since MWC emphasizes teaching effectiveness over professional activity and service, then "the standard of teaching effectiveness insisted upon is higher than that for
professional accomplishment and service effectiveness."
CRITERIA
As a baseline, we will choose appropriate criteria, listed in the Faculty Handbook, for teaching, professional activity, and service. We may add/eliminate criteria as the plan matures and we gain experience. Section 2.5.2 (Performance Criteria) of the handbook states that meeting basic expectations is a necessary condition for favorable consideration of merit (or tenure/ promotion) but may not in itself be sufficient to achieve such recognition. That is, faculty must demonstrate high standards of effectiveness beyond
basic expectations. Since MWC emphasizes teaching effectiveness over professional activity and service, then "the standard of teaching effectiveness insisted upon is higher than that for professional accomplishment and service effectiveness."
PORTFOLIO
Each member of the department will prepare a portfolio that contains the evidence necessary to allow an evaluation against the criteria. This portfolio should contain, but is not limited to: syllabi, sample assignments/tests, Annual Activities Report, and submitted/accepted articles and grants.
Possibly, the most important document will be the Annual Activities Report. Individuals should take care to provide sufficient information and interpretation. For example, one may include and interpret student comments. One should mention courses which were taught for the first time or required extensive update and revision. In describing professional activity, one should note those activities that were juried and where appropriate include letters from outside sources describing the activity and its evaluation. More attention to detail will be necessary when evaluating committee service. For example, what were your contributions as a member and/or officer?
EVALUATION
An evaluation form will be prepared listing the categories of teaching, professional activity, and service. (The department thinks this documentation is necessary to help resolve any disputes regarding final distribution of merit pay.) For each item on the form, the evaluator assigns a value from 0 to 3. Each number can be interpreted as follows:
0< "fails to meet expectation"<1
1< "meets expectation " <2
2< "significant contribution" <3
"outstanding contribution"=3
The values of 0 to 3 can be assessed by comparing all candidates who performed similar duties during the evaluation year. Regardless, it is the chair's responsibility to detect and correct any inconsistencies that arise. Finally, a member that gets all zeros within service, for example, obviously forfeits any chance for merit recognition in that category.
All full-time members of the department will evaluate each other as well as themselves. The chair will also evaluate all members of the department. The identity and assessment of each reviewer will only be known by the chair. On the initial review of any portfolio, the reviewer will not be required to support assigned numbers with written commentary unless the basis for some of the evaluation included personal observation. To require extensive commentary at the outset is counter-productive, and will probably further dampen what little enthusiasm exists for the merit pay process in general. However, the chair is allowed to ask for written justification for any "numbers" that fly in the face of the evidence or that differ significantly from those of other reviewers. In the case of disputes, all review sheets will be made available to the complainant.
We propose computing a weighted average over the three categories, with teaching 50%, professional activity 25%, and service 25%. The final assessment is done as follows:
(1) Peer Review Outcome:
The sum of the numbers awarded by each reviewer for each category are averaged to produce the three "final numbers" that each faculty member receives. The total score is the sum of the number for each category times its proportion. Each category (teaching, professional activity, service) ranges in scoring from 0 to 3. Hence, the maximum number of points one can earn is 12.
Suppose faculty member A earns the averages shown in the table below:
Faculty Member
Teaching Professional Activity Service A 1.5 3.0 0.75
The apportioned averages would be:
Teaching: (2)(1.5)=3.0; Professional Activity: (1)(3.0) =3.0;
Service: (1)(0.75)=0.75
(2) Chair’s Evaluation:
The Chair will conduct his/her evaluation as follows: Using the individual portfolios, course evaluation results, student commentary, grade distributions, peer commentary, personal interactions, and if applicable, correspondence; the Chair will assess each full-time department member in each category mentioned under peer review. Each category will be rated 0-3 and be apportioned in a manner identical to the peer review.
For example, faculty member A earns the averages shown in the table below:
Faculty Member
Teaching Professional Activity Service A 1.5 2.5 1.00
The apportioned averages would be:
Teaching: (2)(1.5)=3.0; Professional Activity: (1)(2.5) =2.5;
Service: (1)(1.00)=1.0
(3) Merit Recommendation:
The apportioned quantities in each category are then summed and weighted as follows. The outcome of the peer review accounts for 50% and the Chair’s evaluation accounts for 50% of the final summation. This composite score will determine the department’s ranking of each faculty member for merit. For example:
Faculty Member A:
Teaching: (.5)(3.0)+ (.5)(3.0) =3.0
Professional Activity: (.5)(3.0)+(.5)(2.5) = 2.75
Service: (.5)(.75)+(.5)(1.0)= 0.875
Total Points = 3.0 + 2.75 + 0.875 = 6.625
The following table mirrors the mapping of the score into a merit recommendation. If x is the total points one earns, then:
0 < x < 4 unsatisfactory (Level 0)
4 < x < 6 satisfactory (Level 1)
6 < x < 8.2 merit (Level 2)
8.2 < x < 12.0 high merit (Level 3)
The merit recommendation for this individual would be level 2 merit.
(4) This ranking along with a brief evaluation of each faculty member will be conveyed to the Dean.
(5)The chair in consultation with the Dean will submit a final recommendation for merit.
6.11 Role of the Department Chairperson
The chair has the responsibility to carry out the policies and preferences of the department. The chair will not assume preferences or create policies unilaterally. The chair will also do everything in his or her power to personally communicate with all department members before taking official action.
Any voting attendee at a department meeting may ask for a one-department-meeting postponement on any vote where time is not of the essence.
7. DEPARTMENT PHYSICAL RESOURCES
The basement of Trinkle Hall houses department facilities. They include two classrooms--B6 and B7, a PC laboratory--B12, a networked Unix-based laboratory populated with thin clients--B13, and a printer room--B14. In addition, a department suite contains five faculty offices, the main machine room, a conference room, and the department secretary's office. Outside of the suite are additional spaces: a faculty office--B22, and adjunct faculty office-B9, and an office for student aides--B11.
8. DEPARTMENT HARDWARE RESOURCES
Our primary computing facilities include an Ethernet network operating over a 10/100 Base T infrastructure. We have a Hewlett-Packard (HP) K370 file server, and four HP-785/B2600 servers, all of which host portions of the local network available to students and faculty. These operate under the Unix operating system and a networked file system hosted by the HP K370 computer.Students may access our network via the Trinkle Hall public laboratory spaces, the university-wide Eaglenet, and the Internet. While students are not required to own their own computers, most find that having one for regular coursework is beneficial.
9. CPSC DEPARTMENT VIDEO LIBRARY INVENTORY
- Teaching Computing & Human Values
- Software Ownership And Intellectual Property
- Policy Issues For Campus Computing
- Computing Security & Crime
- Visualization in Scientific Computing
- The Machine That Changed The World Vol. 1 - Vol. 5
- Vol. 1 - Giant Brains
- Vol. 2 - Inventing The Future
- Vol. 3 - The Paperback Computer
- Vol. 4 - The Thinking Machine
- Vol. 5 - The World At Your Fingertips
- Thinking Allowed - Intelligent Systems
- Thinking Allowed - Computers And The Mind
- The Age Of Intelligent Machines
- The Computer Revolution - Birth Of The Computer
- Software And Some Lessons From Engineering
- Corel DRAW! 2.0
- CHAOS, FRACTALS AND DYNAMICS: Computer Experiments in
- Mathematics with Robert Devaney
- Industry Leaders In Computer Science and Electrical
- Engineering -
- Dr. Ira Goldstein - Natural Language Access to Databases
- Jim Gettys - Digital Equipment Corporation
- "X Window System Design Principles"
- Jim Mitchell - Sun Microsystems, Inc.
- "Operating Systems Architecture in the 1990s"
- Dan Ingalls - Object-Oriented Programming
- Butler Lampson - Digital Equipment Corporation
- "Computer Security in Distributed Systems"
- Dr. Tilak K. Agerwala - Parallel Processing
- Daniel Hillis - Thinking Machines Corporation
- "Massively Parallel Supercomputing:
- The Connection Machine"
- Guy L. Steele Jr. - Thinking Machines Corporation
- "Data Parallel Algorithms"
- Frances E. Allen - IBM Corporation
- "Optimizing Compilers for Parallel Computing"
- Edsger W. Dijkstra - University of Texas Austin
- "Reasoning About Programs"
- ACM Lecture 04/16/92 - Brent Morris (2 copies)
- Fortran, A History Of (from IBM) - National Computer Conference
- Aiken's Era - Henry Tropp (taped 01/24/86 7:00 PM at MWC, 2 copies)
- Computer Ethics In The Computer Science Curriculum
- Teaching Computer Ethics: Strategies And Cases
- What Is Computer Ethics?
- Ralph Niemann Discusses the MARK II Computer
- Fundamentals of The UNIX System: Basic Level Volumes I-IV
- Workbook--Basic Level
- Intermediate Level Volumes I-IV
- Workbook--Intermediate Level
- Prof. Manuel Blum:
- "Efficient Algorithms and Intractable Problems" Tapes 1-20
- Prof. David Paterson:
- "Computer Architecture" Tapes 1-21
- Graphics the Visual Advantage
- Wavefront Technologies "Engineering Demo Reel"
- Policy Issues for Campus Computing
- Computing Security and Crime
- Software Ownership and Intellectual Property
- Teaching Computing and Human Values