Meeting Minutes
Minutes of the Academic Affairs UPC Meeting
November 23, 2004
Meeting held via tri-campus video-conference
Members Present: Paula DeVoto, Alan Gitelson (chair),
Sheila Haas, Patricia Jung, Fred Kniss, E.J. Neafsey, Tiffany Ying
Members Excused: Anthony Barbato, Emily Preheim
Guests: Ed Gumz (social work)
William Honig (computer science)
Konstantin Laufer (computer science)
John Pelissero (Associate Provost)
The meeting was called to order at 2:30 pm by the chair, Alan Gitelson.
Agenda Item #1: The minutes of the November 9th AAUPC meeting were approved
unanimously after a motion by the Provost and a second by Patti Jung.
Agenda Item #2: The chair offered congratulations on behalf of the AAUPC to
Committee member Tiffany Ying who became a United States citizen on Monday,
November 8th.
Agenda Item #3: Prof. Ed Gumz from the School of Social Work offered the
rationale for the proposal to transfer the Bachelor of Science in Social
Work degree program from the College of Arts & Sciences to the School of
Social Work. In summing up, he noted "Its time has come." It is not
unusual that a professional school like SSW house the BBSW. Loyola's
baccalaureate program has been housed in CAS since the 1970's and there have
been no substantive changes to the major since. But the field has evolved
significantly and the degree now needs more focus on its practitioner role.
The transfer would be effective January 1, 2005 with the first graduating
class under SSW in May of 2005. The SSW will also propose four courses for
inclusion in the core curriculum. There is strong faculty support for this
transfer and both Deans Crawford and Wall have approved the transfer; there
is no objection from the Academic Council of CAS.
Fred Kniss moved and Tiffany Ying seconded a motion to recommend to the
provost without any reservations that he accept the proposal to transfer the
BSSW program from CAS to SSW effective January 1st. This motion received
uniamously.
The chair's memo to the Provost states: "The Committee recommends positive
action regarding the proposed transfer of the BSSW program from the CAS to
the School of Social Work. The vote was 7 in favor, none against, no
abstentions."
Agenda Items #4 through # 7 were considered as a single proposal.
Specifically, these include a change to the current major for the BS in
Computer Science and the addition of three new majors: the BS in
Communication Networks and Security, the BS in Enterprise Information and
Data Management, and the BS in Software Development.
The need for immediate action was imperative since this proposal needs to be
presented at the December 3rd Board of Trustees meeting. Profs. William
Honig and Konstantin Laufer, along with the Provost, addressed the
critical need for these changes in the computer science program.
Changes in the field of computer science and computer programming over the
last two decades no longer make a single CS degree program viable. The
discipline has expanded and the various facets now require specialized
knowledge in different areas for careers in those areas. The thrust of the
original degree program has been software development which has required a
long sequence of difficult programming courses. Programming is no longer
the main focus of computer technology. Nowadays areas such as data voice
and multi-media technology or computer security (preventing hackers) are
much in demand.
The original proposal considered offering a B.A. in computer science
alongside the existing B.S. but after studying the market , job data, and
competing programs, the department decided that this would neither bring
about sufficient change to the program nor was it an appropriate degree.
Rethinking the information gathered, the department is now proposing the BS
as the primary degree but adding three specialized
degrees in areas now more appealing to prospective students and employers.
The current major will become more flexible, allowing a selection of "a la
carte" coursework. In all programs, the first two years of the major will
be common; differentiation will occur in the 3rd and 4th years.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms growth in the areas covered by the
newly proposed programs. The higher end of software development will
continue but these less demanding fields of computer science will attract
more students into more diverse career opportunities. To Sheila's question,
"what is high end software development?," Konstantin and William explained
that it is the physical structure analogous to the steel girders of a
high-rise building. Students with a bachelor's degree in this area possess
the software skills to add something to an engineering program, but it has a
more limited appeal. 60% of software jobs these days are in embedded
systems.
In viewing the future of high end development, desktop computers will
disappear and computers will be pervasive throughout in an automated home
system, e.g. The proposed B.S. in Software Development is the old CS
degree, but the new degree allows for a smorgasbord of courses.
In response to Patti's question as to whether these are majors or emphases -
"is it a marketing consideration?" both William and Konstantin noted that,
in analyzing the competition, DePaul has nine majors, not emphases, so
Loyola is following suit supported by others in the field.
When asked about detailed projections for faculty lines, they answered that
the programs can all be launched without additional resources but in two
years' time specialized faculty will be needed for the junior / senior year
courses. William added that he himself has a strong background in
telecommunications and could teach the advanced-level courses which he's not
been able to do thus far.
Asked whether there'll be any other needs for these new programs, they noted
that additional software / hardware will be needed to offer these programs.
They plan to bring in non-tenured individuals from industry for some of the
teaching, and there will be a practicum component to each of these
majors.
Konstantin outlined the foundation courses common to all four majors [page
14 of the proposal]:
Year 1) The formative period
Comp 150 (computing for arts & sciences),
Math 131 (introduction to calculus I),
Comp 170 (introduction to programming),
Comp 211 (discrete mathematics)
Year 2) The expansive period
Comp 271 (data structures),
Comp 260 (computer systems design & programming),
major elective or Comp 250 (introduction to scientific & technical
communication),
major elective or Comp 317 (social issues in computing)
Years 3 & 4) The integrative period
Comp 250 (unless taken earlier), Comp 317 (unless taken earlier),
Six s.h. of either Comp 391 (internship) or Comp 398 (independent
study)
This last would be the practicum component.
The guests, the provost and the associate provost all acknowledged that CAS
fully supports this proposal and that the Academic Council of CAS has
approved it wholeheartedly.
The chair asked the Committee to read through the proposal carefully and
send him any comments by the following afternoon along with each member's
approval or non-approval of the proposal itself and any recommendations for
the provost.
The chair subsequently submitted the following recommendation to the
provost:
"Committee members, after discussion at our meeting on November 23, and
after further reading / review after the meeting, voted, by e-mail in favor
of recommending all four proposals to you. The vote was:7 in favor; none
against; no abstentions."
"Regarding these proposals, no stipulations were made by committee members.
There were, however, two issues raised for your consideration: (1) typos on
pages 6, 8, and 13; (2) the department should consider what impact a course
offered by the School of Business (ISOM 349; page 20) will have on that
school being able to offer sufficient sections with sufficient faculty since
business students will be enrolling as well."
The Committee then asked Associate Provost John Pelissero the outcome of an
issue raised at the November 9th meeting concerning requirements among the
various undergraduate schools. He noted that the school of business
administration will require one in the major eventually, and that the
schools of education and nursing will do likewise. He also noted that the
school of social work has dropped its foreign language requirement.
The Provost thanked the Committee and reminded it that the December
14th meeting will see the final draft from Dawn Harris of the health care
proposal and that the school of social work will present a leadership
proposal.
After wishes all around for a Happy Thanksgiving, Paula De Voto moved and
Tiffany Ying seconded a motion for adjournment. The meeting adjourned at
3:25 pm.