Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 17:11:33 -0500

From: Philip Broadbridge <pbroad@math.udel.edu>

Organization: University of Delaware, Department of Mathematical Sciences

To: Kathleen McCoy <mccoy@pluto.cis.udel.edu>,

            "David P. Bellamy" <bellamy@math.udel.edu>

Subject: Re: Letter of support

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Kathy,

 

My apology. I thought I had already replied. I approve of the

proposed change.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Philip Broadbridge

Department Chair, Math. Sci.

 

Kathleen McCoy wrote:

 

>I am not sure whether you received this the first time I sent it or

>whether there is someone else in the department I should be contacting.

>Please let me know.

>

>Thanks

>Kathy McCoy

>CIS

>

>Kathleen McCoy <mccoy@pluto.cis.udel.edu> wrote:

>

>

>>Philip,

>>

>>I am currently the undergraduate coordinator in the CIS department.  We

>>are in the process of putting through a change of our program (I have

>>included the rationale and the program change below FYI).

>>

>>Our current program requires an elective math/science course to be taken

>>from a list that we provide on-line.  In the change we are proposing, we

>>have listed three courses prominently because they are important for some

>>upper-level courses we think our students might be interested in

>>taking.  Our new requirement for the elective would read:

>>

>>"A course chosen from MATH243, CISC304,  MATH349, or a substitute from

>>the list at http://www.cis.udel.edu/undergraduate that is approved

>>beforehand in writing by the advisor."

>>

>>Because two of the courses we list are math courses, the faculty senate

>>has asked us to get a letter of support from the math department saying

>>it is OK for us to list these three courses this way.  Would you be able

>>to provide me such a letter?  An email note would be fine.

>>

>>Thank you very much,

>>Kathy McCoy

>>

>>FROM THE FORM:

>>

>>a.  Rationale for creation, revision, or  deletion:

>>

>>Automata Theory is a theoretical area of computer science that is

>>fundamental and crucially built on by many of the upper-level topics in

>>computer science (e.g., compiler design, networking, some subfields of

>>artificial intelligence). Our current course, CISC301 Automata and

>>Logic, introduced automata theory, and also introduced the area of logic

>>(which is also important, but serves a less central role in computer

>>science). In attempting to provide coverage of two areas, the current

>>course is unable to provide the depth of coverage necessary in either

>>one. As a result, we are suggesting the creation of two new courses, one

>>covering each of these areas in depth. Because the first is more central

>>to computer science, we have made it the required course. The other

>>course (CISC304) is now prominently listed on our math/science elective

>>list.

>>

>>Areas requiring greater preparation in mathematics and science are

>>increasingly important in computer science.  These areas include

>>artificial intelligence, computer security, graphics and image

>>processing, network design and analysis, scientific computation, and

>>bioinformatics, among others.  While our program is not actually

>>changing the list of math/science elective courses provided (except for

>>the addition of the new CISC304 course), we have given three courses

>>prominence as math/science options because they lead into these

>>important research areas. Additional options are provided in an online

>>list for students who wish to strengthen in other math/science

>>areas. The online list of approved math/science options may change over

>>time.

>>

>>Last year the alternative Information Systems major was created. It is a

>>less technical computing major which  provides a new opportunity for

>>students of computing, but with a less technical focus. With this

>>proposed change to the traditional Computer Science major, we strengthen

>>it and further differentiate these two majors.

>>

>>With the addition of math and science requirements for the major (put

>>through last year), it is reasonable to change our previous CIS

>>Technical elective to 9 credits of CISC courses number 301 or above

>>(rather than 12 credits - 3 of which could be a math course at the 300

>>level or above). The changes are also in synchrony with computer science

>>programs at other universities and with accreditation guidelines.

>>

>> b.  Summary of program: A new course CISC303 Automata Theory

>> replaces CISC301 Automata and

>>Logic.  This provides for fuller treatment of the most fundamental

>>theoretical underpinnings of computer science in the required courses

>>and better prepares majors for

>>some key senior options. The other material in CISC301 is expanded into

>>an optional course CISC304 on logic and programming.

>>

>>A reduction in the required CIS Technical electives to 9 credits (from

>>12) is included. These 9 credits must be CISC courses numbered 301 or

>>above, approved by the student's advisor.

>>

>>The option list in the Mathematics/Science part of the recently

>>increased Mathematics and Science requirements of the major are modified

>>as follows:

>>

>>"A course chosen from MATH243, CISC304,  MATH349, or a substitute from

>>the list at http://www.cis.udel.edu/undergraduate that is approved

>>beforehand in writing by the advisor."

>>

>>

>>

>

>