Southern Polytechnic State University

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

¾ MINUTES ¾

August 18, 2009

Note:  At times, issues of confidentiality may require that some items discussed in meetings be excluded from these minutes.

Present:

Absent: 

            Dr. Pace

Meeting began:   2:05 p.m.

1. Updates/Announcements

Enrollment – Dr. McMorran informed the department that fall enrollment at SPSU might exceed 5200. There is high demand for seats in Calculus I and Calculus II. In other courses, most noticeably College Algebra and ODE’s, sections have been somewhat slow to fill. At this point it appears as if the Geometry course will make but Functions of a Complex Variable will probably not. Dr. McMorran informed the department that both Dr. Alfred Adler and Dr. Doug Morris have been hired as full-time temp’s for the period 2009-2010. The number of full-time temp’s within the department for the period 2009-2010 now stands at four.

Text Books – Dr. McMorran informed the department that the textbook currently being used in the Calculus sequence (Thomas) is now in its final year. The new sales representative from Pearson, a Ms. Blake Allvine, has indicated that a new version of the current book is scheduled to come out in 2010. Dr. McMorran requested that the Calculus Committee (Pace, Ritter, Wang, Xu, Pascu) begin the process of selecting a new textbook for use in Fall 2010. Dr. McMorran informed the department that a search to replace the text currently being used in Math 1111 and Math 1113 would not have to begin until Fall 2010. A new edition of Sullivan is scheduled for release in January 2011 and would be available for use in Fall 2011. Dr. McMorran informed the department that the seventh edition of Zill & Cullen would be the required text in Math 2306 beginning Fall 2009. The University Bookstore could not guarantee securing enough used copies of the old 6’th edition to meet the expected demand.

Furloughs – Dr. McMorran informed the faculty that they must take off three days in the Fall semester and three days in the Spring semester. Faculty must take off a day on which they are not scheduled to teach. If a faculty member is scheduled to teach everyday then they must take-off ½ days (there are four hours in a ½ day). Faculty were instructed to not perform any duties related to SPSU while on furlough, set email to “I’m on Furlough”.

West Georgia – Program in Teacher Training – Dr. McMorran informed the department of a request that he has received from the Department of Education at The University of West Georgia. They are seeking to work with several members of the SPSU Mathematics Department in offering a program to middle/high school mathematics teachers. The program will call for us to teach courses most likely in the areas of College Algebra, Precalculus, Geometry, and Probability & Statistics. Expect more details to be forthcoming on this opportunity.

Education – Dr. McMorran informed the department that SPSU’s proposal to offer a B.A. in Mathematics with a Concentration in Education remains very much on track. Hiring an individual with experience in education during the 2009/2010 academic year is being viewed as a high priority by the administration.

Study Abroad Program – Dr. McMorran shared details with the faculty of a meeting that had occurred between a Mr. Raj Sashti and himself. Mr. Raj Sashti is a new staff member who has been hired by SPSU to increase student participation in Study Abroad Programs. One of Mr. Sashti’s goals is to have SPSU students participate in a two week long May-mester program.  Mr. Sashti envisions a program where a mathematics student undertaking such an endeavor would receive three credit hours in mathematics coursework. A number of faculty expressed concerns over (i) the amount of mathematics that a student would actually learn on such a trip, and (ii) the number of credit hours that the student would earn. Dr. Fowler proposed that any mathematics student who wished to participate in such a program should register for a mathematics course in the preceding Spring term. Assuming that this course is worth x hours then upon completion of the May-mester program the student would then receive x+1 hours. Satisfactory completion of the May-mester program will require that the student give a presentation to a mathematics audience of the knowledge that they have acquired in mathematics while participating in the May-mester program.

Calculators – Dr. McMorran informed the faculty that TI-84 Plus calculators are now available for pick-up. Requests for new machines should be directed to Ms. Campbell.

Travel Requests – Dr. McMorran informed the faculty that funding for travel is available and that faculty should submit their travel requests directly to him.

New Classroom – Dr. McMorran announced that D 126, a room that was previously in the domain of Georgia Highlands, will now belong to the SPSU mathematics department.

2. Department Expectations

a)  Swine Flu

Dr. McMorran notified the faculty that the department must have a plan of action in the event that the teaching of classes is interrupted by the spread of Swine Flu. The notion that faculty could be trained to continue teaching their courses online in a period of only 4-5 days was dismissed as being unrealistic. Should classes become interrupted there was agreement that faculty and students should adhere to all guidelines issued by the CDC .

b) Teaching Core Classes Online

In a continuation to a discussion that was initiated at the A&S meeting of 08/18/09 there was repeated opposition in response to a request made by the Dean’s Council (while convened on summer retreat) that all mathematics courses belonging to the core be taken online. This topic evoked a number of questions among which included “Why is it necessary for us to leave ecore?, “Will all faculty be required to teach online?”, “Is this the best way in which we can serve our student body?”.

c) Taking the Entire Program Online

There was strong opposition voiced in response to a request made by the Dean’s Council (while convened on summer retreat) that the entire mathematics program be taken online. While a number of faculty in the department appear somewhat willing to develop and offer courses online, at least if requested to do so, the vast majority of current department faculty strongly prefer teaching courses in which the instructor has face-to-face contact with their students. By many this was deemed an integral part in the learning of mathematics. No one in the department spoke in favor of taking the entire program, or any part of the program, online.

3. Issues with the Math Curriculum: Math 3256, Math 3310, Others?

Dr. McMorran voiced a numbers of concerns he had over what is currently being taught in both Math 3256 and Math 3310. Namely, why should we teach linear algebra and neglect inclusion of the integral theorems of vector calculus in Math 3256? Is there too much duplication of topics taught in Math 2345, Math 3310, and Math 3320?  Dr. McMorran asked that the Department Curriculum Committee examine these and any other curriculum issues that are currently outstanding. Professors Vandenbussche, Edwards, Dillon, Holliday, Ritter, and Fowler agreed to serve as members of the Department Curriculum Committee.

4. Rotating the Upper-Level Math Courses

Dr. McMorran announced that he would be making a number of changes in the “Projected Rotation for the Upper-Level Math Courses” table that was distributed back in April, 2009. This comes in response to (i) a desire by some to see a more equal distribution of the upper-level courses taught by faculty within the department, and (ii) the addition and removal of names within particular streams as faculty opt in and out of courses. Although deemed not essential there was a preference among the faculty to teach a course that was new to them for two straight years before being rotated off.

5) Assessment

a) The B.S.

Dr. McMorran shared a handout with the faculty that contained the “Results of Program Outcomes Assessment” for the B.S. in Mathematics for the period 2008-2009. Dr. Xu was responsible for assessing program outcomes 1 and 2 in Math 3321. Dr. Edwards had assessed program outcome 3 in Math 4440, and program outcomes 4 and 5 in Math 4451. In all five program outcomes student scores had surpassed the desired performance criterion. Also included within the faculty handout was a copy of a report titled “Use of Results of Program Outcomes Assessment” in which Dr.’s Xu and Edwards had listed a number of comments in response to the question “1. Please list the Program Outcomes which were met and briefly discuss these.” No response was necessary to the question “2. If any program Outcomes were not met, please list these and discuss these in more detail.”. Dr. McMorran pointed out that the assessment data generated in Math 4451 came from a pool of only three students.

There was general agreement among the faculty that no changes were necessary in the procedure currently being used to assess the B.S. degree program in Mathematics. The performance criterion used in 2008-2009 would remain in effect for 2009-2010.

b) The Core

Dr. McMorran shared a handout with the faculty that contained assessment data for mathematics classes belonging to areas A-E of the core curriculum. Summary of Result Table’s for Math 1111, Math 1113, Math 2240, Math 2253, Math 2254, Math 2253H, and Math 2254H were distributed for the period 2008-2009. The assessment data presented in Math 1111, Math 1113 and Math 2240 was generated solely from multiple choice type questionnaires that carry no partial credit. Many of the faculty we’re of the opinion that the somewhat low student scores that were recorded could be attributed solely to this particular style of testing. It was recognized that should we continue to employ use of multiple choice type questions in the future then we might strive to ask easier questions of our students. The Core Curriculum Committee (Griffiths, Pascu, Ritter) recommended that the performance criterion in Math 1111, Math 1113, and Math 2240 be adjusted as follows for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Math 1111 – College Algebra

Course Learning Outcome #1 – 60%

Course Learning Outcome #2 – 60%

Course Learning Outcome #3 – 60%

Course Learning Outcome #4 – 60%

Math 1113 – Precalculus

Course Learning Outcome #1 – 60%

Course Learning Outcome #2 – 60%

Course Learning Outcome #3 – 60%

Course Learning Outcome #4 – 60%

Math 2240 – Survey of Calculus

Course Learning Outcome #1 – 60%

Course Learning Outcome #2 – 60%

Course Learning Outcome #3 – 60%

The assessment results for Math 2253, Math 2254, Math 2253H, and Math 2254H were obtained by examining the data that instructors had recorded on their FCAR’s. In these particular courses course outcomes are not being assessed by use of a single problem that is common to all sections. Overall, there was general agreement among the faculty that the student scores in Calculus I, Calculus II, Honors Calculus I, and Honors Calculus II were satisfactory. However, it was recognized that two areas in which students typically do struggle are (i) using integrals to solve applied problems in Calculus I, and (ii) testing for convergence of an infinite series in Calculus II. The Core Curriculum Committee (Griffiths, Pascu, Ritter) recommended that the performance criterion in Math 2253, Math 2254, Math 2253H, and Math 2254H be set as follows for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Math 2253 – Calculus I

Course Learning Outcome #1 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #2 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #3 – 65%

Math 2254 – Calculus II

Course Learning Outcome #1 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #2 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #3 – 65%

Course Learning Outcome #4 – 70%

Math 2253H – Honors Calculus I

Course Learning Outcome #1 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #2 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #3 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #4 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #5 – 70%

Math 2254H – Honors Calculus II

Course Learning Outcome #1 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #2 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #3 – 70%

Course Learning Outcome #4 – 70%

6) Other Business

Dr. McMorran asked the faculty for a volunteer to represent the department on a salary committee that is being convened within the School of Arts & Sciences at the request of Dr. Bernice NuhferHalten. Dr. William Griffiths willingly accepted the position.

Meeting adjourned 3:52 p.m.