2009 Self-Study Memorandum of Understanding

Computer Science Department
State University of New York at Oswego
Fall 2009

Assessment

The revisions to assessment processes discussed in our main report are nearing completion. We have revamped program outcomes to correspond to ABET criteria, and constructed mappings from course objectives to departmental outcomes. Over the next year, instructors in required and elective CS and SE courses will be responsible for defining corresponding rubrics to enable routine assessment.

Department Chair

The external report recommended that the department seek a more stable alternative to having Prof Lea serve an indeterminate series of one-year interim chair appointments. We do not yet know how to do this. We do not expect to obtain any new CS faculty lines in the near future. Other plausible candidates for chair are already serving critical roles such as program directors for the five major programs supported by the department. However, over the coming years, roles may shift, and/or newer members of the department may become interested and eligible.

Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science

The external report recommended that the department soon hire a new faculty member to alleviate the dependence of the CS AI track and the independent Cognitive Science program on a single faculty member (Prof Graci). In light of the combination of increasing enrollments in the CogSci program and the lack of interdisciplinary instructional support from other departments, we agree that this should be the target our next hiring opportunity. Unfortunately, we do not anticipate obtaining such a line in the near future. However, we will over the coming year re-assign members of the department with expertise in the area to assist in the delivery of AI/CogSci courses. As of Spring 2010, we expect Prof Vampola to teach an average of one course per semester in the program by transferring some of his other responsibilities. We also expect that upcoming revisions to the HCI program under (new faculty) Prof Schofield will enable us to offer at least one co-listed HCI/CogSci course per year.

Resources and Planning

The self-study and external report discussed both the successes and future challenges of maintaining a high-quality program in an ever-changing discipline, along with a significant commitment to new and/or evolving interdisciplinary programs, plus General Education service courses taken by nearly all Oswego undergraduates. In the near term, we can probably continue to succeed in the current climate of limited faculty lines, no other personnel support (such as for computer system administration), and almost no other budgetary support. However, we are unable to plan in advance about how we will do so. We worry about the fragility of the situation, and our likely inability to cope with unanticipated significant changes in numbers of students, external funding, etc. We agree with the external report that some longer-term strategic planning may be beneficial; for example, surrounding expected retirements over the next decade. However, any attempts to formulate concrete plans along these lines are probably useless until current campus budget constraints loosen.