2009 Self-Study Summary

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

1. Even under the recent split of Software Engineering (SE) into a distinct degree program, the main curricular goals of the Computer Science degree program remain: to offer core courses establishing a base set of knowledge and skills, as well as electives providing depth and professional skills, and a basis for coping with the inevitable changes in computing over time.
2. The Computer Science department services an increasing range of degree programs and options, including those entailing interdisciplinary cooperation with about a dozen other departments.
3. The structure of the CS degree programs remain stable even as course contents and elective offerings change over time. This structure is among few that also work well within the many Campus constraints (e.g., general education) that make program design and delivery challenging.
4. During the self-study period, the department defined and assessed learning outcomes using some not-very-good processes and assessment tools that are currently being overhauled to mesh with the ABET-based requirements of the SE program. Existing results from this effort indicate that students learn some computer science in CS courses.
5. Among other new initiatives, we have developed courses enabling us to phase in a new Embedded Systems concentration as of Fall 2009. The courses are also slated to be part of the Electrical and Computer Engineering program as it develops. Also, a CS faculty member is taking the lead in developing the new Medical Information Systems program at the Metro Center
6. The department offers non-major courses serving the vast majority of Oswego students satisfying "Computer and Information Literacy" general education requirements. Evaluations and self-study reveal opportunities for improvement that we are in the process of carrying out, mainly by splitting out targeted versions, including a pilot of an Education school version running this semester that has been successful enough to commit as a regular offering.
7. Depending on how you count, the size of the faculty has either stayed the same or decreased by one or two since our last self-study. Three (four as of Fall 2009) full-time lines are filled by different people than in 2004. We also rely on a small set of adjuncts to maintain high-quality delivery of non-major courses.
8. Our faculty perform quality research, teaching, and service, as encouraged and evaluated by successful processes.
9. The numbers of CS majors over the years almost exactly mirror national trends, including a drop starting around 2001 that only recently appears to be rising again.
10. The diversity of courses, programs, and options, along with cyclically varying numbers of students makes course scheduling challenging and other needs unpredictable. We cannot plan too far ahead, but instead continuously opportunistically improve.
11. We have good facilities and equipment. We augment a nearly non-existent budget with external grants and self-upkeep. The co-location of our classrooms, labs, and offices helps improve quality of instruction.
12. Our relationships with other campus departments, agencies, and units seem to be acceptable.