Undergraduate Affairs Committee 1994-1995 Chair: Anthony Peressini Undergraduate Representative: Benjamin Halperin Graduate Representative: Mary Lynn Reed Peter Braunfeld Larry Dornhoff Lynn McLinden Hiram Paley Kenneth Stolarsky Paul Weichsel Merit Workshop: Paul McCreary Elliot Weinberg, ex officio Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee September 13, 1994 Present: Peter Braunfeld, Larry Dornhoff, Ben Halperin, Lynn McLinden, Paul McCreary, Hiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. The new undergraduate member of the committee, Ben Halperin, a senior in mathematics, was introduced to the committee. The chair asked for guidance in the matter of requiring faculty to clear any changes in text or syllabus with the committee in light of the fact that changes are almost always allowed. There was consensus that such monitoring served an important function and should be continued. A letter from Jack Wetzel concerning 315 was discussed. He urged that the practice of giving 3 hours of credit for Math 315 to students who already have 2 hours credit for Math 225 be discontinued. The committee, while recognizing that 5 hours credit may not seem to be justified, felt that removing this option would discourage students who were required to take 225 or did so inadvertently in their first years here from taking the more demanding course. Nonetheless, 225, as well as its link to 315, continues to be a problem. A subcommittee consisting of Bob Fossum, Ben Halperin, Hiram Paley, and Paul Weichsel was appointed to consider the problems involved (large lecture sections without discussion sections in 225, the link between the two courses and overlap of material). A letter from John D'Angelo concerning Math 280 was discussed. He pointed out that the text uses and the syllabus assumes knowledge of some linear algebra, while 10 of his students this semester have not had 225 or equivalent. The committee, while recognizing the problem, decided to table the question while discussions with Engineering are underway about the eventual makeup of the post calculus courses (including advanced calculus). A letter from N. N. Rao of Electrical and Computer Engineering was discussed. The department is restructuring its requirements. It is planning to require Math 135-245 of its students rather than 120- 130-242 in order that its students will have completed the calculus by the end of the first year. In addition it expects that other changes in its requirements will bring about an increased enrollment in Math 213. The committee discussed the implications of these changes for this department, which might include increased demand for instructors. Respectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg, Acting Secretary Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee September 20, 1994 Present: Peter Braunfeld, Larry Dornhoff, Ben Halperin, Lynn McLinden, Paul McCreary, Leon McCulloh, Hiram Paley, Tenney Peck, Mary Lynn Reed, Ken Stolarsky, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. The chair read his charge to the Linear Algebra subcommittee Tenney Peck presented a preliminary report from the special Honors subcommittee appointed last year to consider programs for honors students in mathematics. The identification of students for such a program was to come after taking Math 247. The focus is to be on the assignment of specific courses (317, 344, 318, 348). These are to be offered perhaps once a year with sections closed to graduate students. In addition there would be a possible senior thesis or project requirement. When the floor was opened for discussion, members of UGA suggested various alternatives: The program should not be course oriented; as described it would appear to focus on students in our graduate preparatory option, rather than be opened to students in all options; in particular,there is no honors provision for students in the future teacher education option. There should be a greater emphasis on outside of class activities: special lectures, social events, math club. Special honors seminars could be required. In addition to or alternative to a senior thesis or project and/or seminar we could have an exit exam (like GRE in math). The honors subcommittee will take these matters under advisement. Paul Weichsel reported on the situation with Math 118. This is a free standing general education course which students can use to satisfy the Quantitative Reasoning requirement. The course has no prerequisites. Weichsel feels that how we deal with this course will influence the attitude of some portions of the university community at large towards our department. At the moment students are not dealing well with the course and graduate students dislike teaching it, so it is difficult to staff. George Francis agreed to look at the situation last year; he and the graduate teaching assistants reported that students won't, don't, and can't think abstractly, everything must be in concrete terms. This committee will return to this matter next week. Repectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg, Acting Secretary Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee October 4, 1994 Present: Peter Braunfeld, Larry Dornhoff, George Francis, Ben Halperin, Paul McCreary, Lynn McLinden, Lisa Murphy, Hiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. The meeting was devoted to a discussion of Math 118. For this purpose the committee was joined by George Francis and Lisa Murphy. George directed and team taught the course with a team of graduate assistants in the Fall of 1993. This group reached the conclusion that the book was inadequate and should be replaced and the course should have a prerequisite of Math 112 or the equivalent. Dornhoff reported on discussions with publisher representatives and on the receipt of alternate texts. A basic question that prompted the group was how to work with poorly prepared students with little in the way of manipulative skills. Possible alternatives: have a prerequisite for the course as proposed by Francis et al ; give competency exams during the semester. One point that came up from former lecturers: the course should have clearly defined goals all instructors are aware of; this is not currently the case. There was some disagreement about whether large lecture sections with supporting recitations would be appropriate. Staffing is important since the course will take competent faculty and interested TAs. Moreover, the lecturers and the students should be well-motivated. The discussion will continue. Repectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg, Acting Secretary Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee October 11, 1994 Present: Peter Braunfeld, Larry Dornhoff, Ben Halperin, Adam Lewenberg, Paul McCreary, Leon McCulloh, Lynn McLinden, Lisa Murphy, Hiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. The committee continued the discussion of Math 118. Adam Lewenberg and Lisa Murphy joined the committee for that purpose. The committee used a working paper of Tony Peressini as a guide but did not wind up formally accepting any of its proposal. It did pass a motion recommending that the course continue to meet in small sections if possible. A subcommittee consisting of Peter Braunfeld (chair), Larry Dornhoff, Adam Lewenberg, Lisa Murphy, and Hiram Paley was appointed to consider matters such as text and syllabus for the course. Repectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg, Acting Secretary Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee October 25, 1994 Present: Peter Braunfeld, Larry Dornhoff,, Paul McCreary, Leon McCulloh, Lynn McLindenHiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. Elliot Weinberg reported on several items. (1) Arrangements have been made for providing advising on mathematical matters for majors in Mathematics and Computer Science. Bob Craggs, Graham Evans, and Leon McCulloh have volunteered to provide such advising. A mailing to MathCS majors announcing these contacts with the Mathematics Department went out this week along with related materials. (2) SUM has created a mailing list for its members. We will use this to submit timely announcements to majors. (3) Paul Halmos came to town to visit Joe Doob. When Ben Halperin learned of the visit he arranged for Halmos to talk with interested undergraduate majors. (4) A copy of a letter to the Council of Teacher Education was distributed. This letter reiterates the departments plan to absorb teacher education as an option of the mathematics major. Tony Peressini outlined for the committee activities related to last year's discussion of the revitalization of course offerings for engineering students. Last year the Engineering-Mathematics Liason Committee considered the possibility of redesigning courses and requirements roughly along the following lines. A ten hour calculus sequence following by six hours of advanced mathematics consisting of some version of differential equations followed by one or more of 280, 315, 342, or 346 rewritten to better serve the needs of such students. A new effort is underway this year which may put this project on hold. A consortium of universities under the leadership of Deborah Hughes Hallett has received money for a planning grant to develop a uniform approach for delivery of mathematics to the clients it serves. This would involve liasons between math & engineering, math & the life sciences, and math & the social sciences as well as interuniversity course development. The University of Illinois is sendng participants to the planning meeting in all of these areas. Among the possibilities contemplated are the writing of modular courses (smaller than the typical 3 hour courses we offer) from which departments could select units that would fit its students needs, computer and visual aids either selfstanding or for integration into other modules, and material selected from the point of view of the client rather than the deliverer. We are also contemplating joint team-taught courses with TAM and ME that would integrate some of the mathematics normally taught in our department with the appropriate material from the application. Repectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg, Acting Secretary Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee November 15, 1994 Present: Larry Dornhoff, Ben Halperin, Paul McCreary, Leon McCulloh, Lynn McLinden, Hiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Ken Stolarsky, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. Joe Rotman submitted a request that the alternative section of Math 247 which he taught this Fall be offered again in the spring semester, perhaps with another instructor. The committee denied the request while leaving open the possibility of it being offered again in the fall of '95. The committee first reviewed the history of its agreement to offer the special section, noticing the specific wording that the approval was for this semester. It also considered the Executive Committee's interest in the revised course offfered by West and D'Angelo and the fact that this committee eventually approved the new course for a two year trial. Many members felt that there was no option but to allow the course to continue under development. This raised the whole question about the need to evaluate new and revised courses, of which we have several, 247, Calculus & Mathematica, and the Harvard Consortium calculus. Weichsel said he is considering this problem and has already had discussions on such evaluations with the Office of Instructional Resource. The committee turned to the long burning question of 1 unit credit for 3 hour 300 level courses. The Graduate Affairs Committee has replied to an earlier proposal with a specific list of courses in which graduate students would be allowed to select 3/4 or 1 unit credit with the understanding that the instructor would be required to ask for a special project for the extra 1/4 unit credit. The Undergraduate Affairs Committee prefers either no specific course list or an expanded one as well as a statement that enrollment for 1 unit requires instructor permission and an additional project. The discussion is to be continued. Repectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg, Acting Secretary Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee November 22, 1994 Present: Larry Dornhoff, Ben Halperin, Lynn McLinden, Hiram Paley, Ken Stolarsky, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. The committee returned to the question of 1 unit credit for 3 hour 300 level courses. The Graduate Affairs Committee has replied to an earlier proposal with a specific list of courses in which graduate students would be allowed to select 3/4 or 1 unit credit with the understanding that the instructor would be required to ask for a special project for the extra 1/4 unit credit. Since the proposal is not going to find favor with the Graduate Affairs committee, it was proposed that a letter be sent to the Executive committee outling the proposal. The chair is to draw up such a letter based upon the proposal that 300 level 3 hour or 1unit courses be offered for 3/4 or 1 unit for graduate stdents with full unit credit requiring the permisssion of the instructor required. Moreover students seeking one unit credit will be asked to do extra work for the course. Repectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg, Acting Secretary Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee January 24, 1995 Present: Peter Braunfeld, Larry Dornhoff, Ben Halperin, Paul McCreary, Leon McCulloh, Lynn McLinden, Hiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. Paul Weichsel presented an interim report on Math 225-315 from the linear algebra subcommittee. The members of the subcommittee are Peressini, Blair, Halperin, Fossum, Hinkkanen, Weichsel, Tombuloglu (grad), Schmitt (undergrad), and Paley. Students in 225 were surveyed in the fall semester. About 450-500 students take the course each term. It has been decided that it would not be much more expensive to teach with TAs, so a move to small sections will take place next fall. We should make the course more relevant to engineers, perhaps seeking a new text. In general 315 students responded to the survey more positively than 225 students. The committee is continuing its work. The question arose as to whether it is possible to resubmit Math 125 as satisfying the Quant 1 requirement even though it is taught in large lecture sections with no recitation classes. Tony Peressini cited the need to return to the question of the differential equation courses 285, 385, 341 (ordinary differential equations) and 342, 355 (partial differential equations). A committee to consider these questions was discussed. Salas-Hille, the text for Math 135-245, is coming out in a new edition. Respectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee February 28, 1005 Present: Peter Braunfeld, Larry Dornhoff, Paul McCreary, Leon McCulloh, Lynn McLinden, Hiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Ken Stolarsky, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. The hour was devoted to a report drawn up by the on Math 118 Subcommittee and presented by Peter Braunfield. The subcommittee consisted of Peter Braunfeld (chair), Larry Dornhoff Adam Lewenberg Lisa Murphy Hiram Paley There was general agreement that this was probably the most thorough such report the UAC has seen. It discussed in detail the Qualitative Reasoning requirement that motivated the adoption of the course, the aims of the course, the concerns that have been raised concerning it, the background of students, the text, and the staffing of the course, and included the results of a student survey as well as various documents detailing the analyses of others including a former course captain George Francis. The committee began a discussion of the recommendations of the committee. These will be formalized at the next meeting Respectfully submitted Elliot Weinberg *************** Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee March 28. 1995 Present: Larry Dornhoff, Ben Halperin, Paul McCreary, Leon McCulloh, Lynn McLinden, Hiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Ken Stolarsky, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. The committee discussed the report of the Math 118 subcommittee. It accepted the statement of aims for the course, and the general recommendations of the committee, including the retention of the current text with a revised syllabus. Leon McCulloh asked for an evaluation of Math 247 now that it has been in place for two years. There was a discussion as to how this evaluation might take place. Paul Weichsel announced that ads were running in both the DI and on the student radio station for graders, classroom aides, and the position of Undergraduate Teaching Internship. Elliot Weinberg discussed the need for extending our system of awards to give recognition for more students who have excelled in their fields and for faculty who excel in their teaching. The committee instructed him to return with a formal proposal. Respectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg ******************** Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee April 18, 1995 Present: Peter Braunfeld, Paul McCreary, Lynn McLinden, Hiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Ken Stolarsky, Paul Weichsel, Elliot Weinberg, and the chair, Tony Peressini. The linear algebra subcommittee submitted a report on Math 225. This involves a revised version of the course to be taught from 'Linear Algebra' by Alan Tucker. Peter Braunfeld has agreed to chair a committee to evaluate Math 247. He presented preliminary plans for forming the committee and analyzing the course and its effect on students. The UGAC shared its opinions on these matters. A request by Joe Rotman to reoffer a version of 247 in the fall based upon a forthcoming text by him and Phillippe Tondeur was turned down so as not to complicate the work of the committee being created to evaluate the course. Peressini presented a report on an agreement with the Graduate Affairs Committee to allow 3/4 or 1 unit credit for 300 level mathematics courses. One unit of credit will require instructor approval and extra work to be determined by the instructor. Respectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg ********************** Minutes of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee May 2, 1995 Present: Peter Braunfeld, Larry Dornhoff, Ben Halperin, Paul McCreary, Leon McCulloh, Lynn McLinden, Hiram Paley, Mary Lynn Reed, Ken Stolarsky, Elliot Weinberg, the chair, Tony Peressini, and three visitors, Bob Muncaster, Kathy Ryan, and Joe Miles. A preliminary report on the New Placement Exam. Pilot Exams were given and an additional Pilot Exam is planned in the fall. A special honors section for Math 280 by John D'Angelo was approved for the fall semester. Besides the standard advanced calculus material, the course will include some basic differential geometry used in modern physics. Some topics in physics will be included. Possible text: Differential Forms and Connections by R.W.R. Darling. Approval was given to the use of the text Linear Algebra by Friedberg, Insel, and Spence by Phil Griffith in Math 318, Fall 1995. Tentative approval was given to the Differential Equations Committee proposal for Math 285 to be offered in two versions. A test run of these courses will be made in the Spring of 1996. Both will be taught from Edwards and Penny, Elementary Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problems. The courses would be virtually identical for about 10 weeks, covering standard material on first order and linear differential equations. One course would continue with Fourier Series and boundary value problems, while the other includes material on linear systems while only spending two weeks on Fourier Series. Weinberg presented a brief description of the current status of undergraduate awards and his proposals to introduce additional awards. Currently we recognize distinguished work by undergraduates in one of several ways, distinction at graduation, the Undergraduate Teaching Internship, the Selma Wanna Award, and the Brahana Prize. It is proposed that four additional awards be created, one for each of our majors: Mathematics, Actuarial Science, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Teaching of Mathematics. To keep one student from dominating a category, it was suggested that a student could win one of these curricula awards at most once. The awards might be named (e.g., the Mutual Whatsoever Actuarial Science Award) encouraging donors. The committee deferred consideration of this proposal until the fall. Respectfully submitted, Elliot Weinberg **********************