Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

Meeting Minutes
Monday 20 November 2006


Attending: Sudhir Aggarwal, Ted Baker (Chair), Ken Baldauf, Zhenhai Duan, Ann F Tyson, Chris Lacher, David Whalley
  1. New undergrad course on Reactive Systems Programming
    See http://www.cs.fsu./edu/~lacher/courses/CIS59301/ for syllabus of dual-listed graduate version.

    Approved unanimously. Ted Baker will sign form and pass it on to the Science Area Curriculum Committee.


  2. Removal of CDA 3101 (Computer Organization II) as co-requisite for COP 4610 (Operating Systems)
    options:

    Approved adding consent of instructor, unanimously. Ted Baker will edit copy for new UG Bulletin to reflect change.


  3. Change from COP 4530 to CDA 3100 as prerequisite for CIS 4361 (Applied Computer Security) and CIS 4362 (Network Security and Cryptography)

    Approved unanimously. Ted Baker will edit copy for new UG Bulletin to reflect change.


  4. Textbook change for CDA 4503 (Introduction to Computer Networks) Sudhir proposes changing to Communication Networks: Fundamental Concepts and Key Architectures, Leon-Garcia and Widjaja, McGraw-Hill. This text goes into more depth than the previous one, which is Computer Networking, by Kurose and Ross.

    After some debate over the general principle of whether instructors should have freedom to choose their own textbooks, and whether there should be only one textbook for a course or a list of approved texts, there seemed to be consensus on the following points, though no formal votes on them were taken:

    The vote on the specific case in hand was unanimous for approving both of the two books above, as alternatives from which the instructor(s) for this course could choose the one to require in any given term.


  5. CIS 4362 (Cryptography and Network security). Mike and Sudhir propose changing to Cryptography and Network Security, by Stallings (Prentice-Hall). The new book goes into more depth on cryptography than the old text, which is Network Security Essentials, also by Stallings. Since the new book is by the same author than the old, and subsumes the content, this would be a replacement rather than an addition to a list.

    The new book is approved as the (one and only) textbook for this course, unanimously.


  6. COP 3014 and CGS 3406. Ann Ford proposes the following, regarding a new supplemental text which she co-authored:
    I am writing to request that the UCC approve my use of the following
    book in COP 3014 and CGS 3406 for spring term 2007.  This would be in
    addition to the regular "main" textbooks (the large, mainstream C++
    texts) used in earlier terms and which will remain the same as before.
    
    Title: C++ Debugging Guide
    Authors: Ann Ford, Toby Teorey, Gary Tyson
    Publisher: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2002
    ISBN: 0-536-98765-3
    114 pages (short, this is a supplementary textbook focusing only on
    debugging)
    Approximate cost to students $10
    
    TOC:
    Chapter 1: Introduction (overview of debugging approaches etc.)
    Chapter 2: Common Syntax and Semantic Errors
    Chapter 3: Tracing Techniques for Debugging
    Chapter 4: Tracing for More Advanced C++ Constructs
    Chapter 5: Using an Interactive Debugger
    Appendix A: Common Bugs in First Programs
    Appendix B: Checklist for Error Detection and Prevention
    
    WHY: I wrote the first edition of this book originally with my colleague
    Toby Teorey at UM because we saw a critical gap in education in the
    introductory programming classes.  This gap is that CS1 students
    typically do not learn how to debug, and mainstream textbooks do NOT
    cover debugging in any real sense.
    
    I required this book successfully for about 5 years in UM courses and
    once this past summer term at FSU.  I, Toby and Gary have revised the
    original for its latest edition.  Faculty at UM are still requiring it
    for their intro programming classes.
    
    To me this book is absolutely critical in my introductory programming
    courses and makes an enormous impact on what students learn in terms of
    critical debugging/programming skills.  If students do not view
    debugging as an actual required course topic, then every time they have
    a problem, they just "go see the TA for the answer."  Requiring this
    book forces them to realize debugging is important and teaches them how
    to do it effectively.  This impacts not just on my courses, but on how
    they program in every course they take in the future.
    
    I ask that you please approve of this book for spring term for both
    courses, and hopefully quickly, as Eleanor needs the book orders asap.
    It is very little cost to the students and makes a huge difference to my
    classes and to all the subsequent classes they take.
    

    The committee voted unanimously to adopt this as a required supplemental text for COP 3014.


  7. COP 3014. Chris Lacher proposed replacing the current text for COP 3014 and COP 3330:
    I need to get approval for alternate text for COP3014 (and later
    also for COP3330). GHere's the executive summary:
     1. The current book is terrible. We need to make a change.
     2. The possibilities under review for PC are:
    
    Dietel C++ How to Program 5th edition #0-13-185757-6
    This is a good reference text, with lots of suprisingly correct
    info on C++ and good advice on SE best practices. It could serve
    for both COP3014 and COP3330. It is not very readable, though.
    
    Programming and Problem Solving with C++, Fourth Edition Nell
    Dale, University of Texas, Austin, Chip Weems, University of
    Massachusetts, Amherst ISBN 13: 9780763707989
    This is a great book - not too wordy, but CORRECT. It starts off
    teaching good habits instead of bad (like Gaddis).
    
    3. We can go either way, but there's a section of 3014 spring07 and
    we need to change texts for that.

    There was a rather lengthy debate, in which the following two opposing principles seemed to be at the core:

    Some members of the committee were uncomfortable about making a change in the text for COP 3014 without input from the instructors of COP 3330. However, the committee was pressured by the instructors of COP 3014 to make a decision so that textbook orders for Spring 2007 could be sent in on time, and work could begin on developing distance learning materials for COP 3014 on the PC campus. Therefore, the following compromise was adopted, unanimously.


  8. Overview of information for ABET accreditation self-study. Ted Baker forwarned that the committee would need to take up several matters related to the accreditation self-study, but further ddscussion was postponed until a future meeting.

  9. Deletion of courses that have not been offered (ever, or recently):

    The committee voted unanimously to delete CEN 4516, which as never been offered. CEN 4012 has been offered, and will be retained if a faculty member is willing to prepare the accreditation summary. David Gaitros has tentatively agreed to provide the necessary information about prior offering to Ted.


  10. New criminology degree. David Whalley described a new degree program in Computer Criminology on which he has been working with faculty members from Criminology.

    After review and discussion, the committee voted unanimously to recommend adoption of Dave's proposal to the CS faculty.


  11. Plans for evolution of SE major. Chris Lacher reviewed the recent evolution of plans for this major that were approved in principle by the CS faculty at the Fall CS workshop. See SE-2.xls for details.

Minutes by Ted Baker