MCS College Council
Minutes for meeting of Thursday, March 13, 1997

1.  TRANSFER OF CREDIT. (I. Fonseca)

College Council considered a petition for transfer credit for a graduate
student in the Mathematical Sciences Department.  The student requested
credit for 21-623 Complex Analysis because she earned an A in an
identical course at RPI, and obtaining this credit will enable her to
complete the requirements for a Master's Degree.

COLLEGE COUNCIL ACTION:  The transfer of credit was approved unanimously.

2.  PROPOSED GRADUATION PROCEDURES FOR UNDERGRADUATES. (E. Grotzinger)

The MCS Advisory Group drafted a policy for graduation procedures for
undergraduates.  This policy is meant to work within the framework of
the newly adopted university policy.  The main intent of the MCS
undergraduate policy proposal is to handle students who are one or two
courses short of graduation requirements in May.  This could happen in
two ways:

  1) planned in advance, so that the student is classified as an August
graduate.  Under the new policy, these students will march and be listed
in the commencement book (as August graduates) for the previous May so
they can participate in commencement exercises with their class.  They
will receive blank diplomas.

  2) not planned in advance (due to course drops or failures), so that
the student is classified as a May graduate.  Since these students are
already listed in the commencement book, they will be permitted under
the new policy to march with their class.  They will receive blank
diplomas.

COLLEGE COUNCIL ACTION:  The proposed policy was approved unanimously.

OTHER ACTION:  Irene Fonseca will discuss the graduation procedures for
graduate students in light of the policy adopted by the Associate Deans
for Graduate Policy (ADGP). 

3.  DELETION OF 33-116 INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS. (R. Swendsen)

This course follows 33-115 with a main audience of H&SS students. 
Although 33-115 (offered in the fall) typically has an enrollment of
around 80 students, the spring course 33-116 has only around 15
students.  There are many other spring physics courses that are
available to this audience (which is probably the main reason for the
low enrollment), so deleting 33-116 course will not leave students
without an appropriate follow-up to 33-115.

By freeing resources currently used for 33-116, Physics will be able to
expand and create its astronomy course offerings, as well as create a
laboratory course for pre-med students.

COLLEGE COUNCIL ACTION:  The deletion of 33-116 was approved unanimously.

4.  PROPOSED NEW COURSE FOR FRESHMEN. (J. Greenberg)

Jack Schaeffer in Mathematical Sciences has designed a course for
freshmen intended for students considering a major in Mathematical
Sciences.  The 3-unit project-based course, Finite Difference Equations,
will be self-contained with no prerequisites.

COLLEGE COUNCIL ACTION:  The proposed course was approved unanimously.

OTHER ACTION:  College Council members suggested that Mathematical
Sciences work with Dick Hayes to create a post-course survey.

5.  CIT/MCS SEMINAR SERIES. (I. Fonseca)

CIT and the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence offer a seminar series
for graduate students called Preparing for a Faculty Career.  It has
been popular with CIT students, but only 6 MCS students have
participated.  Irene Fonseca proposed listing the course with an MCS
number (e.g., 38-700) and offering it for 2 units on a pass/fail basis.

Because the series consists of 6 seminars per academic year for two
years (with a different focus each year) College Council members
suggested offering it with two numbers/names, for instance 38-700
Preparing for Teaching and 38-701 Preparing for Research.  This would
also make it easier for students to participate in one or the other if
they're not interested in both.  Because post-docs might also be
interested in participating in the series, College Council suggested
offering the course for ZERO units (not two) so that post-docs would not
have to pay graduate tuition.  College Council noted that students would
need to sign up for the seminar twice a year (once in the fall and once
in the spring).

COLLEGE COUNCIL ACTION:  The amended proposal (two courses carrying zero
units each) was approved unanimously.