Department Interviews - 1997

Interview with:  Vasily Cateforis, Chair
                 Jim Parks, Professor
                 Mathematics Department

Interview date:  3/12/97



Questions:


1. How satisfied you (and your department) are with technology support and
   services?

   In general, the office of Distributed Computing/Telemedia does a good job
   of taking care of the needs of the Mathematics Department, when these are
   clearly understood.  On occasion, it is difficult to get answers and/or
   results from DC/TM.  On occasion, the impression is created (and it is 
   hoped that it is not intentional) that the office is there to give 
   permission for the things to happen to the extent that the office acts as 
   an obstacle to be overcome or an office to be bypassed - rather than to 
   operate as a service agency.



2. What services and support could be improved?

   It is important to let callers know what the priority and expectations are
   for getting requested work done.  Without this information, one is left
   wondering if a request will ever be met.

   Install PageMaker on Patty Beaulieu's computer.

   Provide access to Minitab from any Mac on campus.



3. Is your school considering any new technology initiatives for the next
   year?

   The department is going to require all Calc 1 students to purchase a
   graphing calculator for use in this course in the Fall.  Both the Dean
   and the Provost have supported our push for introducing this kind of 
   technology into our teaching; the support has taken concrete form in terms 
   of supplying funds for needed equipment.

   The department is the site for an  NSF sponsored Research Experiences
   for Undergraduates program which may be renewed for two additional summers.
   Twelve students will be chosen to participate and they will be given three
   offices in the department (four in each office).  They will need a
   computer for each office (3 total) with capabilities to be ascertained
   from Kazem Mahdavi, principal faculty advisor for the program.  Joel Foisy
   and David Powers are the two other advisors.  The program runs from
   6/15 through 8/8/97.

   Mathematica for Carson 101, though there is a concern that annual updates
   will be too expensive to continue with.

   Math faculty concerns and plans for the next year and beyond:
   ------------------------------------------------------------
     The use of the Kellas 100 Lab and the Carson 101 classroom will
     undoubtedly increase with the new faculty in the dept. (Foisy, Shepherd, 
     & Pambuccian). Courses that may be part of this usage include:

        a. MA125 Prob. & Stat. I, MA461 Prob. & Math. Stat.I, and MA562
           Prob. & Math. Stat. II, which currently use or plan to use MINITAB 
           in the Kellas Lab;

        b. MA151, MA152, & MA253 (Calculus 1, 2, & 3) courses, where there
           is interest in using software like Mathematica, Maple, MathLab, & 
           MathCad in Kellas lab or Carson 101 classroom;

        c. MA390 Diff. Equations, various software like XFunc. & MacMath
           are currently being used, Mathematica or Maple may be used in the 
           future;

        d. MA404 Elements of Geom. & MA553 Concepts of Geometry, where
           Geometer's Sketchpad is currently being used in the Carson 101 
           classroom;

        e. MA561 Intro. to Complex Var., in which *f(z)*, Mathematica, &
           MathCad have been or are being used.

     The problems math. faculty are running into include:

        a. lack of software & campus-wide support for software,

        b. lack of printers in good working order in Kellas 100 lab,

        c. lack of computers around campus with access to Kellas server for
            using software like MINITAB,

        d. lack of access to Kellas Lab after hours and on weekends,

        e. lack of access to Carson 101 outside of class time.


   A suggestion was floated about replicating Carson 101 and placing it in
   the Carson 105/106 space.  This new "computer room" could eventually
   become fully equipped with math and science software, available to all
   science and math classes with relevant needs.



4. What are your most important concerns and priorities for the next
   year?

   Setting up all new faculty computers which are on order.

   Set up 3 computers in the offices for the summer NSF program on
   Undergraduate Research Experience.  These need to be ready by 6/10/97.