35 II. STUDENT SUPPORT Criteria Students can ... - pace university

II. STUDENT SUPPORT
Criteria
Students can complete the program in a reasonable amount of time. They
have ample opportunity to interact with their instructors. Students are
offered timely advising, by qualified individuals, about the program’s
requirements and their career alternatives. Students who graduate from
the program meet all program requirements.
A. Frequency of Course Offerings
List below the course numbers, titles, and semester hours and frequency
of offering for all courses required for the major that are offered less
frequently than once per year.
Dept
Course
#
Every course required for the major is offered at least once a year on both
campuses, which is more than what is indicated in the 2004-2006
Undergraduate Catalog.
Title of course Semester
Hours
35
Frequency
New York City
CS 121 Computer Programming I 4 F, S F, S
CS 122 Computer Programming II 4 F, S F, S
CS 232 Computer Organization 4 F, S F, S
CS 241 Data Structures and Algorithms I 4 F, S F
CS 242 Data Structures and Algorithms II 4 F, S S
CS 271 Fundamentals of the Unix Operating
System
1 F, S F, S
CS 312 Research Methods in Computers and
Society
CS 361 Programming Languages and
Implementation
3 S S
4 F F
CS 371 Operating Systems and Architecture I 4 F S
CS 389 Software Engineering 4 S S
CS 488 Computer Networks and the Internet 4 F, S F
Frequency
Pleasantville
Explain how it is determined when each required course will be offered,
e.g., rotation, odd-numbered years, etc.

The guiding consideration is that a full-time student who begins the
program with CS 121 in the fall semester of the sophomore year should be
able to complete the program’s requirements by the close of the spring
semester of the senior (the fourth) year.
In times of strong enrollments core courses are often offered every
semester. In times of lean enrollments core courses are offered at least
once a year. The upper level required courses are offered at least once a
year. This is known by faculty and advisors to insure appropriate
advisement. As one program spanning two campuses there is no
restriction on the location at which any course may be taken; students can
easily enroll in courses on either or both campuses. However, students
typically take all the courses they need on their home campus unless they
chose to do otherwise.
2. List below the course numbers, titles, and semester hours of courses
allowed for the major but not required (i.e., either free electives or lists of
courses from which students must choose a certain number), and explain
how it is determined when they will be offered.
Dept
Course
#
Title of course Semester
Hours
36
Frequency
New York City
CS 301 Computer Science Internship 3 TBA TBA
CS 351 Automata and Computability 4 TBA TBA
CS 383 Computer Graphics 4 F F
CS 385 Artificial Intelligence 4 S F
CS 387 Database Design 4 F, S F, S
CS 388 Data Communications 4 F, S F
CS 396* Special Topics in Computer
Science (topics vary)
variable F, S F, S
CS 490** Independent Study in Computer
Science I
variable F, S F, S
Frequency
Pleasantville
* The Computer Science Department offers courses on a wide range of
contemporary topics to allow students to focus on issues of current
professional interest. The special topics include: computer and data
security, implementing client/server infrastructure, software metrics,
servlets and databases, pattern recognition, just to name a few.
** This course is offered only by special arrangement between the student,
the faculty member, and the Computer Science Department Chairperson.

B. Interaction with Faculty
1. Describe how you achieve effective interaction between students and
faculty.
Course enrollments are kept small. While courses are capped at 30,
average class sizes are substantially less. The average class size for the
Computer Science courses in Spring 2006 was 12 students.
The culture of the program fosters high faculty availability to students and
an easiness that removes blockages to communication. Email has made
communication easier than ever before with the effect that: students who
get stuck in their homework do not stay stuck, engagement is
strengthened, and the sense of community cohesion shared by students
and faculty is more pronounced than ever before. Blackboard, our Internet
based courseware, is an ever available repository of course materials
including the syllabus. In addition, it allows the instructor to post
announcements of special significance such as changes in assignments
or class contacts, as well as co-curricular special programs and speakers.
Faculty are also required to have at least 5 hours of on-campus office
hours each week and many are available much more than that.
Easiness between students and faculty is cultivated by a variety of events.
At the beginning of each semester, a Welcome Party on each campus
allows students and faculty an opportunity to meet each other or get
reacquainted. Other events fostering interaction include an annual softball
game in Pleasantville and frequent pizza parties. A telling indicator of high
cohesion is that students in Computer Science to a large extent (93.3%)
felt that the faculty was “on their side.” (Student Opinion Survey 2005, item
23 - Attachment I-5)
C. Student Advising
1. Describe your system of advisement for students on how to complete
the program. Indicate how you ensure that such advisement is available to
all students.
Student advisement is managed by the school-based Academic Advisors
and supplemented by the faculty. Prior to registration each semester, a
“hold” is placed on each CS student’s registration and is not removed until
there is written notification that advisement has taken place. The
academic advisor, who has access to students' records online, oversees
compliance with the University Core, the requirements for the BS in CS,
and more general University stipulations (e.g. 128 credits to graduate,
filing the application for graduation). The advisor actively assists students
37

with policies and procedures involving all kinds of matters, from study
abroad opportunities to the administrative task of registering for a minor.
Students are encouraged to meet with a faculty member for advisement
and mentoring each semester. CS faculty are helpful in conjunction with
selecting CS electives, offering perspectives on the curriculum and how it
relates to the particular interests of students, and recommending special
studying a student might do to develop interests that extend or straddle
courses and that might relate to a career goal. Each faculty member is
expected to keep five office hours a week throughout the semester. Office
hours are communicated to students in three ways: a faculty member's
hours are posted on the door of the office, they are often printed on course
outlines, and a directory of office hours, office locations, and email
addresses is also available online at the following link:
http://appserv.pace.edu/execute/page.cfm?doc_id=18925 and elsewhere.
A list of faculty office hours are also sent to the students in anticipation of
the two week advisement period just prior to registration. Although
students are required to seek academic advising each term, students are
not assigned to faculty members for advising; they are free to meet with
the faculty member or members of their choice. The faculty advisor a
student chooses can change from term to term as students develop
specialized interests and a rapport with an expanded set of faculty.
The school-based academic advisors are available on a walk-in basis as
well as by appointment. During the pre-registration period their availability
is extended as are the office hours of faculty.
2. When students need to make course decisions and career choices, what
is their procedure for obtaining advising? Do they have adequate access
to qualified professionals when necessary?
Every semester, students are sent a registration packet that includes a
listing of all faculty and their office hours as well as advisement
procedures (Attachment II-1). Faculty are available by appointment,
without appointment during office hours, and informally at odd times at
their discretion (e.g. after class). Likewise for the academic advisor and
the associate dean on each campus. The University handles official
course selection online. Students, based on seniority, are assigned a day
and time via e-mail from the Office of Student Assistance (OSA) after
which they may register for classes for the upcoming semester. Students
discuss internship possibilities, career possibilities, and graduate school
with faculty members on a continuing basis.
38

Career counseling is offered by the staff at the offices of Cooperative
Education and Career Services. There is an office on the New York City
campus and another at the Pleasantville campus. Students are offered
formal workshops and individual counseling on resume writing,
interviewing skills, and on the range of opportunities available. In addition,
Co-op and Career Services maintains a Website with a tremendous
amount of useful information and job openings:
http://appserv.pace.edu/execute/page.cfm?doc_id=1395
D. Meeting the Requirements
1. Describe your standards and procedures for ensuring that graduates
meet all of the requirements of the program.
All students have a worksheet outlining the requirements for graduation.
The students and advisors use these worksheets and keep them up-todate
during every advisement session. During the start of their senior
year, students must register their intent to graduate by filing the prescribed
form (Attachment II-2) with the Office of Student Assistance (OSA). This
will initiate the generation of an audit, completed by that office, to
determine that each requirement on the student's worksheet is properly
fulfilled. The result of this audit is reported to the student in a letter sent by
mail.
If any requirement for the degree as specified by the worksheet appears
unfulfilled, the student is directed to meet with the Academic Advisor in the
Seidenberg School. Generally a schedule is planned with the student that
will enable completion of missing requirement(s) in the most expeditious
manner. If a waiver/substitution is to be made, the appropriate paperwork
is completed and filed with the Office of Student Assistance (Attachment
II-3). If the school-based advisement office disagrees with the result of
the audit, the advisor or associate dean handles the matter with the Office
of Student Assistance and a revised determination is issued.
39