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Minutes of Math Issues
Committee Meeting
Present:
Rob Clark (Tunxis), Elaine Dinto (Naugatuck), Miguel Garcia
(Gateway), Alice Grandgeorge (Manchester), Kathy Herron (Capital), Joe
Karnowski (Norwalk), Bob Lynott (Naugatuck), Linda Musco (Middlesex), Slav Sharapov (Quinebaug) The meeting
started with Kathy voicing concern that many Intermediate Algebra
students are unsuccessful – nearly everyone immediately concurred. The group discussed possible reasons for this occurrence. Some explanations included poor
attendance, not doing homework, length of time since Beginning Algebra. Does any college have a requirement
that limits the amount of time between taking Beginning Algebra and
Intermediate Algebra? Does anyone
have a requirement for Intermediate Algebra that is greater than a C or
C- (in Beginning Algebra)? The
answer to both questions was no. Discussion
turned to the number of retirements and the impact it will have on each
of our departments. Several
members of the committee are concerned about the number of full time
faculty remaining in each of our departments and how many we will be
able to replace. Is there a
"requirement" or suggested ratio by NEASC of full-time to
part-time faculty. Several of us
were going to check, but some members, who had recently been through the
reaccredidation process, said that there was no specific ratio stated. Each of us is to find the full-time to
part-time ratio (of mathematics faculty) for the next meeting (April
25). During the last
meeting, Alice Burstein brought up the possible removal of the calculus
requirement for the Liberal
Arts, Science Option. It was decided that the program
will still include calculus, with an asterisk, indicating that biology
majors should check with their transfer university to see if they are
required to take calculus. |