Academic Program Review SUMMARY*
Department under review: Computer Science
Date self-study received in Dean’s office: November 21, 2013
Date of external consultant’s review: November 2013
Date APR received report: January 7, 2014
APR’S summary of self-study
Overview/Roles:
The department’s stated purpose is to provide the highest possible quality of
undergraduate- and graduate-level degree programs in computer science and software
engineering. The undergraduate program emphasizes software development and includes
a broad collection of sub-discipline-themed electives. The graduate program concentrates
on “technology transfer” between academia and industry.
The department offers a major and minor in Computer Science, both of which are offered
with a Teacher Certification variant. The Department also offers a Master’s of Software
Engineering degree. Additionally, they offer a five-year Computer Science B.S./Master of
Software Engineering dual degree, a Computer Science B.S./Computer Engineering or
Electrical Engineering B.S. dual degree in which the engineering work is completed at UWMadison, and a track in which students enrolled in the Western Technical College Electrical
Engineering Technology program transfer to UWL and complete a B.S degree in Computer
Science.
From 2006 to 2012 the Department averaged about 120 Computer Science majors, and 37
Master’s students. The number of Computer Science majors has increased slightly over the
past six years. Over this time, approximately 20 students per year graduated with a B.S
degree in Computer Science, while 23 per year graduated with a Software Engineering
Master’s degree.
APR’s comments including:
Notable Strengths:
 The department continues to be successful in attracting a number of undergraduate
and graduate students that is consistent with national trends.
 Computer science graduates have a 100% employment rate in jobs related to the
major; students have offers of employment prior to or shortly after graduation.
 In 2010-11, 51 computer science majors received credit for paid internship
experiences, a number twice that of any other department in the College of Science
and Health.
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The software development capstone project completed by MSE students is often
sponsored by an employer and directly related to the needs of a business.
Successful capstones and employer satisfaction are primary evidence that the MSE
program is well designed and meets large-scale software development needs.
There is ample evidence of the department successfully improving and adapting its
curriculum and pedagogy based on the results of systematic assessment.
The department is committed to adjusting the MSE program toward areas of
emerging significance, new practices, and applications in industry.
The reputation of the MSE program attracts a significant number of international
students each year, in addition to current contract programs with the South Central
University for Nationalities (SCUN) and Wuhan University.
Notable Weaknesses:
 A continuing problem at the time of the self-study involved MTH 225 (Mathematical
Logic). CS majors would ideally take the course early in their careers to benefit their
study of software design. A prerequisite for MTH 225 has been MTH 207 (Calculus
I). Unfortunately, this puts MTH 225 too late in the sequence to be of real benefit, so
CS must introduce concepts as needed in CS 120 & 220.
 The Department describes a continuing concern over a lack of support for CS
regarding the operation and administration of CS equipment.
Self Study: Purposes
The department states that: 1) it sets course requirements at or above the levels
established by professional organizations and recognized accreditation boards; 2) it
maintains topical diversity through a broad range of course offerings; 3) it connects in-class
material with ideas from other disciplines and activities; 4) it prepares students to work in
modern computing (by enabling them to employ current ideas, up-to-date technologies and
strong engineering principles) or for graduate study (by giving them facility with fundamental
principles, practices and core intellectual tools); 5) it provides students with accessible
academic advising that allows them to make informed choices about course selection and
degree progress; 6) it hires, retains and promotes well-qualified faculty dedicated to
teaching and maintaining an active program of scholarship; and 7) it provides a service
curriculum that meets the General Education program goals, is accessible to a broad
audience, and illuminates concepts and principles of computing and their application to
diverse disciplines.
The department’s strength and reputation comes from its strong undergraduate
curriculum which is built around a coherent set of core course requirements combined
with a broad array of electives. The MSE program is known for its focus on transferring
academic knowledge in software engineering to practical application in industrial
settings. These strong curricular programs are the product of a committed faculty.
Self Study: Curriculum
Majors/Minors:
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The Computer Science Major requires the completion of 41 credits in Computer Science
with 13 credits of requirements in Mathematics, including two semesters of calculus.
The Computer Science Major includes a core curriculum of 5 courses, and multiple
elective choices from 10 sub-disciplines. The major is also offered with a Teacher
Certification variant available in conjunction with the standard teacher education
program; this variant reduces the credit load to 39 and replaces an upper-level CS
course with MTH 421 (Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Computer Science in
the Secondary School).
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A 20-credit Computer Science Minor and Teacher Certification variant are offered.
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The department also offers the Masters of Software Engineering degree. The program
requires eight courses (five core and three electives) and a 12-credit capstone project
for a total of 36 credits. The program is structured to be completed in two years, but
returning professional progress at an individual pace.
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The department offers a 5-year track for completing the B.S. in CS and MSE degrees.
Students in this track begin taking graduate courses in their senior year and complete
coursework and the MSE capstone project in their fifth year.
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A dual degree engineering option for computer science majors includes the core CS
sequence together with course work in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. Upon
completing the UW-L coursework, students may transfer into the engineering program
at Madison in either computer engineering or electrical engineering. At the completion of
the dual-degree program students receive two B.S. degrees.
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Computer Engineering Technology Emphasis: The department offers a 2+2 track for
students in the Electrical Engineering Technology program at Western Technical
College. Students with an associate degree from this program are able to complete the
B.S. in computer science at UWL in two years.
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The department has been the offering home for the Computational Science Minor, but
the department does not currently offer courses for the program.
Self Study: Assessment of Student Learning & Degree of Program Success
For the Computer Science Major, the department has established general student learning
outcomes for the major, and more specific learning outcomes tied to sets of courses
grouped by topic. The course groups and outcomes correspond closely to the components
of the Major Field Test employed by the department for assessment. The department also
has an established set of student learning outcomes for the Master of Software Engineering
program.
The primary assessment tool for the Computer Science Major is the Computer Science
Major Field Test, an exam used annually by 175 computer science programs in the U.S. In
the spring of 2012, UWL computer science students ranked in the 81st percentile. In three
sub-areas of the exam, UWL students ranked at the 86th, 74th, and 76th percentiles. UWL
Computer Science students have performed at this level consistently over recent years. The
Department also constantly re-evaluates student performance in the initial three-course
software design sequence.
Other indicators of program success include a 100% employment rate in jobs related to the
major, numerous students obtaining paid internships, and several students per year
choosing to pursue Ph.D. programs.
The Master of Software Engineering program includes a 12 credit software development
project. Typically, these projects are sponsored by the employer of the student, or a local
business that has approached the Department in need of software development. The
success of these capstone projects and the satisfaction of the employers are primary
evidence that the MSE program is well designed and successfully meeting the needs of
large scale software development. Employers who have been involved in these projects are
anxious to hire graduates of the MSE program. Additionally some projects are theoretical in
nature and, judging by acceptance rates of abstracts at regional or international
conferences, these have also been successful.
Self Study: Previous Academic Program Review and New Program Initiatives
The department was reviewed by APR in 2007 and listed the following recommendations:
1. Establish more defined student learning outcomes.
2. Strengthen C-S 101 by working to restore staffing following previous staff cuts.
3. Continue to advocate for a restoration of multi-year IAS appointments.
4. Explore more ways to recruit new students.
5. Closely monitor the balance between the MSE program and the UG major.
6. Consider ways to revive the Computational Science minor.
Most of these recommendations have been addressed by the department.
In response to Recommendation #1, the department has reworked its “Department Goals
and Objectives” document by re-formulating the programmatic outcomes for the major and
by creating a statement on the department’s purpose in offering CS degree programs and
the principles used in fulfilling that purpose.
In response to Recommendation #2, the department explains that it has taken a new
approach to its general education offering, which is now CT 100, a course that focuses on
principles and ideas about computing that arise from computer science. In response to the
restoration of staffing following previous staff cuts, the department notes that CT 100 is
taught by tenure-track faculty because the department no longer utilizes academic staff.
In response to Recommendation #3, the department states that this issue was resolved by
the Department no longer having IAS positions, and by the University allowing multi-year
contracts for IAS.
In response to Recommendation #4, the department describes having limited means for
directly recruiting students, but cites involvement in local career fairs and with local area
high school teachers, as well as the piloting of CS 120 in local high schools.
In response to Recommendation #5, the department provides examples of the value it
places on its undergraduate programs. All members of the department, except for the
director of the graduate program, contribute to both the undergraduate and graduate
programs (including capstone project supervision). Additionally, the department believes
that the 5-year track has had a positive impact on connecting students in the two programs.
In response to Recommendation #6, the department cites an interest in reviving the
Computational Science minor but asserts that it has lacked the time to propose a
restructured program.
Self Study: Personnel
In the last three years the department has hired five new faculty with the two most recent
starting in fall 2013. The department now consists of 10.5 tenure track faculty and one ADA.
Two previous IAS positions were converted to tenure track because it proved difficult to hire
individuals with appropriate credentials at the available IAS salaries.
Self Study: Support for Achieving Academic Program Goals (Resources)
A. Physical Facilities
Since the last review the department has begun operating a number of special purpose
computing devices and servers. Located in the Computer Science Lab, the department
operates a 16 node cluster that serves as both a computer cluster using grid engine
and as a visualization wall. The department also operates a cluster of 4 servers that
provide the ability to host 128 virtual machines.
The department receives some support from a member of ITS to administer the
Computer Science Lab workstations, but the allocation of time from ITS is very small.
As the department operates an increasing number of special purpose servers and
clusters, it will be essential to increase staff support for deploying and maintaining
systems. Currently, faculty commit the time required to perform this work because it is
essential to creating interesting opportunities for our students. If these tasks continue to
fall on faculty, this will limit the amount of time available for other activities. The
department competes for access to necessary classrooms and argues that better
access to facilities would enhance introductory courses. Additionally, the department
operates a growing number of server systems without an adequate location to house
these systems.
B. Supplies and Equipment (S&E)
Since the last review period the department received some additional S&E funding
through the GQ&A program. The availability of startup funds for new faculty to support
their research has become consistent; the department believes that this, together with
the early-start program for new faculty, has improved its ability to recruit high-quality
faculty. In this same period, the campus use of classroom and laboratory modernization
funds has also changed: the replacement of equipment in the Computer Science Lab
was previously handled through laboratory modernization proposals, but this has been
funded directly by the college for the last few years.
External Reviewer Recommendations
APR’s Comments on External Reviewer
The department was reviewed by the external program reviewer in 2013.
The following is a list of major academic concerns/recommendations from the external
reviewer:
#1. Untenured faculty should be limited in the number of MSE student projects they
supervise.
#2. The CS department should plan an all-day retreat possibly at the end of the academic
year to give in-depth consideration to their undergraduate curriculum. They should ask
themselves both what they do well and where changes should be made. Modifications to
the curriculum can follow as time permits.
#3. Instructors in multi-section courses should consider how to collaborate more fully, both
to save work and to learn from each other.
#4. The CS department at UW-La Crosse needs a professional system administrator
responsive to its needs and who reports to the Chair of the CS department.
#5. The CS department, with possible intervention from the Dean, if needed, should work
with ITS to find a permanent home for the current high performance computing equipment
and any future equipment the department obtains.
#6. Expand the CS lab hours to the building hours.
#7. The CS department should work to establish a laptop lounge or similar space for their
students.
Department’s response to the Reviewer Recommendations
APR’s Comments on the Department’s Response
In response to recommendation #1, the department completely concurs; new faculty will
have the opportunity to participate in capstone project supervision but not at a level that
detracts from their other activities.
In response to recommendation #2, the department explains that it routinely reviews,
vigorously debates, and continues to review its curriculum. The department cites examples
of course creation, evaluation and introduction of new coursework in several emerging
areas of importance. The department also explains that legacy courses remain in place
because of deliberate choice and not neglect, noting that these sub-disciplines have
contributed important ideas that continue to influence computer science.
In response to recommendation #3, the department understands and concurs, stating that
they already do everything that the external reviewer recommends here to a greater extent
than may have been evident to the reviewer during his visit. They are aware that they need
to regularly address this issue as new faculty join the department.
In response to recommendation #4, the department concurs, but notes that they have
encountered significant problems using ITS managed classrooms (due to software not
having been installed and configured in a timely manner, workstations not being configured
identically, and unreliable connection to the data projectors).The department argues that
these problems have been frequently reported and ITS has attempted some repairs but
problems remain. The department asserts that this could be solved by better coordination of
the resources in ITS. Additionally, ITS is staffed and organized to serve the needs of the
campus at large, but the CS department has needs that extend far beyond normal activities,
and to support these needs, it operates a variety of systems that require unique skills,
problem solving abilities and a significant commitment of time.
In response to recommendation #5, The department concurs, explaining that they have
requested that ITS allow all three CS server racks to be located in the ITS machine room,
which is designed for such equipment with appropriate power and ventilation. The
department states that ITS has expressed concerns about this and no solution has been
found so far.
In response to recommendation #6, the department merely states that it concurs and is
working on ways to increase the number of available hours.
In response to recommendation #7, the department explains that a portion of the CS lab is
used for this purpose but this is not ideal since it cannot be used for this purpose when
classes are also utilizing the lab. The department understands that space on campus is
currently at a high premium given the increase in faculty and that this situation is not likely
to improve until the Cowley and Wittich Hall projects are completed.
Dean’s Letter
APR’s Comments on Dean’s Letter
The Dean noted:
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That the Department of Computer Science has a strong commitment to teaching
excellence and the engagement of well-qualified faculty who, as teachers and
scholars, are genuinely interested in the needs and success of their students.
The curricular content of the program is both current and relevant, being kept up-todate through faculty scholarship as well as by faculty participation in state and
national conferences.
Overall, the internal and external review of the program is extremely positive, with
numerous strengths and no serious weaknesses.
The Dean noted that the external reviewer’s report recommendations were insightful, and
that the Department’s response did adequately address some of the concerns. The Dean in
particular commented that:
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Discussions have been initiated with the intent of finding solutions to the
department’s need for (1) a system administrator that directly reports to the
department chair and (2) an appropriate, permanent home for the high- performance
computing equipment.
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The department’s self-study states that the core curriculum for the major only
captures 79% of the topics included in the 2008 ACM/IEEE-CS curriculum
guidelines, with another 14% covered in elective courses. The department
acknowledges there are some areas within the guidelines they would like to
improve, such as net-centric computing, information security and intelligent systems,
but they have found that credit constraints on program size limits their ability to
include such new information. The Dean concurs with the external reviewer’s
description of CS curricula as both current and relevant. The Dean is confident that
the program will be updated as needed, and when possible, through the
department’s ongoing program assessment and review process.
APR’s Recommendations
Recommendations:
Major:
1. 1. Continue discussions with the Dean and ITS to find a long term home for the current high
performance computing equipment, and equipment acquired in the future.
2. 2. Work with the Dean to address the need for a system administrator and/or other
measures to resolve the lack of software and hardware support that CS has experienced.
3. 3. Continue to monitor enrollments and graduation rates in the CS graduate program and
take any steps necessary to maintain or surpass current numbers.
4. Strengthen efforts to communicate the importance of CS to the public at large, and, in the
interest of Inclusive Excellence, promote student diversity among majors, minors, and
graduate students.
Minor:
1. Continue to develop the Computer Science course in discrete mathematics (first offered
in 2013-2014) to be taken in place of MTH 225.
2. Continue assessment of the curriculum with an eye toward including more of the 2008
ACM/IEEE-CS curriculum guidelines in the core curriculum of the CS major.
X No serious areas to address – review in 7 years
□ Some areas to address – review in 7 years
□ Some areas to address – assessment
* APR’s report to faculty senate will consist of this completed form in electronic form.