PROPOSAL 1-78

CHANGE OF NAME OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTER SCIENCES

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Mathematics currently offers the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree and the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree. It is important to note that these are two separate degree programs. At the end of Spring Quarter 1977, there were 71 mathematics majors and 87 computer science majors. Thus, the computer science degree program has surpassed mathematics in size. In recognition of this fact and because of the reasons given below, the Faculty of the Department voted unanimously to change the name of the department to Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences. "Mathematical Sciences" was preferred to "Mathematics" because the department has a degree option in statistics and also teaches courses in operations research.

The Department believes that it is imperative that the name of the Department accurately embody the major programs offered in order to attract students and prospective employers. One of the main sources of information about departments in the mathematical sciences, their addresses, and which degree they offer, is the Mathematical Sciences Administrative Directory which is published annually and distributed widely by the major professional organizations in the mathematical sciences. A survey of the directory indicated that the overwhelming number of institutions with programs in computer science house it in a separate department. Both University of Michigan and Michigan State University do so. There are a total of 75 institutions with a Department of Computer Science which offer at least a bachelor's degree. In addition to these 75 schools, there are 10 institutions at which the department is called Department of Computer and Information Sciences, 2 calling it the Department of Systems and Information Sciences, 1 calling it the Department of Data Processing. At the remainder of the institutions, Computer Science is housed in departments offering more than one degree program. In only a handful is Computer Science associated with any department other than mathematics.

In the following institutions, there is a department of Mathematics and Computer Science: the ones marked with (*) also have programs in statistics: Fairleigh Dickinson, St. John's, Kent State, Lockhaven State (PA), South Carolina State, Knox (IL), South Carolina, Tennessee (Martin), Virginia, Western Washington State, Whitworth (WA), Southwest Minnesota State, Bemidji State, Maryland (Princess Anne), Wisconsin (Whitewater), Central State (OK), (*), Kearney State (NE) (*), Mills, Point Loma, Georgia Southern and Armstrong State (GA). Thus there is ample precedent for a Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences. As long as the Department is not so named in the Administrative Directory, many people will not know that MTU has a degree program in Computer Science.

The Senate Curricular Policy Committee voted on October 4, 1977 to recommend adoption of Proposal 1-78.

PROPOSAL:

The Senate of Michigan Technological University recommends that the name of the Department of Mathematics be changed to the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.

Adopted to Senate: 19 October 1977
Approved by BOC: 9 December 1977