Report of the Academic Program Review Committee (APRC) for the Department of Computer Science
For the Review Period FY2014–FY2016
APRC approved May 17, 2017
CAP approved July 25, 2017
The Department of Computer Science (CSC) in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) focuses on the theoretical foundations of information and computation and on practical techniques for their application. CSCemphasizes research in high-performance computing, big data, Internet of Things, and digital security,including interdisciplinary research in bioinformatics, astroinformatics, and data analytics.
CSC, created in 1999,offers BS, MS, and PhD degrees. The web site phds.org ranks the CS graduate program as #35 of 127 U.S. programs. In fall 2015, the faculty had15tenured/tenure-track (T/TT) facultyand three instructors/lecturers. Of the T/TT faculty, two were female, eight were Asian, andsevenwere white, withtwo African American instructors (typical of demographics in the field). The faculty includes a 2CI hire, and CSC is seeking additionalT/TT faculty through Next Generation initiatives.CSC has one Regents’ Professor and two Distinguished University Professors, and members have received seven other awards from national professional organizations.
Quality and Productivity of Research
During the review period, T/TT faculty published86 articles in peer-reviewed journals,110papers in peer-reviewed conference proceedings,13 books, and 28 book chapters, and 199 other contributions, giving annual average productivity per T/TT faculty of 1.9 peer-reviewed journal articles, 2.4peer-reviewed conference proceedings, 0.3 books, 0.6 book chapters, and 4.4 other contributions. Many articles were published in high-impact journals. Eight senior members presented 67 invited talks at professional meetings. The average number of citations for CSC faculty was 2530, and the average h-index was 22, with individual values ranging from 10 to 45. CSC hosted three international meetings at GSU, participated on the organizing committees of others, and served on editorial boards and grant panels.
For the review period, total external grant funding was $3,945,064, giving an average annual funding per T/TT faculty member of $82,189. Active grants during this period were directed by 16 different faculty members, including an NSF CAREER award. CSC faculty and students received 16 internal funding awards.
Quality and Productivity of Teaching
Undergraduate credit hours increased over the period: 17,338 (2014), 19,416 (2015) and 22,391 (2016). The average ratio of undergraduate students to full-time faculty member was 49, 55, and 64 (2014, 2015, 2016, respectively; iPORT), much larger than that ofpeer institutions and other departments in CAS. The full time facultyteaching load was reduced through the use of part-time instructors and graduate student teaching assistants so that credit hours generated per full-time facultyaveraged 276 (iPORT), which was on par with other CAS departments. The 6-yearfirst-time/full-timegraduation rates were low (partially because of good employment prospects luring students away from GSU), but showed an improving trend (33% to 49% from the 2007 to 2009 cohorts).
The external review team suggested that while the curriculum is mainly consistent with requirements for ABET accreditation, it does not cover some modern software process methodologies, such as agile approachesfor software development. They suggested that the department compare thecurriculum with ACM 2013 guidelines. CSC offers six concentrations for the BS degree, but students, faculty and the external reviewers all questioned their usefulness.
Undergraduate assessment was begunin 2004,resulting in the addition of a lab component to introductory courses. The self-study did not address how assessment had been used to improve learning during the review period. External reviewers noted inadequate lab facilities, lack of support for the internship program, lack of undergraduate honors theses, and, in some cases, low quality of teaching, which may be a function ofcourses taught by graduate students. Undergraduate students also felt the quality of education could be improved. Although racially diverse,thestudent population is 83% male (80% male nationally).
The external reviewerssuggested that the MS curriculum was standard, reasonably rigorous, and flexible. Similarly, the PhD curriculum was judged reasonable. Graduate students were pleased with the quality of their program. The MS retention rate after three years (enrolled plus graduated) was 85% (Fall 2010-2012) and the PhD rate was 81% (Fall 2010-2014). The student population is largely Asian, and approximately 33% of the students are female.
Viability of the Undergraduate Program
The CSC BS program is in high demand and the number of majors has grown from704 in Fall 2012 to 1,227 in Fall 2015. Serving this large population is a challenge. The number of BS enrollments per T/TT facultymember was 71 at GSU compared to amedian ratio of 29 in similar universities at the time of the CRA Taulbee Survey (2015). The ratio of graduates per T/TT faculty member per year was 7.3 (110 graduates/15T/TT)at GSU compared to a median ratio of 3.9 for similar universities (Taulbee Survey). These numbers demonstrate that the CS program is very productive. There are problems associated with growth including the use of PhD students and part-time instructors and unmet lab space needs. Nevertheless, the many career options open to CS graduates arelikely to drive growth in the program.
Viability of Graduate Programs
Graduate program enrollments have grown from 117 in Fall 2007 to 177 in Fall 2016, an increase of 50% over a decade. This growth led to a high student to faculty ratio of 8.9 (177 students for 20 T/TT in Fall 2016), above the ratio in comparable schools. The CRA Taulbee Survey reports median ratios of 3.5 (MS) + 2.5 (Ph.D.) = 6.0 per T/TT. This elevated ratio makes the CSC programs somewhat less competitive because of the perception of reduced access to a faculty mentor. Nevertheless, the result is a large number of degrees awarded per faculty member, 3.3 MS degrees (49 graduates with15T/TT) and 0.9 PhD degrees (13 graduates with15T/TT) per faculty member per year compared to 1.1 MS degrees and 0.3 Ph.D. degrees per faculty member per year at comparable schools. CSC graduates have pursued careers in academia, industry, and government.
Unit Goals
1. Strengthentheundergraduate program
1 Obtain three new teaching laboratories equipped with modern software andhardware.
2 Improve undergraduate retention, progression, and graduation rates.
2. Strengthen and expand graduate programs
1 Establish two new graduate teaching labs with modern software and hardware.
2 Introduce innovative MS programs.
3 Improve quality of Ph.D. students.
3. Enhanceresearch programs
1 Secure three departmental research labs and adequate faculty research space.
2 Acquire additional financial support for faculty development, graduate students and supplies.
3 Increase the number of faculty.
4 Obtain more external funding.
5 Enhance interdisciplinary and collaborative research in bioinformatics and big data.
4. Expand community outreach
1 Develop connections with local high schools.
2 Develop connections with local industry.
5. Enrich international initiatives
1 Expand international research collaborations.
2 Develop international education programs.
External Reviewers’Recommendations
1. Find a permanent chair and graduate director.
2. Add space for teaching and research.
3. Lowerthe undergraduate student to faculty ratio by increasing the number of teaching faculty and/or reducing the number of majors with higher admission standards.
4. Revise the undergraduate program, eliminate concentrations, and make it more competitive.
5. Explore course cross listing and collaboration between CSC and Computer Information Systems (RCB).
6. Pursue degree accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
7. Form an Advisory Board to promote interactionand partnerships with industry and government.
8. Develop a strategic hiring plan to develop critical mass in research subfields.
9. Increase graduate stipends to competitive levels.
Consistency of Goals and Recommendations with University Strategic Plan
APRC findsthe goals and recommendations to be consistent with and supportive of the GSU Strategic Plan subject to:
1. Increasing the gender diversity in the BS student body, e.g., by incorporating collaborative approaches in courses such as agile software development.
2. In consultation with the Senior Faculty Associate for Assessment of Student Learning, developing comprehensive assessment plans for the BS, MS, and PhD programs, implementing them, and using their results to improve student learning.