IPFW Department of Computer Science

IPFW Department of Computer Science

Professional Advisory Board Recommendations

4/10/2015

PAB members present:

·  Mike Altendorf Do It Best Corp.

·  Clifford Clarke C2 IT Advisors

·  John Dombrowski Agristats

·  Tom Gidley Navistar

·  Steve Gilliam PHD, Inc.

·  David Holscher Extension Healthcare

·  Jim Kunce Medical Protective

·  Brent Osborne Lincoln Financial Group

·  Rex Peters IBM

·  Kim Quintrell Allen County Public Library

·  Abby Wilder Lincoln Financial Group

·  Tim Williams Logikos

·  PAB members continue to be excited about engaging with the Computer Science Department and look forward to increased interaction with faculty and students. We are supportive of the department’s efforts regarding the senior capstone project, expansion of the high school programs and increasing enrollment in the B.A. degree and encourage further development in these areas.

·  PAB members are very interested in establishing cooperative work experiences and internships for IPFW computer science students. University policies should allow college credit for such experiences and allow for flexibility regarding student eligibility and learning objectives.

·  The PAB encourages the department to continue to seek ways to expand the breadth and depth of skills and knowledge covered in the four-year B.S. program by:

o  Increasing the number of dual credit courses offered in high schools for grades eleven and twelve to cover a broader range of CS prerequisites thereby allowing students at the university level to take more advanced electives.

o  Add a junior project to the degree requirements that would be smaller in scope than the senior project, not industry sponsored (but could involve the PAB) and simulate the workplace concepts of teamwork, deliverables and quality.

·  To further enhance the alignment between the CS curriculum and the needs of the local community, the PAB would like to create a forum where we could engage with the faculty to:

o  Codify a skills taxonomy desired by area employers.

o  Identify what, as part of software engineering, are the important and prevalent methods used by members of the PAB within their companies.

o  Discuss new technologies and trends in emerging topics.

·  The PAB is concerned high school students lack a basic understanding of CS as a field that is contributing to a higher turnover within IPFW CS majors. To improve this, PAB members are very interested in engaging and assisting high schools in any activity that promotes computer science as a field. Members are willing to go to high schools to speak and offer site visits to those interested students.

·  Provide an up-to-date PAB membership list with contact information on the CS department web page.