Math Department Agenda –12/4/2012

Announcements

  1. Congratulations, Catherine, winner of the 2013 NISOD Award for Faculty Excellence. Catherine was selected to represent ECC at this year’s National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) conference in Austin, Texas.
  2. Spring 2013 enrollment update (Dan)
  3. 090, 098, 099 all down significantly (15% or more)
  4. 101, 133, 134, and 201 all up significantly (25%+ up to almost double for 134/201)
  5. No decisions will be made until after grades have been submitted. Check your email frequently the week before and the week of Christmas. Lengthy delays cause stress for everyone involved.

The percentage of students that are college ready has risen from 29% to 39% since the alliance started.

  1. NCTM conference feedback (Catherine)

There were 5300 educators in attendance. There was a lot of interest in assessment and placement is going to be really affected (Illinois may not be giving the ACT for free any more). The PARC people had a regular track or an integrated model for assessment and the statechose the integrated model despite the fact that only two districts were using that model. Apparently they wanted to shake up the curriculum. There is nothing in writing but the ICTM has been asked to write a new integrated curriculum for 2014. Also, IMAC membership needs to be renewed and the conference dates have been set.

  1. Printing reminder – all big jobs (including final exams) should be printed at off hours or in the copy center. Please be kind to your colleagues.

Off hours are after 3 pm or before 7:30 am

Old Business

  1. Mentor program (Dan)
  2. Based on our discussion, James, Dan, and Lauren will be working on drafting a pilot mentoring program for new adjunct hires to begin in the Fall 2013 semester. Look for details in early spring.
  3. Placement committee (Dan)

We met once and we have some stuff to look at over break. The goal is to come with a recommendation at the April meeting. Jennifer McClure will join us on the committee.

  1. Mth134 assessment committee (Dan)
  2. Instructor survey results (Nicole)

10.6 is not being covered. Several instructors feel rushed. We need more direction on what to cover and the depth of coverage for 5.8 (hyperbolic functions). We have a committee that will look into the possibility of making calculus 1 a 5 hour course, or possibly switching textbooks, as well as other issues.

  • Committee will begin working in January (Ken, Chalyce, Nicole, Kris, and Dan)
  1. Mth112 credit through the CLEP – decision needed (handout and emailed sample test)

It was decided to keep the policy as is and to keep an eye on it.

  1. Honors update (handout) (Dan)

It was decided to offer an honors section of MTH 102 next fall and we will discuss extending it next spring with a section of calculus 2. Dan would like to know by the end of finals if anyone is interested in teaching the MTH 102 in the fall.

  1. New course number for 135 Linear Algebra (handout)

It was decided to change the course number to MTH 200 because the pre-req is MTH 134.

  1. 096/098/099 textbook selection (Naima)

It was decided that in the future, pro/con lists will not be sent out. Adjuncts are encouraged to serve on book selection committees in the future, but the final vote will be reserved for full time faculty and committee members. Votes for this selection are due by 12/13/12 and should be sent to Kenny.

New Business

  1. Follow-up on CETL training for study skills (Lauren)

There will be another in the spring but we don’t know the date yet. There is a lot of work ahead of us to embed study skills in the course.

  1. Do we want a quiet study area sign? (Nicole)

Dan will request official signs to hang out here and in the hallway designating it a quiet zone.

  1. Year-end get-together?

Noon next Friday at Colonial.

Not on the agenda

If you are interested, Nicole is collecting money to get gifts for those who have kept D so clean all semester long.

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