Curriculum Committee Minutes 2020 August 31

Attending

Yuliy Baryshnikov, Simeon Bogdanov, Zuofu Cheng, Ravi Iyer, Volodymyr Kindratenko, Erhan Kudeki, Steve Lumetta, Umberto Ravaioli, Yang Shao, Lara Waldrop

Time and Place

Monday, August 31, 2:00pm, https://illinois.zoom.us/j/112267137

Old Business

The following motions were tabled on April 20, 2020 pending a list of courses that would satisfy this tech elective requirement.

1) Moved that the Computer Engineering major remove the CHEM 103 requirement, effective with the Academic Catalog review changes in late fall  2020, and allocate the extra 1 credit hour to tech elective.

(2) Moved that the Electrical Engineering major remove the CHEM 103 requirement, effective with the Academic Catalog review changes in late fall  2020, and allocate the extra 1 credit hour to tech elective.

CompE has now proposed the following list:

1. CHEM 102 / 103
2. MATH 257 (new linear algebra class; will students still need to take 286 as well, or just  285?)
3. IB 150 (Organismal & Evolutionary Biology) – no lab required
4. CPSC 265 (Genetic Engineering Lab) – plant genomics class including a hands-on lab
5. ATMS 201 (General Physical Meteorology) – “Emphasizes quantitative problem solving.”
6. PSYC 204 (Intro to Brain & Cognition) - cognitive science

Discussion of the proposal to replace 102/3 with a selection of Technical Electives, based on the list created by CompE subgroup.
Lumetta emphasized observed shifts in the incoming freshmen credits: fewer having Chemistry, more Biology.
Objections raised to several courses proposed:

 - CPSC265 seems to be a narrow lab course aimed at teaching PCR techiques;
 - ATMS201 - good technically, but perhaps too narrow (Erhan)
 - PSYC204 - not really a technical course (Baryshnikov)

Lumetta, Iyer emphasized importance of genomic for breadth; chemistry for understanding material sciences.
MATH257: while CompE seems to perceive this course as optional, others believe it being central across the department (other Eng departments adopting it as a required course). 

Decided to return to the question of the position of MATH257 and restructuring of MATH286.