<\/p>\n
Six years after eliminating a computer science degree,<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really excited, and I think it will be in high demand early on,\u201d Provost Barbara Morris told the Board of Trustees at its meeting last week. \u201cEvery time I\u2019m at a social or chamber (Durango Chamber of Commerce) event, I\u2019m asked, \u2018When are you getting a computer degree?\u2019 Now I can say we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
The board voted unanimously to approve the degree, which will be housed in the Physics<\/a> and Engineering<\/a> Department and will be accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), she said. It will be offered beginning fall 2017.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a fast-paced type of degree,\u201d Morris said, \u201cand I have to thank Dr. Don Rabern from the department for his diligence and thoroughness in creating it. He spent a lot of time gaining input from the community.\u201d<\/p>\n The technology businesses in the area gave Rabern clear direction on what they need, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are seeking technical depth, programming knowledge, the ability to integrate software into hardware and the development of embedded systems,\u201d he said. \u201cOur students need to see what every computer engineering student across the country sees; the degree is very specific.\u201d<\/p>\n Rabern analyzed the number of students who would be interested in the program by working with the admissions office. Based on the number of \u201chits\u201d on the ACT test and those who checked the ACT computer science category, the estimate is that the likely student population would reach 100 to 150 within four years.<\/p>\n The degree will require the development of 11 new engineering and two new math courses, and three new tenure-track professor positions have been pre-approved. They will be recruited in a phased fashion, coming on board in 2018, 2019 and 2020 as the first cohort progresses through the degree. The degree path will pay for itself when 80 to 100 students are enrolled in the major, Rabern said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s unique is that our faculty wanted all the students to go through our gen ed (general education) program, even though there\u2019s an exclusion from the state where engineering students don\u2019t have to go through the GT Pathways (guaranteed transfer general education courses),\u201d Morris said.\u201d But our engineering professors thought it was important for the students to have the courses.\u201d<\/p>\n The degree requirements are significantly different than the previous computer science degree.<\/p>\n \u201cIn 2010, computer science (information technologies) was housed in the School of Business (Administration)<\/a>,\u201d Morris said, \u201cand when we had the reduction in operating budget, we found while students originally indicated interest, the attrition was very high. There were concerns the program had become out-of-date, that it was no longer high quality and rigorous.\u201d<\/p>\n The board also voted to approve eliminating the student-constructed major from the college\u2019s offerings. No students are currently working on a self-designed major, said Mitch Davis, spokesman for the college.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no coordination or institutional oversight,\u201d Morris said in making the recommendation to the board, \u201cand there\u2019s no ability to assess the rigor of the major. Other institutions, mainly private, have them, but they have a robust process, a robust culture around them.\u201d<\/p>\n Faculty representative to the board Justin McBrayer said he was sorry to see the degree go away.<\/p>\n \u201cI had a student-constructed major, and I think a liberal arts college should have one,\u201d he said. \u201cBut in this case, there\u2019s no faculty or administrative leadership to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n