PROVISIONAL

School of Computer Science and Software Engineering

Staff/Student Meeting - Clayton Campus

Staff/Student meeting for the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering was held on 5th May 2003 in the Seminar Room, Clayton Campus.
Present:
Mr Sudad Abbas (Third year SE), Mr Ashwini Alluri (Fourth year SE), Dr Peter Atkinson, Ms Nandita Bhattacharjee, Mr Stanley Breskin (Second year SE), Mr Steven Chen (Third year CS), Ms Amanda Crawford (CS Hons), Prof John Crossley, Mr Rupak Das (SE Hons), AssocProf Trevor Dix, Dr Alan Dorin, Mrs Leeanne Evans, AssocProf Graham Farr, Mrs Karen Fenwick, Mr Kirsten Frederiksen (First yr CS), Mr Steve Gardner, Ms Edwina Goh, Mr Charles Greif, Mr Michael Ha (Second year CS), Dr JJ Hwang, Ms Karan Juneja (First year CS), Mr Sudad Abbas (Third year SE), Mr Ashwini Alluri (Fourth year SE), Dr Peter Atkinson, Ms Nandita Bhattacharjee, Mr Stanley Breskin (Second year SE), Mr Steven Chen (Third year CS), Ms Amanda Crawford (CS Hons), Prof John Crossley, Mr Rupak Das (SE Hons), AssocProf Trevor Dix, Dr Alan Dorin, Mrs Leeanne Evans, AssocProf Graham Farr, Mrs Karen Fenwick, Mr Kirsten Frederiksen (First year CS), Mr Steve Gardner, Ms Edwina Goh, Mr Charles Greif, Mr Michael Ha (Second year CS), Dr JJ Hwang, Ms Karan Juneja (First year CS), Mr Edgar Kherlopian (DS Hons), Dr Carlo Kopp,Dr Chris Ling, Mr Gordon Lowe, Mr Kunal Mamik (First year SE), Mr Jon McCormack, Ms Caroline McGregor, Dr Bernd Meyer, Ms Kerri Morgan, Mr Oliver Ng (Third year DS), Mr Andrew Pinto (BA/BCompSc), Dr Ronald Pose, Dr Sita Ramakrishnan, Dr Sid Ray, Mr Joel Reicher, Dr Annya Requile, Ms Su Rogerson, Mr Daniel Rowley, Ms Harriet Searcy, Mr Stewart Smith (CS Hons), Prof Bala Srinivasan (Chair), Mr Hayden Stainsby (Second year DS), Dr Christina Varsavsky (Maths), AssocProf Ingrid Zukerman
Apologies:
Dr David Albrecht, Dr Lloyd Allison, AssocProf David Dowe, Ms Kym Fergusson, AssocProf John Hurst, Ms Debbie Pickett, Mr Satha K Sathananthan, Mr Kim Ung (3rd yr CompSc rep)
Welcome

The Head of School, Prof Bala Srinivasan opened the meeting and welcomed the new student representatives for 2003. He thanked both student reps and staff for attending and stressed the importance of such a meeting to both CSSE and students.

He called for feedback from the student body by degree.

Bachelor of Computer Science

Third year rep reported that he had not received any feedback from third year students. He was personally happy with the running of third year units and at the moment workload was o.k.

Second year - no rep present.

First year - Students reps asked about recording of CSE1301 lectures. Lecturers advised that this facility is not available in lecture theatre E1. Prof Srinivasan advised students that they are free to record lectures themselves. It was also asked if notations made by lecturers on overheads during lectures could be made available on the web. Lecturers agreed to look into this but stressed the importance of students attending lectures.

Honours - The student rep reported that students were unhappy with the PCs in the honours lab and in particular versions of software. It was agreed to hold a meeting in the near future with the Student Rep, Honours Co-ordinator, Head of School and the Manager of TSU.

Action: Prof Bala Srinivasan

Students asked if the door closer on the honours room could be adjusted so that it doesn't slam.


Action: Finance Manager (M Cheng)

Students thought that more network ports in the honours labs are needed. TSU to be asked to investigate.

Action: Technical Services Unit

Bachelor of Software Engineering

First Year - Student reps asked if answers to tutorial work can be posted on the web for CSE1301 and CSE1401.

CSE 1301 lecturers advised that tutorial work prepares students for pracs which are assessed. Before the end of semester they would look at posting tutorial solutions on the noticeboards.

Action: AssocProf Ingrid Zukerman/AssocProf Graham Farr

CSE1401 lecturer advised that he would look at posting CSE1401 solutions on the web.

Action: Dr Chris Ling

Students asked if a sample test could be supplied before the mid-semester test in CSE1301 as this is the first assessment requirement for many first year students at University and they were not sure what to expect. This had been considered by the lecturers, however they will reassess for future years.

Second year - Student reps reported that there were not a lot of complaints about second year subjects and in fact some good reports.

CSE2201 students were pleased with the lecturer, Dr Annya Requile, and the tutors, in particular Mr Daniel Rowley for his willingness to help.

CSE2324 students reported that the lecturer Dr Ronald Pose filled out slides well and explained them clearly with valid examples. Pracs were well written. Dr Pose said that credit should go to Assistant Lecturer Debbie Pickett for the pracs.

Some students had reported that CSE2304 pracs were thought to be a bit difficult and suggested more marks for achievement. Assistant Lecturer Kerri Morgan advised that one third of the class were at the moment getting As in pracs with almost all students at this stage passing the prac requirement. Some students also reported difficulty with the definition of prac requirement.

Third year - The Third Year SE Rep reported that everything in third year was o.k. and complimented Prof John Crossley on his running of CSE3305.

He raised the issue of hygiene in the Mens toilets in building 19 and asked if soap dispensers could be installed.

Action: Finance Manager (M Cheng)

Honours - The student rep outlined difficulties experienced by BSE Honours students at the beginning of semester, in particular mailing lists, access to labs and printer problems.

Unauthorised use of the BSE Honours labs and the printer by outside students was discussed. More official signage will be posted by the School and restricting access to machines and printers will be looked at by TSU.

Action: Karen Fenwick and TSU

Honours students are not happy with segregation between BSE with Hons students and BCompSc(Hons)/BDigSys(Hons) students but agreed that space is a problem.

BSE Co-ordinator, Dr Sita Ramakrishnan, put forward a vote of thanks to ITS and AHOS, AssocProf Trevor Dix, for their efforts in making labs in building 26 available this year which is a great improvement.

Bachelor of Digital Systems

Second Year - Students reported that CSE2131 teaching style was hard to pick up but they are now working through it. CSE2101 had no complaints.

First Year - presently no rep. Second year rep volunteered to find a rep before the next meeting.

Third Year - Students are happy with the project labs. CSE3101 had a licensing problem which has now been resolved.

Honours - DigSys Honours rep agreed with the report from BCompSc(Hons). No other feedback was received from students.

It was suggested that Honours students should email complaints about computers to the relevant Honours Co-ordinator who would then take up the matter with tech@help

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Computer Science

The student rep advised that he had not received any feedback but felt that the workload with the double degree was fine.

Meeting closed at 1.55pm Prof Srinivasan advised that the next Staff/Student Meeting is scheduled for Friday 15 August 2003.