Clayton School of Information Technology
[Computer Science & Software Engineering]

Staff/Student Meeting - Clayton Campus

Dr David Albrecht, Mr Stanley Breskin (BSE 4th Year), AssocProf Trevor Dix (Chair), Mrs Karen Fenwick, Dr Tim Ferguson, Ms Erica Foley (BCompSc 2nd Year), Ms Kirsten Frederiksen (BL/BCompSc), Mr Steve Gardner, Mr Karan Juneja (BCompSc 3rd Year), Dr Kevin Korb, Mr Gordon Lowe, Mr Kunal Mamik (BSE 3rd Year), Mr Jon McCormack, Dr Bernd Meyer, Mr James Nicholson (BSc/BCompSc), Dr Ronald Pose, Mr Glen Pringle, Dr Sita Ramakrishnan, Dr Sid Ray, Mr Joel Reicher, Mr Joshua Rodgers (DigSys Hons), Dr Peter Tischer, Mr Christoph Walters (CompSc Hons), Dr Stephen Welsh

Apologies:
Prof David Abramson, Dr Peter Atkinson, Ms Nandita Bhattacharjee, Ms Mandy Cheng, Ms Tania Dastres (BA/BCompSc), Mrs Leeanne Evans, Mr Daniel Heath (BCompSc 1st Year), AssocProf John Hurst, Mr Chris Mears (SoftEng Hons), Dr Ann Nicholson

Welcome
The meeting was chaired by AssocProf Trevor Dix in the absence of Associate Head of School, Dr Ann Nicholson who opened the meeting, welcomed the student reps and staff members.

Minutes of last meeting were accepted. Action items were addressed as outlined in the Outcomes with a follow up required on starred items.

Honours

Josh Rodgers (Digital Systems) - Semester 1 CSE450 Procedural Modelling ... Re: assignment, students reported that it was difficult to find out what to do to get a decent mark and would like a marking scheme. Prof Dix advised that it is quality of work not quantity which is hard to define. However, guidelines on how the assignment would be marked is a valid thing to ask for. Action: Lecturer to be advised (Dr Alan Dorin)

Honours BBQ - students asked if the school would give an allowance for an honours BBQ. Action: Honours Co-ordinator Dr David Albrecht will seek permission from the HOS

CSE5301 Neuro Fuzzy Computing - It is felt that some students had an unfair advantage in being able to hand in work late without a penalty. Action: To be followed up with lecturer Dr Andrew Paplinski.

Christoph Walters (Computer Science) - Honours students are not happy that the Honours Lab has been relocated. They listed less space, lack of computers, ports for laptops (too few and not all working at once). Action: Re: Space - Honours students will be advised via email that they can use either Honours or Masters lab but have priority in their own labs. TSU will investigate and report on ports and computers.

No postscript viewer for Windows. Action: TSU will investigate.

Some computers can't print double-sided. Action: Hons rep to provide more information to TSU.

Software Engineering Honours students using the Honours Lab in Bld 75. Students were advised that supervisor have requested access in special cases. Students will be advised that they can contact Karen Fenwick or the General Office to book another room if they need to hold project meetings rather than using the Honours Lab.

BSE 4TH YEAR -
Stanley Breskin (BSE Honours and Level 4) - see attached report.

Comments as follows:
CSE4333 - tutorials. Students were advised to utilise consultation times by forming groups. Action: Request for tutorials will be noted.
Separation of BCS and BSE Honours students - AssocProf Dix advised this is a matter of space.
Workload in BSE Honours year is being looked at.

THIRD YEAR -

On the whole students had no complaints and thanked everyone and in particular Robyn McNamara for her time spent in the CSSE Helproom.

CSE3322 Programming Languages and Implementation - Students reported that the lecturing style lacked direction and they would like more structured tutorials. Action: Lecturer/s to be advised.

CSE3302 Software Engineering Project - Some students reported trouble forming groups.

Third year Software Engineering students would like an information session about Level 4 and the Honours stream in 2006. Action: Dr Sita Ramakrishnan and Dr Lloyd Allison to organise before the end of the year.

SECOND YEAR -

CSE2307 Numerical Computing - courseware information. Action: Dr Peter Tischer advised that the courseware page will be up soon.

CSE2330 Introduction to Computational Neuroscience and CSE3322 Programming Languages and Implementation lecture clash. Action: Timetabling officer (Leeanne Evans) to look at possibility of moving one of the lectures at this stage or to ensure there is no clash in future.

CSE2305 Object-oriented Software Engineering. Students would like feedback on the review questions on line. Lecturer Jon McCormack advised that review questions are covered in tutorials.

CSE2304 Algorithms and Data Structures. Students reported that the exam was quite good.

Second year students asked about the possibility of having an information session on career paths for students in our courses with ideas about what direction to go in with their studies. Action: Dr Sita Ramakrihsnan advised that she would try to organise an industry speaker and that MITS (student society) may be doing this as well.

FIRST YEAR -

There were no first year representative in attendance. Action: Karen Fenwick will follow up with Daniel Heath for comments.

DOUBLE DEGREE - Arts/Computer Science
Tania Dastres sent her apologies. She reported that she had not received any feedback and asked about having a survey conducted via email, specifically for Arts/Comp Sci students in regard to their satisfaction with their degree, their interest in some kind of regular meet ups etc. She volunteered to write up this questionnaire, if the school could forward it to relevant students. Action: Ann Nicholson, Karen Fenwick and Tania Dastres to follow up.

NEXT MEETING - Approx week 9 Semester 2, 2005. Date to be advised.

AssocProf Trevor Dix closed the meeting at 1.45pm and thanked everyone for their attendance.

Outcomes [in progress]