Afternoon Orientation: You & SCS

1. Afternoon Orientation: You & SCS n(re)Introductions nClass Statistics nSurvey Highlights nComputing History: A Short Tour nAcademic Integrity nAdvice

2. Quotes for the Day It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it. - J. Brownoski (Philosopher of Science) Questions are the important thing, answers are less important. Learning to ask a good question is the heart of intelligence. Learning the answer -well, answers are for students. Questions are for thinkers. - R. Schank (Computer Scientist, in "The Connoisseur's Guide to the Mind")

3. Reintroductions: SCS Contacts • Freshman Advisor (15-200/15-128): Rich Pattis • Upperclass Advisor (15-100/15-128): Scott McElfresh • Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education: Mark Stehlik • Undergraduate Program Administrator: Cathy Fichtner • SCS College Liason/Donner House Fellow: Rowshan Palmer • SCS Career Consultant: Kevin Collins • Generally faculty should first be addressed formally • Professor is a bit more generic than Doctor; both are good starting points • Herr Doctor Professor is the extreme form of European politeness • If they want to move to a more informal level, they will tell you • Please call us: Rich, Scott, and Mark • If you are bold, you can address me as, “Oh Captain! My Captain!” • Make use of CMU’s human resources • Us, other faculty/staff, the upperclassmen, and your freshmen classmates • We are an amazing collection of backgrounds, experiences, and cultures

4. Introducing You to You • Or, in Pittsburghese, “Introducing Yunz to Yunz.” • Google “pittsburghese” for more details • In fact, always keep a browser running Google handy! • SCS History • The official undergraduate program started in 1994 • Prior to that, about 400 students did CS degrees in MCS • Approximately 1,500 students have entered this program (before you) • This Year • The class of 2009 is the 12th class of SCS freshmen • 1739 applied in SCS at CMU • 384 were admitted • 141 chose to become freshmen • You’ve done a spectacular job to earn your place here • Everything starts anew next week

5. Some Easy Statistics • Of 141 incoming freshmen, there are • 110 men (78%) – last year 68% • 31 women (22%) – last year 32% • Name • First: 6 Andrew, 3 Daniel, 3 Robert, 20 pairs (last year, 7 Joseph …) • Last : 2 Kim (last year: 3 Lee, 2 Li, 2 Ma, 2 Yang) • SAT Averages • Overall Math 756 (last year 754): men 758/women 751 (< 1% gap) • Overall Verbal 700 (last year 686): men 702/women 694 (< 1.2% gap) • 800s • 31 Math, 14 Verbal (last year: 48 Math, 11 Verbal) • 2 students with both (last year: 6 with both) • Distribution in Fall Programming Courses (approximate) • 15-100 (20%), 15-200 (45%), 15-113 (15%), 15-211 (20%) • In the Spring, 60% of you will be in 15-211 (those in 15-200 and 15-113)

6. Geography - US

7. Geography - International

8. Survey I: Highlights • Expected High School GPA • Predicted average = 3.7 (actual average 3.9) • Actual High School Rank • Reported average = top 13% • Students reported on average, working hardest in 11th grade • Now is the time for “senior vacation” to end • Expected Rank at CMU • 57 % said top 25% (96% said the top 50%) • Expected CMU GPA (at the end of the year) • Predicted average = 3.2 (actual average, at the end of last year, 3.25) • Expected Hours/Week Coursework at CMU • Predicted average = 53 (actual reported by CMU freshmen 40-50) • All the raw data will be posted tomorrow in an .xls spreadsheet

9. Survey I: Conclusions • Everyone here is smart • What does it mean to be “average” at CMU? • Everyone here has high expectations for themselves • What are your Goals? • Short term: pass your classes • Long term: graduate • How should you measure accomplishment at CMU? • Grades are one way (and they are important), but not the best way • The World’s Most Famous “C” • Working on projects (paid or not) • The CMU Race • Predicting the Future • The first few semesters: review vs. reach – who has the advantage • Personal stories: from Stanford; from the University of Washington • (next page shows some freshman statistics from last year’s students)

10. Statistics for Last Year’s Freshmen

11. Survey II: Highlights • 1/3 reported knowing about “academic violations in their HS • A quick CMU perspective (more later today) • Top Academic Issues • Time management/Not procrastinating (the sooner you get behind …) • Work load • Non CS (or non-technical) Courses • The first week will set an academic pattern for the next 4 years • Top Social Issues • Finding/Making friends • Balancing work/life • Social patterns can change more readily than academic patterns • About 1/2 listed some kind of job dealing with computers • On average, each of you listed 2.5 famous “computer scientists” • Develop a historical/cultural awareness • Start a file of names/accomplishments (in 4 years it will be huge)

12. Famous “Computer Scientists”

13. Computing History: A Short Tour • James Surowiecki, “The Wisdom of Crowds” • Invention: “real” date (median date: minimum – maximum dates) • Historical • Abacus: 3000BC (565 BC: 5000BC – 1800AD) • Slide Rule: 1620 (1600: 2000BC – 1950 AD) • Four-Function Mechanical Calculators: 1694 (1870: 1600BC – 1970AD) • Computer Architecture: 1842 (1930: 1600 – 1970) ; also, Jacquard Loom • Premodern • Electronic Computers: 1946 (1950: 1800 – 1985) • High-Level Programming Languages: 1945 (1975: 1900 – 1999) • Fortran: 1957 (1970: 1930 – 1996) • Modern • Microprocessors: 1971 (1969: 1900 – 1995) • Apple II (1977), IBM PC (1978), Macintosh (1984*) • C (1973), Java (1995)

14. The Maze • Its History • This Year’s Statistics • 25 students solved the maze • A few students realized their mistake after the fact • 2 students erased their solution (written in pencil, as requested) • 1 student rexeroxed it (but the paper color didn’t quite match) • 23 students wrote in their student ID • 1 student forgot to write his/her name • My Problem with the Maze • George Dantzig’s homework problems • The Future of the Maze

15. No Comment

16. Academic Integrity: A Serious Topic • While we are a community working together to learn, evaluation (tests, homework, other graded material) is done individually. • Assume no collaboration of any kind; ask instructors for clarification • Some courses incorporate collaboration as part of their syllabus • Check with the instructor: these important policies often are written down • Faculty use tools to detect plagiarism in written work, on programs, etc. • We see work differently: I don’t want you to be paranoid, but informed • I send about 5 students/semester to the Dean’s office (out of 100 in class) • Mostly the non-majors I’m teaching, but I have sent majors too • Generally, 10% of these will commit a second violation and be suspended • This is the saddest part of my job (and it takes up lots of time) • But I do it, to ensure a fair atmosphere for the majority of students who don’t cheat • What causes students to cheat: it is not a pathological personality • Getting behind on CS work; not caring about non-CS work • A sense of entitlement (previous successes, ego – “I’m an A student”) • If impure thoughts enter your head, weigh the cost/benefit carefully • How I cheated at CMU as a freshman • Friends don’t ask friends to see/copy their work. Just say no. • The Russian-Roulette analogy • Work with us/trust us: An example – and what to do • Protect yourself. Describe help/cite sources; low grade/no University action • Understand who is affected by bad choices: you, your friends, your family

17. We are family… • “We are Family” (Sister Sledge), was the theme song for the world-series winning 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team • CMU might seem like a big place • The School of Computer Science is smaller • The Computer Science Department is smaller still • The undergraduate program in CSD is even smaller • The freshman class, all 141 of you, is yet smaller • If you look out for all your classmates, you will also have 141 classmates looking out for you • CMU can be warm and wonderful, or cold and lonely • You (singular and plural) will create the environment that you will live in for the next four years • Choose wisely; help improve it; help repair it, when it breaks • As in any family • Ask for help if you need it; supply it if you are asked. • You don’t have to follow my advice; I’ll feel better if you ask.

18. Closing Thoughts A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for. - R. Browning Learning is never done without errors and defeat. - V. Lenin The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. - M. Proust