11 March 2008

1. 11 March 2008 BA Computer Science Majors Meeting

2. Menu • Aroma’s Cafe Mediterranean Food • Introductions • ENCR481 • New Brochure • Survey Topics • Research/Distinguished Major Program

3. ENCR481 Interpretation of Cultural Materials. Advanced Theory and Method Fall 2008, M/W 2 – 3.15 (Jerome McGann, English)This course investigates advanced models for interpreting cultural materials and how digital instruments can contribute to the development of such models.  The first half of the course will involve a series of readings in interpretive theory and method and a critical exploration of the collaborative game of interpretation, IVANHOE, and perhaps some other digital tools.  In the second half of the course the students will pair up, one CS student with one A&S student.  Each pair will conceive and design, to whatever level seems possible in the framework of the course, a digital model for an interpretive tool or environment to be used in the study of cultural materials (literary, artistic, social, historical). Requirements: A Midterm report on the course readings done in the first half of the course; a proposal/model for an interpretive machine or digital environment. Course Limit: 12 students, with 6 from CS and 6 from other A&S. 

4. BACS Brochure • Send us your (attributable) quotes for the new brochure • If you want to be quoted, be eloquent and say wonderful things • Pictures, etc. are good too! • If you have artistic talent, volunteer to help design it

5. Survey Quotes: Identity • “I really wish I knew the people in my class more. There's only about 20 of us or so I think, but we've never had any events or anything together. I heard about the American Studies or Media Studies departments having social events, and I wish we could have had some of those things too so I could meet the BACS '08 people.” • “More exclusive events to make BACS majors feel superior to both College and E-School students.”

6. Survey Quotes: Respect “The major program itself I have no problems with. However, I did have some unpleasant experiences with CS majors in the e-school. Apparently there is a (one-sided!) animosity between those enrolled in the school of engineering and those enrolled in the “college of arts and crafts.” I would have thought that students from the college succeeding in CS courses might have helped to erase this but that was not my experience. On the first day of CS 414 I introduced myself to one e-schooler who literally laughed in my face when I said I was a BACS major. (Then I scored 15 points above the class average on the midterm.) (Asshole.)”

7. Possible Changes Under Consideration • Adding prerequisite courses: • cs150 or (cs150 and cs205) • Allowing cs101 to count for BACS majors • Adding more required CS courses: • 1-2 from: cs302 (Theory), cs414 (OS), cs415 (programming languages) • Replacing cs333 with “cs350: Computer Systems” (incorporate parts of cs230,cs333,cs414 from perspective of designing and constructing systems) Note: don’t start any rumors! None of the degree requirements that apply to current students will change.

8. Research/DMP • Distinguish Majors Program: CLAS rules about minimum GPA for a DMP (3.4) • Report approved by your research advisor (usually in CS) and a second faculty member • Current 3rd years: seek to find research advisors by the end of the Spring • Current 1st and 2nd years: it is not too early to start doing research • Anyone can do research with a faculty member • Getting involved in a research project: • Impress your teachers • Learn about faculty research projects and meet with professors: www.cs.virginia.edu/research • Go to cs290 meetings (Thursdays at 3:30 in MEC 205) • www.cs.virginia.edu/cs290

9. Thanks! • Remember to send me quotes for the brochure. • Anonymous survey site will stay up: submit more ideas on any question anytime you want • You can always send non-anonymous ideas directly