Science and Engineering Subcommittee
MINUTES and REPORT
	APRIL 2007

MINUTES

April 18, 2007
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
SOS B-50

NEW ITEMS:

I.	VITERBI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING: BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
																				Req. by Michael Khoo

	Add a new degree program:						Eff. Fall 2007

		Viterbi Integrated Master of Science Program (VIP) for the M.S., Biomedical Engineering 			[22 unit 	program]
VSoE proposes to allow students accepted into VIP a reduction of six units toward the general Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (post 392), provided they successfully complete identified equivalency courses at their undergraduate institution that correspond to 400 level courses taken by our BME seniors.

•	DEFERRED to subcommittee co-chair.  Representatives from VSOE stated that the purposes of the proposed VIP masters were to replace the bottom 10% of the current students with more qualified students and to increase student diversity.  These degrees are one of several methods being tried to achieving these goals.  The fact that GRE’s are not required and that the masters degrees will require fewer than the current 24 unit minimum was modeled after the new progressive degrees.  Students from partner schools would be admitted provisionally as juniors, with full admittance based on a defined level of performance (including grades on selected courses) as seniors.  VSOE will, at least initially, give the incoming students placement exams.  Partner schools will be selected in part based on how students from those schools have performed at VSOE.  A statement on how feeder schools will be chosen is requested.  VSOE faculty will review syllabi of the selected courses students must take at the sending school.  They expect to admit students in Fall 2008.  The program will be reviewed by SES after three graduating classes, estimated to be five years from now.  However, VSOE will review the program continuously and revise it as appears appropriate; the proposal should state this explicitly.  The subcommittee co-chair requests to know what information BME will be collecting along the way in order to judge the success of the program.  The methodology and metrics for the evaluation of outcomes should be defined (e.g., graduation rates, GPAs).  There was discussion of whether the courses which is it proposed be taken at the feeder school could instead be USC 400-level courses taken via DEN (with the feeder school’s approval), and whether any additional courses could be taken via DEN.  If the latter, should there be a cap on courses taken through DEN?  

APPROVED by subcommittee chair based on responses provided by VSOE.  VSOE stated that:  Feeder schools will be chosen based on recommendations by a committee of EE and BME faculty, which will include consideration of curriculum at those schools and data on performance at USC of students from those schools.  VSOE will monitor student performance and do an ongoing evaluation of the partnerships.  Student GPA, class rank, and graduation rates will be monitored.  Their performance in 500-level courses for which the 400-level courses were preparation will be reviewed.  Each student will meet with an advisor at least monthly.  Students will not be expected to take DEN courses while at their feeder schools.  Subcommittee chair comments:  The SES panel noted that the total number of units was low, but accepted the underlying argument:  Bringing the cooperative program into line with the "in-house" progressive degree and using this program to help recruit stronger domestic students from strong undergraduate institutions was an interesting experiment. The ongoing assessment and automatic phase-out of the program if it does not meet program goals was a strength.

II.	VITERBI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING: ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
									Req. by Kelly Goulis

	Add a new degree program:						Eff. Fall 2007

	Viterbi Integrated Master of Science Program (VIP) for the M.S., Electrical Engineering
			 [21 unit program]
VSoE proposes to allow students accepted into VIP a reduction of six units toward the general Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (post 309), provided they successfully complete identified equivalency courses at their undergraduate institution.

•	DEFERRED to subcommittee co-chair.  (See comments for VIP for MS, BME.)
•	APPROVED.  See comments for VIP for MS, BME.

III.	COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS AND SCIENCES													Req. by Jennifer Wolch

	Add a new certificate program:					Eff. Fall 2007

	Certificate in Energy, Technology and Society [14-16 unit program]
This certificate program will require 16 units for completion.  The courses are divided into four sections; technology, tools, politics & policy, and impacts & solutions.  For completion of the certification students need to take at least one course in each category.

	APPROVED AT MAY UCOC MEETING.  DEFERRED to subcommittee at the subcommittee meeting based on concerns about the syllabus for CHEM 510, which was the main issue of concern..  The revised syllabus for CHEM 510 was provided and approved after subcommittee input and discussion at the May 1007 UCOC meeting.  It was determined that AME 577 (a new course approved this month by the co-chair) will be added to the Technology list.  Catalog copy was revised to include it.

		Includes 2 new courses:

		A.	CHEM 510x Alternative Energy Technologies and Options (4, Fa)
Introduce the essential scientific background to understand complex issues involving energy use and its environmental consequences.  Critically analyze energy issues that will shape policy decisions. Not available for credit for doctoral students in Chemistry.

•	APPROVED AT MAY UCOC MEETING DEFERRED to subcommittee at the subcommittee meeting. The revised syllabus was reviewed by subcommittee members and by members of the UCOC at the May UCOC meeting, and a compromise of making the course unavailable for credit for Chemistry doctoral student was arrived at.   The syllabus as presented relies on texts that are commonly used in undergraduate courses. The distinction between the contents and expectations for students in this course is not made clear. A revised syllabus is requested which makes clear that this is a graduate-level course and which contains additional, graduate-level readings.  The expectation of the committee is to see a syllabus with an substantial extension beyond the suggested texts. It was suggested that the current texts be considered “reference texts,” that the course focus on integration and synthesis, and that the skills brought to the course by graduate students be more clearly shared in the class, for example, by having team-based projects or papers.  It was suggested that an “x” (“Not available for credit to graduate students in Chemistry”)  be added to the course.

	Pending:  Revised syllabus has been provided and is being reviewed by subcommittee.  
	
		B.	GEOL 525 The Science of Climate Change (4, Sp)
Introduction to the fundamental aspects and the factors that influence ocean and atmospheric behavior, and how the Earth’s climate has varied in the past.

	APPROVED.

ITEMS FOR INFORMAL DISCUSSION:
(These items were discussed at the subcommittee meeting because it was easier to get the “two additional members” to discuss them in that setting.)

IV.		VITERBI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING: COMPUTER SCIENCE
								Req. by Gerard Medioni

		A.	Revise 2 degree programs:						Eff. Fall 2008

			1.	B.S., Computer Science [128 unit program]
				Replace CSCI 107 with EE 106 as a requirement.

	APPROVED.

			2.	B.S., Computer Science/Business Administration [137 unit program]
				Drop CSCI 107 as a requirement, reducing minimum total units to 134.

	APPROVED.

			Above 2 programs include 1 terminated course:			Eff. Fall 2007

			CSCI 107 Computers and Society (3)				
What computers are and how they function.  Impact of computer technology on society.  Economic, political and social issues raised by computers.

	APPROVED.

		B.	Revise a degree program:						Eff. Fall 2008

			M.S., Computer Science (Game Development) [33 unit program]
Replace ITP 485 with CSCI 522 as a requirement; Add CSCI 486 as an elective to the Serious Game track; add CSCI 503 as an elective in the Infrastructure track.

	APPROVED.

V.	VITERBI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING: INDUSTRIAL AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
										Req. by James Moore

	Add 2 new certificate programs:							Eff. Fall 2007

		A.	Health Systems Operations [17 unit program]
This 17-unit graduate certificate is jointly sponsored by the Epstein ISE department and the School of Policy, Planning and Development (Master of Health Administration program), and administered by the Epstein ISE department.  The program requires two ISE courses, one PPD course, one course from a choice of 2 PPD courses; and a one course from a choice of three courses (PPD 557 Quantitative Methods, ISE 530 Operations Research and ISE 562 Value and Decision Theory).  The courses taken for the certificate may be applied later to the MS EMT or MHA degrees.

	APPROVED.

		B.	Network Centric Systems [15 unit program]
This graduate certificate is intended to help meet the growing need for systems engineers with network-centric understanding and capabilities.  The program requires one SAE course and four courses from either the Computer Science or Electrical Engineering emphasis.  In the Computer Science emphasis, CSCI 551 Computer Communications is required and 3 courses must be chosen from the CS Electives list.  In the Electrical Engineering emphasis, EE 535 Mobile Communications is required, and 3 courses must be chosen form the EE electives list.  All five courses can be applied to the MS SAE.  Acceptance of courses to be applied to MS Degrees in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering require approval of the department involved.

	APPROVED.  The department might consider students who may wish to take a combination of CSCI and EE electives.

Members present							Guests
Gary Adolphson (support staff)						Margery Berti 
Peter Beerel (co-chair)							Paul Dapkus
Hans Bozler (co-chair)							Kelly Goulis
Susan Forsburg								James Haw
Chi Mak									John O’Brien
Leslie Ann Saxon	
Katherine Shing
Jennifer Wolch (ex-officio)
Edwenna Werner (for Ken Servis, ex-officio)

Members absent
Dollie Davis (Graduate student)
Elizabeth Garrett (ex-offico)
David Glasgow (ex-officio)
Julena Lind (ex-officio)
Brian Lobo (Undergraduate student)
Gerald Nadler

			

PROPOSALS APPROVED BY SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR (with consultation for programs)

VITERBI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING	

I.  Aerospace and Mechanical 

A.  New	Course	Eff. 	Fall 2007
AME-577	Survey of Energy and Power for a Sustainable Future
	(3)
Power production includes conventional fossil fuels, synthetic fuels, hydroelectric, 
solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, & nuclear. The environmental consequences of 
various energy sources are discussed.  Open only to graduate students and AME 
seniors.  Recommended preparation:  BS in AE, ME, or Physics.
•	Approved   Course will be part of the new Certificate in Energy, Technology and Society.

B.  New	Course	Eff. 	Spring 2008
AME-578	Modern Alternative Energy Conversion Devices
	(3)
Alternative energy/power conversion including fuel cells, photovoltaic, batteries, 
and biologically inspired energy processes; biomass conversion and utilization; 
Environmental implications of alternative energy processes.  Open only to 
graduate students and AME seniors.  Recommended preparation:   BS in AE, ME, 
or Physics
>	Approved

II.  Computer Engineering
Revise	Program	Eff. Term:	Fall 2008
Ph.D.	Computer Engineering
	(60)
Specify courses needed for degree (not currently stated in catalog), emphasizing the computer 
engineering aspect of the degree.  No change in total units (60).  Six courses taken from four areas:  
Theory, Hardware, Software and Systems.
>	Approved

III. Computer Science
A.  Terminate	Program	Eff. Term:	Fall 2007
M.S.	Computational Linguistics
Terminate degree.
>	Approved

B.  Revise	Program	Eff. Term:	Fall 2008
M.S.	Computer Science (Software Engineering)
	(27)
Add CSCI 503 as a restricted elective
>	Approved

C.  Revise	Program	Eff. Term:	Fall 2008
M.S.	Computer Science (High Performance Computing)
	(27)
Add CSCI 503 as an elective in the computer science track
>	Approved

Includes one new course:

D.  New	Course	Eff. 	Spring 2008
CSCI-503	Parallel Programming
	(3)
Exploration of parallel programming paradigms, parallel computing architectures, 
hands-on parallel programming assignments, contemporary and historical examples
 and their impact, context with parallel algorithms. Recommended preparation:  
CSCI 102 or 455; EE 452 or 457.
>	Approved
To be added to the MS in CS (High performance computing) as an elective in the 
computer science track, and to the MS in CS (Software engineering) as a restricted elective, and to MS CS (Game Development) as an elective in the Infrastructure track.

E.  Revise	Course	Eff. 	Fall 2008
CSCI-523	Networked Games
	(3)
Design and implementation of networked games, from the origins of the supporting 
technologies in distributed systems, visual simulations, networked virtual 
environments, and shipped games.  
Revised:  Recommended preparation CSCI 480 or CSCI 580 or an 
equivalent course in graphics
Current:  prerequisite CSCI 580
>	Approved
Drop prerequisite of CSCI-580, add recommended preparation of CSCI 480 or 580 or
 an equivalent course in graphics.

F.  Revise	Course	Eff. 	Fall 2008
CSCI-524	Networked Artificial Intelligence
	(3)
Networked game communication architectures, protocol development, architecting 
networked game AI clients/services. Character following, knowledge representation 
and reasoning, dynamic play strategies, search, learning, and planning.
Revised:  Recommended preparation CSCI 480 or CSCI 580 or an 
equivalent course in graphics
Current:  prerequisite CSCI 523.
>	Approved
Drop prerequisite of CSCI-523, add recommended preparation of CSCI 480 or 580 or
 an equivalent course in graphics.

G.  Revise	Course	Eff. 	Fall 2008
CSCI-526L	Advanced Mobile Devices and Game Consoles
	(3)
Explore the complex engineering process required to design and build a real-time 
graphics engine to support physical realism on mobile devices.
Revised:  Recommended preparation CSCI 480 or CSCI 580 or an 
equivalent course in graphics
Current:  prerequisite CSCI 580
>	Approved
Drop prerequisite of CSCI-580, add recommended preparation of CSCI 480 or 580 or
 an equivalent course in graphics.

H.  Revise	Course	Eff. 	Fall 2007
CSCI-491a	Final Game Project
	(4)
a: Design, iterative prototyping, and development of a 1st playable level
>	Withdrawn
Drop CSCI 486 as a pre-requisite.  The department has withdrawn this request.

IV.  Information Technology Program
New	Course	Eff. 	Fall 2007
ITP-487L	Data Warehouses and Business Intelligence
	(2)
The rigorous process leading from data to decisions involves several IT disciplines.
 The theory and practice of Data warehouses and Business Intelligence.  
Prerequisites:  ITP 320 or ISE 382.  Recommended preparation:  IOM 428.
>	Approved
V.  Petroleum Engineering
New	Course	Eff. 	Spring 2008
PTE-511	Advanced Phase Behavior of Petroleum Reservoir Fluids
	(3)
From classical thermodynamics to engineering application; Equations of state 
based calculations; PVT experiments; Reservoir fluid characterization; PT-flash 
calculations and stability analysis; Compositional grading; Transport properties.  
Recommended preparation:  CHE 330, Math 226.  Open only to graduate students.
>	Approved