Computer science in an undergraduate liberal arts and sciences setting

• Authors: Ronald E. Prather
• Venue: ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
• Year: 1992

In this article, we intend to establish a collegial meeting ground among faculty and administrators for a broad discussion of the role of computer science in an undergraduate liberal arts and sciences university. And both groups are in mind as the potential audience. As our title suggests, we are specifically excluding from consideration those schools having significant graduate degree programs, though some of our observations may be appropriate there as well. And we are thinking primarily of the high-quality liberal arts and sciences institutions, or at least of those who aspire to be so designated, where a primary emphasis is placed on preparing students for graduate work at the major universities.In this restricted setting, questions arise for administrators that transcend the narrow parochial characterizations of the field of computer science, those framed by its practitioners and generally recognized authorities (usually found at the larger research universities). How well does computer science fit with the classical liberal arts and sciences tradition, and with the "mission" as a whole? Do we already have enough "computer expertise" around the campus, without initiating or maintaining a separate department? Can we afford it? Is it time to dismantle it or merge it with another department? Otherwise, is it in need of serious revision? One may judge from this line of questioning that we intend to give an equal consideration to those computer science programs that are "starting up" and those that are thinking about "starting over."